Bush accused of exploiting hurricane in Florida as he offers aid to disast

[Nambe]

Independent Digital (UK)

President George Bush flew into south-west Florida yesterday on a mission that was as much about politics as compassion for the area devastated by a hurricane over the weekend.

Accompanied by Jeb Bush, his brother and Governor of the state, and by Mike Brown, the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), the President toured - by helicopter and on land - Charlotte and Lee counties, which suffered the most damage by far from Hurricane Charley late on Friday. ..

Experts also warned that Mr Bush faced a challenge trying to dispel any notion that he was trying to make political mileage out of the human tragedy left by the storm. If he achieves that, Charley may end up helping him recover support in a state which he snatched from Al Gore in 2000 by just 537 votes.

"The most politically useful trips of all are the, quote, 'non-political' ones," commented Larry Sabato, a professor of political science at the University of Virginia. "Presidents never look better than when they appear to be acting decisively in situations such as these."

But with Jeb at his side yesterday, the President faced an uphill task avoiding the impression that he was politicising the storm. Perhaps most critically, however, was the challenge of ensuring that this time assistance gets to the state more quickly. Already, President Bush had declared 20 counties in Florida as federal disaster areas - making them eligible for millions of dollars in help. ..

I didn't find the accusation.

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