[GreatBriton]

7 September 2005

BUSH: THEY WERE UNDERPRIVILEGED, SO THIS IS WORKING VERY WELL FOR THEM

From Ryan Parry in New Orleans

BUNGLING Barbara Bush yesterday claimed poverty-stricken refugees who lost everything in Hurricane Katrina are actually better off thanks to the devastating floods.

The 80-year-old former first lady piled more pressure on her under fire son George's administration by declaring that the victims are so happy in their makeshift camps they would rather stay than go back to their impoverished communities.






BUTTON IT: Barbara Bush

Her gaffe came after a visit with husband George Snr to the Astrodome stadium in Houston, Texas, where thousands of evacuees from New Orleans and other affected areas are being housed.


Barbara chuckled as she said: "So many of the people here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them.


"What I'm hearing, which is sort of scary, is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. Almost everyone I've talked to says: 'We're going to move to Houston'."


Many of the refugees are anxiously waiting for news of missing loved ones. Their homes have been destroyed and families shattered by the hurricane that hit southern America last week.


Barbara's comments come as celebrities lined up to criticise George Bush over delays in responding to the crisis.


As the hunt for the thousands of people still missing intensified yesterday, James Bond star Pierce Brosnan, 52, said: "This man called President Bush has a lot to answer for. I don't know if he is really taking care of America. This government has been shameful."


Actor Colin Farrell added: "If this had been a bunch of white people on the roofs of their houses I don't have any f***ing doubt there would have been every single helicopter, plane and means that the government has trying to help."


The 29-year-old Irishman spoke out after being auctioned off on a £6,000 charity date.


Other stars rolled up their sleeves and got on with the job of helping stricken communities themselves rather than waiting for politicians to sort out the mess.


Actor Sean Penn spent nine hours pulling bodies out of the putrid waters in New Orleans.







TEARS: Child in Astrodome - like a scene from Africa


He said: "It's the ultimate distress and human suffering.


"Though we have come to be suspicious of the will of our administration, I don't think anybody ever anticipated the criminal negligence of the Bush administration in this situation."


Penn had to abandon his mission when his boat sprung a leak. He bailed out using a plastic cup.


Grease star John Travolta delivered five tonnes of food and 400 tetanus shots to Louisiana on his private jet. He visited shelters across the region and spoke to victims before touring New Orleans with actress wife Kelly Preston.


Singer Paul Simon donated two mobile medical units and Barry Manilow announced his fund had raised £81,000 in aid.


Macy Gray and Oprah Winfrey visited the devastated region. Chat queen Oprah also handed out food at the Astrodome.


Author John Grisham has given £2.7million to the relief effort in his home state of Mississippi. Rappers P Diddy and Jay-Z pledged £550,000 to help the thousands of homeless.


Several concerts are being staged including an MTV benefit gig called ReAct Now: Music & Relief on Saturday. The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Kanye West, Sheryl Crow and Paul McCartney are due to play.


Up to 10,000 are believed killed by Katrina. By last night the floodwaters had dropped substantially and rescuers braced themselves for what horrors the receding deluge would reveal.


Dozens of refrigerated trucks were on standby to store bodies.


Draining the remaining water is likely to take weeks and with so many people decomposing the risk of disease worsens by the day.


In Violet on the Mississippi, 22 bodies were found lashed together around a pole - evidence of a bid to escape the rising waters.


New Orleans police estimated there were fewer than 10,000 people left in the city. Many refuse to leave their homes. The authorities have now refused to hand out water to those who insist on staying.


But officials said the lawlessness that plagued New Orleans has been brought under control.


Mr Bush yesterday pledged to lead a probe into the government's dismally slow relief effort. He said: "We've got to solve problems."


SEAN PENN


No one ever anticipated the criminal negligence of the Bush administration in the situation


PIERCE BROSNAN


This man called Bush has a lot to answer for.. I don't know if he's taking care of the US


COLIN FARRELL


If they'd been white people, the government would have used every means in trying to help these people

mirror.co.uk

[xerxes]

I guess apples don't fall far from the tree. Barbera can't care for black people, neither can her son.

The only way she could be moe a crazy bitch was if she had said "let them eat cake".

[BartSimpson]

Some of the people are, indeed, planning on settling in Texas as it is a marked improvement to the slums of New Orleans.

[bootlegga]

xerxes xerxes:

I guess apples don't fall far from the tree. Barbera can't care for black people, neither can her son.

The only way she could be moe a crazy bitch was if she had said "let them eat cake".

[BartSimpson]

WDHIII WDHIII:

True and from what I hear Walmart is playing a big part in that.

I'll admit mixed feelings on that. It goes against my better instincts, but I'll try to accept that maybe WalMart is actually doing something good for a change.

My first reaction is to think that they need cheap labour to replace the Mexicans who can't illegally cross the border like they used to.

[usababe]

Walmart has donated 2 million dollars, as have other corporations like UPS. I'm not a big fan of Wally World but I do have to applaud them for their efforts.

Barbara Bush is from the days when predjudice was common place....today her comments are completely intolerable.

[hwacker]

Wal-Mart has donated more then the Liberals have. C’mon Paul get that chest of stolen cash out, cheapskate.

[BartSimpson]

hwacker hwacker:

Wal-Mart has donated more then the Liberals have. C’mon Paul get that chest of stolen cash out, cheapskate.

[RoyalHighlander]

if Barb Bush said that... I am totally astounded at her lack of tact and grace... what a Biatch to even imply that

[Constantinople]

It would seem that Barbara Bush has erred in the spotlight of suspicion.

[Streaker]

hwacker hwacker:

Wal-Mart has donated more then the Liberals have. C’mon Paul get that chest of stolen cash out, cheapskate.

Actually it looks like Canada's contribution to the relief effort is going to be considerable - several Navy and coast guard ships loaded with equipment and supplies are now on their way...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

$1:

"What I'm hearing, which is sort of scary, is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. Almost everyone I've talked to says: 'We're going to move to Houston'."

Don't really have to read between the lines to smell this woman's fear and loathing of poor black people. Pathetic.

[Ripcat]

hwacker hwacker:

Wal-Mart has donated more then the Liberals have. C’mon Paul get that chest of stolen cash out, cheapskate.

Seeing how Wal-Mart has bigger profits than Canada has surplus without all the debt as well, I wonder when Wal-Mart will make a real contribution. Maybe all the share holders could fore go their dividends this year and contribute them to the relief effort.

[turtlehead]

usababe usababe:

Walmart has donated 2 million dollars, as have other corporations like UPS. I'm not a big fan of Wally World but I do have to applaud them for their efforts.

Barbara Bush is from the days when predjudice was common place....today her comments are completely intolerable.

What paper are you reading? Walmart donated 30 million dollars, and in Dallas they opened the doors of their store and let the evacuees take whatever they wanted. I saw the footage. Good grief, man. This forum reminds me of the old game "gossip." You start a message around like, "The carpet is blue," and it comes to the last person who hears, "I don't care what you do." Remember that?

You are right about Barbara. She used to be my mother's American Idol, but she really put her foot in her mouth. She should know better.

Turtle

[dennis_is_canadian]

Regardless of donations, people are still dying of lack of food, water and growing infection. The U.S government is not using the resources they have to help their people. Don't tell me I'm full of sh** either because it's all over every U.S news broadcast. I know this is a an unfortunate circumstance for George Bush, these damn people have shortened his vacation. I can't believe the oddasity of these people? How could they possibly demand water, food and medical help? Bush is the victim here.

I just can't comprehend that a Government with so much resources and power is doing such a poor job of helping it's citizens. maybe Kanya West is right "George Bush doesn't care about Black People". Like I said before, this is what you get when you re-elect a monkey in a suit. George Bush feels like fighting a pointless and unjustified war in Iraq is for American Peoples protection and freedom yet thousands are dead or dying and his passion for Americans Proection isn't near where his passion is for war. Maybe if they had the National Guard available in the U.S rather then occupied accross seas, alot of people could have been saved or helped.

Though this is an American tragedy, it bothers me so much that people are suffering like this. It makes my blood boil to think that so many people were not saved or given the help they need because of the unorganized and much too slow response from the U.S president.

My prayers go out to every one affected by this tragedy, and I have all the illest wishes for that dick George Bush.

[Constantinople]

turtlehead turtlehead:

What paper are you reading? Walmart donated 30 million dollars, and in Dallas they opened the doors of their store and let the evacuees take whatever they wanted. I saw the footage.

Walmart truly is a great thing.