A petulant Jeb Bush insists: Obama's New Jersey visit "more symbolism than anything else."

[seafan]

Daily Kos, October 31, 2012:

“We’re not going to tolerate red tape. We’re not going to tolerate bureaucracy, and I’ve instituted a 15-minute rule, essentially, on my staff. You return everybody’s phone calls within 15 minutes,” Obama said.

.....

Obama said FEMA has expedited the process of delivering aid, so that people may begin registering for emergency assistance right away. Anyone in need of assistance for finding rental housing, buying groceries or other basic needs may call (800) 621-FEMA or go to disasterassistance.gov.

Some 2,000 FEMA personnel were on the ground already Wednesday, Obama said.

Boston Globe, November 1, 2012:


Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press

President Obama met with Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey and some displaced residents of Brigantine Beach.

.....

Later Obama described his “15-minute rule” for federal officials: “You return everybody’s phone calls in 15 minutes,” Obama said at a news conference. “Whether it’s the mayors, the governors, county officials, if they need something, we figure out a way to say yes.”

.....

The news conference Wednesday featured a pairing unthinkable a week ago: the president with one of his fiercest critics, Christie, vowing fidelity to a common cause and expressing an appreciation for each other’s efforts and talents.

“It’s been a great working relationship . . . and I cannot thank the president enough for his personal concern and compassion for our state and the people of our state,” Christie said.

Obama was equally complimentary, crediting Christie with extraordinary leadership.

.....

Jeb Bush: Obama New Jersey visit 'symbolism'

By KEVIN ROBILLARD
11/1/12 9:15 AM EDT

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush on Thursday downplayed the importance of the federal government’s response to the recovery from Hurricane Sandy on Thursday, calling President Barack Obama’s visit to New Jersey “more symbolism than anything else.” ..... “The governor is really the commander-in-chief of the response to this and the recovery efforts,” Bush said on “Fox And Friends.”

<<(bold type added)>>
.....

Christie, a Mitt Romney supporter who gave the keynote address at the Republican National Convention, has lavished praise on Obama’s handling of Sandy, saying he “cannot thank the president enough.” Christie toured damaged parts of the New Jersey shoreline Wednesday alongside Obama.

“The federal government’s role is to support local and state government,” Bush said on CBS. “The expectation shouldn’t be anything more than that. If you raise expectations more than that, it is impossible for FEMA.”

.....

Meanwhile, Bush also reiterated his accusation that Obama blames too much on his brother, former president George W. Bush.

“I ought to keep my mouth shut about this, but it perturbs me to no end to have in the fourth year of a presidency, the president constantly be talking about the past,” Bush said on Fox. “I mean, the guy was dealt a tough hand. We got that. But in the fourth year, you should be held responsible for your actions. And it’s like this constant refrain, almost as though your kid comes and says ‘The dog ate my homework,’ you know? At some point you just have to accept responsibility.”

A Pew Research Center poll this summer found 44 percent of middle-class Americans blame the Bush administration “a lot” for their economic troubles. Only 34 percent said the same of the Obama administration.

Bush also slammed Obama for saying “you can’t change Washington from the inside.”

“For him to think or say that it’s very difficult to get things done from the inside is pretty telling,” Bush said on Fox News. “He’s the president of the United States. If he can’t do it, maybe he should step aside and let someone else try.”

Yes, Jeb Bush. You should follow your own advice and just keep your mouth shut. Actually, it is you who seems to be fixated on the past.







Here is the video of a petulant Jeb Bush denigrating President Obama and his actions following Hurricane Sandy, and other whining ramblings.



Here is one thing that is indisputable:

We will celebrate all across this country when this backbiting, petty and mean-spirited excuse for an American, along with the rest of his opportunistic family of grifters, are driven out of future politics for all time.

[No Elephants]

1. IIRC, Dummya Bush went to some red states after Katrina. Wasn't that

also "just" symbolic? But he only flew over NOLA. Wasn't that also symbolic?

Later, for the benefit of the TODAY show, Bush went to that landmark cathedral in NOLA. With the time difference between NY and LA, it was still dark. The city still had no power, so his people or the TODAY show had to set up generators.

And there was Dummya, wearing a hard hat and pretending to hammer something, urging people to join Habitat for Humanity in helping re-build NOLA. After the bit was over, he put down his hammer, took off his hard hard, got on Air Force One and left--and so did the generators.

Wasn't that symbolic?

Fact is, heads of state do symbolic things in times of crisis that are very meaningful to people. (Whether they should be meaningful to people is another issue.) For one thing, it brings media attention to a problem.

And the absence of those symbolic things is very hurtful. I had no problem with the royal family closing ranks around the young princes and keeping them away from London after Princess Diana's death, but the people were so hurt that the family showed up at Buckingham Palace. Totally symbolic, but it helped heal broken hearts, even as the hearts of the royal family were the most broken.

[Enthusiast]

2. President Obama has not

Blamed Dubya Bush nearly enough. All we hear is, "Obama is spending us into oblivion!" Bullshit! The debt is Dubya's. Almost entirely Dubyas and it isn't said nearly enough. This is another of my Obama criticisms. The President is not critical of Bush enough. So fuck Jeb and his election stealing ass.

[No Elephants]

3. Obama and his surrogates always say what he inherited.

Every time I have heard him or anyone in his administration asked about the weakness of the recovery, the lack of jobs, etc., the response has begun with a recitation of what obama inherited. And Obama says it on the campaign trail all the time.


Maybe it is not said effectively enough, maybe they have all started to drone it, but they do say it and have been saying it since his election.


Republicans seem to be better at messaging, perhaps because they don't try to be so nuanced--or have much need to be nuanced.

But yes, fuck every election-stealing ass, be he or she a lay person, in government or on a court bench.

[rpannier]

4. He should have flown over it in an airplane

Because that's real leadership
I would also point out that I guess Christie's appearance is also just symbolism