Oprah Is Wrong -- It's Bush That Needs To Apologize

Oprah said that "I think...this country owes these people an apology. This makes me so mad. This should not have happened." In effect, she said America needs to apologize.

Oprah is wrong. Americans immediately sprang into action to volunteer, donated money at record levels far faster than after the tsunami and it was the anger and frustration of Americans that finally pushed Bush into action.

It's Bush that needs to personally apologize for his callous indifference to the suffering in New Orleans and throughout the Gulf region. During the worst natural disaster in our country's history, Bush stayed on vacation. Bush stayed on vacation over the weekend when it was clear this was going to be a terrible, terrible storm -- the sort one sees only once a decade, if that. Bush stayed on vacation on Monday when the hurricane struck. Bush stayed on vacation on Tuesday while the floodwaters were rising, thousands were dying and hundreds of thousands were left homeless. Bush stayed on vacation on Wednesday while New Orleans sank into anarchy and finally headed back to Washington Wednesday afternoon. Yes, a president can stay in touch from anywhere in the world. But ONCE DISASTER STRIKES, you go back to DC and get to work. Bush stayed on vacation.

Bush set the tone for his entire administration. The Secretary of Defense went to baseball games and political rallies on Monday and Tuesday instead of overseeing a military response to the crisis. While dozens of countries called offering aid and assistance, the Secretary of State went on vacation and stayed there on Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday until she finally headed back to DC because of media attention. And remarkably, the Vice President stayed on vacation on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday and FINALLY was spotted in DC on Saturday during a photo op. During this disaster, it's been reported that Cheney was closing a deal on a multi-million dollar mansion off Chesapeake Bay.

Oprah was being polite -- but we don't have to be. President Bush, when are you going to apologize to the American people for abandoning the American people during their time of need?