"And you're going to have to get OUT of the helicopter this time George...."

[Clio the Leo]

Related to, "Obama asks W to help Clinton in Haiti relief effort."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=124823&mesg_id=124823




Background

Sep. 8, 2005 --The stories of suffering and loss have ricocheted inside Houston's Astrodome since its conversion to a temporary shelter for Hurricane Katrina evacuees. But one poverty-stricken woman's anguish struck U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) with an intense clarity. "We had nothing before the hurricane," she told Obama as he wandered through the crowd there on Labor Day. "Now we got less than nothing."

http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-135947145/editorial-katrina-racial-storm.html

9/12/05 - "I mean, it's puzzling, given his immediate response during 9/11, that he did not feel a greater sense of empathy towards the folks that were experiencing this enormous disaster," Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) said yesterday on ABC's "This Week."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/11/AR2005091101131_2.html

and

9/15/05 - In separate bills passed by the House and the Senate, lawmakers voted to waive penalties typically imposed on early withdrawals from retirement accounts. Lawmakers have to reconcile their differences and send the measure to the president before it can become law.

The measures help working poor families and parents hang onto tax credits and other benefits that can be disrupted when taxpayers lose their jobs, relocate or separate family members.

Several House lawmakers reacted favorably by a proposal to two Illinois Democrats, Sen. Barack Obama and Rep. Rahm Emanuel, to immediately advance earned income tax credits and child tax credits to families in the disaster area instead of making those taxpayers wait until next year to claim the benefit.

The tax bills would let people write off more of their unreimbursed hurricane losses. Also, taxes typically imposed when debts such as mortgages are forgiven would be waived and people who take in evacuees for two months or more would get tax breaks.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-09-15-congress-katrina_x.htm

;-) And yes, that shirt DOES look familar...

[hlthe2b]

1. W's worst nightmare... expected to go intermingle...

among so many black people, in desperate straits... Seems Obama boxed him in...lol

[Uben]

2. That's a deal breaker

If he has to get out of the helicopter, the deal's off. He has agreed to don his cheerleading outfit and cheer for the Haitians, though.

[Clio the Leo]

4. Hey now...

.... dont insult us Obama cheerleaders by reminding everyone that Bush was ALSO once a cheerleader.

[Xenotime]

3. Is that Obama down there? This is much better than the last administration.

[Clio the Leo]

5. No, that's Senator Obama in New Orleans, 9/05/05

[Igel]

11. Don't wish that on them.

The secret service party, vehicles, security arrangements, etc., etc. would be so disruptive that you don't want Obama to visit Haiti until there's not much urgency for him to visit Haiti.

It would shut the airport for his arrival and departure, gobble up tarmac space, suspend much logistical work at the airport, close roads, consume food and fuel (etc.) for PR. He'd have to visit a hospital, and the doctors there would have to be vetted or leave and when he was there they'd be focused on the healthy wealthy American not the wounded destitute Haitians.

It may garner more attention for the cause, but at this point they have all the stuff they can distribute. If Obama felt suddenly compelled to stage a visitation and opted at the last minute for a fly-over, I'd applaud his insight and wisdom.

When * *did* visit NOLA a couple of weeks after Katrina, that was the effect it had. He was criticized (rightly, IMO) for visiting when all his presence would do was hinder.

[samplegirl]

6. Well he has no ranch to take of..........

now and didn't back then either so suit up W!!!!!!!!!!

[Captain Hilts]

7. Bubba doesn't need W's help. Bubba knows how to run stuff. Bi-partisanship gone awry. nt

[Schema Thing]

8. Yes, but don't forget that Rahm's proposal

was to extend the tax credit for Katrina victims AND require that families sacrifice their first born child to the Devil.


hmmm, come to think of it, he'll probably have some great ideas for these Haitians!


O8)

[hileeopnyn8d]

9. I can't figure out

why everyone thinks this means Bush will be going anywhere. Won't they most likely just record a public service ad urging donations? Isn't that what Clinton & Bush Sr. did?

Hopefully Bush will get the crazy right-wingers that have decided not to give because Rush thinks it will "help" Obama if they do, to donate.

[Clio the Leo]

10. Oh, I think it will be more than doing a public service announcement...

.... Bush knows a lot of people who will do what he asks them to. And while they're all evil :) they have some money.

... and that's what we need.

I'm not sure I expect Bush and Clinton to go, but it would certainly do some good for that tarnished image Bush has. Of course, it would piss off some wingnuts to see him down there with the Big Dog, but that's just a fringe benefit. lol

The President will go when things have settled down enough for him to go without being so disruptive that it will do more harm than good.

[RepublicanElephant]

12. dubya needs some haiti photos for his presidential library...

...with the caption "see, george w. bush DOES like black people!"