Don't Count on It Minnesota

Bush Today:

"We in the federal government must respond, and respond robustly, to help the people there not only recover, but to make sure that lifeline of activity — that bridge — gets rebuilt as quickly as possible," Bush said in the Rose Garden following a Cabinet meeting.*

Bush once upon a time:

And tonight I also offer this pledge of the American people: Throughout the area hit by the hurricane, we will do what it takes, we will stay as long as it takes, to help citizens rebuild their communities and their lives. And all who question the future of the Crescent City need to know there is no way to imagine America without New Orleans, and this great city will rise again.

And now:

A new congressional analysis finds that the “Bush administration has shown little progress — and in some cases backtracked — on its pledge to do a better job in awarding contracts to small, Gulf Coast businesses for Hurricane Katrina work.” Some highlights:

– Approximately “7.4 percent of Katrina contracts so far have gone to small businesses in Louisiana, down from 12.5 percent in April.”

– “Since April, only 6 percent of new GSA contracts for Katrina work _ about $61,000 out of roughly $978,000 _ went to small Louisiana businesses. At the VA, the percentage was even lower: 0.7 percent, or $25,435 out of $3.6 million.”

– “Out of the $95.6 million in total contracts that were inaccurately claimed as going to small business, more than $77 million, or 81 percent, were awards by the Defense Department.”

*Note that Bush's little blurb was actually, while allegedly for expressing sympathy, overwhelmingly tilted to bash Democrats for unrelated budgetary battles (battles his GOP Congress used to be far more delayed about).