January 4, 2005
OPPORTUNIST:
Bush Enlists Predecessors in Aid Drive: President's father and Clinton will raise funds from private sector for tsunami victims. U.S. military relief effort encounters obstacles. (Edwin Chen and Maggie Farley, January 4, 2005, LA Time)
President Bush on Monday called on every American who could to contribute to organizations aiding victims of the southern Asian earthquake and tsunami, and he named his father and former President Clinton to lead a nationwide fundraising drive."I've asked the former presidents to solicit contributions both large and small," Bush said in a brief announcement at the White House, where flags were flying at half-staff in memory of the estimated 150,000 people killed in the Dec. 26 disaster.
"We are here to ask our fellow citizens to join in a broad humanitarian relief effort," Bush said, as his father, former President George H. W. Bush, and Clinton stood behind him. He added: "I ask every American to contribute as they are able to do so."
Jeb Bush gets to try out for President and Bill Clinton for Secretary General--now that's a useful crisis. Posted by Orrin Judd at January 4, 2005 8:27 AM
Is our president the greatest poliical genius in recorded history, or what? He co-opts the lunatic left, the U.N. and Jimmy Carter in one fell swoop.
Bet the dems in congress rethink their plans to make the Gonzales hearings into the usual circus.
The next four years are going to be great fun.
Posted by: erp at January 4, 2005 8:41 AMAs for the whole "US is stingy" nonsense: I heard Bush 41 and Clinton on TV this morning saying that in addition to the $15 million cash already pledged by the US govrnment, private individuals and corporations have already donated more than $40 million...and I heard later in the newscast that Sandra Bullock is donating $1 million.
Posted by: Foos at January 4, 2005 9:31 AMthere will be more aid eventually than economic losses.
Posted by: oj at January 4, 2005 9:36 AMI don't see the connection between this and the Dems going after Gonzalez with Abu Graba**. The Dems in the Senate won't be swayed by Bush's reaching across the aisle to Clinton.
Posted by: AWW at January 4, 2005 10:16 AMIf Bill Clinton is on the scene, it will be a minor miracle if any money makes it to the Indian Ocean region.
Posted by: Bart at January 4, 2005 10:19 AMAnd the amazon pledge is almost at 14MM.
To OJ's point there are already stories that physical aid (blankets, building materials, etc) are overwhelming the relief effort, hence the focus on $.
Typical CNN - coverage on this story implied that Bush brought in Clinton because his (Bush's) reputation is so bad with the rest of the world he needed to turn to Clinton in order to get the rest of the world to pay attention to him.
Posted by: AWW at January 4, 2005 10:28 AM