Obama Calls on George W. Bush to Assist in Haiti Recovery
EmailABC News’ Yunji de Nies reports: President Barack Obama is enlisting the help of former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton to help organize the relief effort Haiti. Mr. Obama spoke with Mr. Bush last night, and the former president agreed to help in an organizing role, much like those he created for his father and former president Clinton after the 2004 Tsunami and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. “The President believed that the partnership that President George W. Bush created between his dad and former President Clinton was obviously a highly effective way of ensuring that after this phase of the operation, the search-and-rescue phase of this operation, after that concludes, obviously there is still going to be a tremendous need, and there will probably be a tremendous need for many, many months to come, that that's the best vehicle and the most effective vehicle for setting that up,” White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said. Mr. Obama’s choice may strike some as curious, given his prolific criticism of Mr. Bush’s handling of the response to Hurricane Katrina. On the 2008 campaign trail, Mr. Obama often cited Bush’s “Brownie Moment” as an example of what he would not do if elected. “If catastrophe comes, the American people must be able to call on a competent government. When I am President, the days of dysfunction and cronyism in Washington will be over. No more Brownie. No more heads of the Arabian horse assn – in FEMA,” Mr. Obama told a crowd in New Orleans in February of 2008, “Across this city, we see the evidence that George Bush’s promises were empty.” A month later in Billings, MO, candidate Obama said, “When we hand over Katrina contracts to more of George Bush’s FEMA friends, it doesn’t just violate the American people’s trust, it takes away the tax dollars they’ve earned and the valuable services they need. It’s wrong, and when I am President, it will end.” On September 11th of that year, Mr. Obama declared that Washington was broken. “The loss of a civic culture in Washington among public service has led to not only well-known disasters, like the mismanagement of the Katrina situation, but quiet disasters, where you've got entire agencies that have been hollowed out and you've got political appointees who aren't concerned with the mission of those organizations,” he said. When asked why the President now believes Mr. Bush is the right person to help manage relief for Haiti, Gibbs responded, “I guess the answer would probably be contained in why Bill Clinton worked with the guy he beat to come to the White House.” “I think if you asked George Bush whether the government acted up to its ability in responding to Katrina, I think the answer to that would be no. The actions that were taken to deal with the humanitarian crisis from the tsunami, on the other hand, I think worked quite well,” Gibbs said, “Look, if everything — if I — if everything I criticized precluded me from ever doing something with them on an issue that we agreed on, we'd all be walking around as 300 million people unable to communicate or deal with anybody else.”
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Posted by: ollie | January 14, 2010, 5:12 pm 5:12 pm
It’s a very kind gesture on Obama’s part – to invite the pariah back in.
Posted by: tierra | January 14, 2010, 5:29 pm 5:29 pm
Obama ,the great ego flip flopper!
Posted by: Jack | January 14, 2010, 5:30 pm 5:30 pm
Did you mean Billings, Montana? If so, the abbreviation should be MT. MO refers to Missouri.
Posted by: Scott | January 14, 2010, 5:35 pm 5:35 pm
GWB does charitable work on his own–he does not need Obama to tell him to–the Bushes are Huge contributers to charity–Obama does not get credit for this one–also, Bushes and B Clinton have been friends for years–lay off, libs….
Posted by: sifto77 | January 14, 2010, 5:36 pm 5:36 pm
This is the first competent action I have seen from the Obama regime. Like a broken clock that’s correct at least twice a day, Obama et al cannot ALWAYS be wrong. Now if he would simply admit his own incompetence and resign (oh no – that would mean Biden!)… All that aside, we all surely want the best for the Haitains and for what’s left of our own country.
Posted by: Honest John | January 14, 2010, 5:48 pm 5:48 pm
He only did it because he doesn’t know how to do it himself.
Posted by: jonny | January 14, 2010, 5:52 pm 5:52 pm
Having former Presidents, especially bi-partisan, involved in emergency foreign aid is a great thing for the US. Why spend most of your article focusing on the negative, rather than on the positive gesture of President Obama asking former President George W to assist our country in providing humanitarian aid, desperately needed by another country. Presidents Clinton and George H Bush did a great job in this type of work, especially after the Asian tsunami.
Posted by: Tom | January 14, 2010, 6:00 pm 6:00 pm
Kudos to Mr. GW Bush once again for his graciousness! Regardless of what many believe (I have no answer for Katrina and the mishandling of that situation)he is in his heart very patriotic and very compassionate. He believes in America and the goodness of its people. Kudos to President Obama for recognizing these qualities and asking for his help. Its acts as such which reminds me why we are the UNITED States of America! Much better than all of this partanship!!!!
Posted by: FS | January 14, 2010, 6:01 pm 6:01 pm
Wow you can see the differences between conservatives and reactionary right wingers who listen to gasbags like Beck, Hannity and Rush in the comments here.
Kudos to the Ex-Presidents for remaining statesmen.
Posted by: Ryan C | January 14, 2010, 6:10 pm 6:10 pm
Oh no! If he sends George Bush then it’ll be an even worse disaster!
Why would he send the person who he claims is the cause of all the problems in america?
Posted by: howie | January 14, 2010, 6:14 pm 6:14 pm
It’s a very kind gesture on Obama’s part – to invite the pariah back in.
tierra | Jan 14, 2010 5:29:06 PM
I can’t credit Obama for this one. He’s just copying what was proven to work before in GWB’s response to the tsunami. That is an excellent approach, but he doesn’t get points for just putting his name on the test.
GWB’s administration shone in their actual on-the-ground response to the tsunami (seriously – fumbled a bit of PR, but didn’t miss a beat as far as the needy on the ground could tell). Obama is smart to recognize that.
Posted by: jhw539 | January 14, 2010, 6:19 pm 6:19 pm
So typical of the media to construe a completely innocuous and actually quite generous act by Obama as either a secretly partisan move or somehow he is reneging on campaign pledges. Mr. Bush is hardly going to be in charge of the rescue and relief operations…
Posted by: matt | January 14, 2010, 6:20 pm 6:20 pm
obama is making political hay out of this one. There is no doubt that a terrible situation has developed in Haiti, and should be responded to by the world community, led by the US. But what I don’t understand is obamas remark about there former status as slaves. They are not slaves now. How is this relative to 2010? Where is Chevez, with his billions, the father of the south american new order?
How does bringing up Katrina, and bush during that event help now? Or is it a reminder to the 3rd world nations, that a massive transfer of american money is due and part of the new American direction of sharing what is left of American resources. Where is China? Where is Russia? Where is Germany & France, the ones who couldn’t wait to see him elected.
I hope he gets this worked up, if a natural disaster hits Canada, Greece or
Costa Rica.
Posted by: WRK | January 14, 2010, 6:22 pm 6:22 pm
It’s my fervent wish that tonight, and for many nights to follow that just before falling asleep, all the Obama Haters have a brief and horrifying mental vision of the death and suffering in Haiti. I’m sorry, but your partisan sarcasm in the face of 50,000 deaths is beyond contempt!
Posted by: B. Bear | January 14, 2010, 6:25 pm 6:25 pm
Of couurse Bush should help. He is at fault here. Just like Katrina was his fault. And the tsunami and the fires in CA. Everything has always been and forever will be Bush’s fault.
Posted by: JJ Jetson | January 14, 2010, 6:27 pm 6:27 pm
Howie,
Looks like he wants to bring Bush into this, so he can pin a tail on him, by comparison
Posted by: 83FX | January 14, 2010, 6:27 pm 6:27 pm
Where is Chevez, with his billions, the father of the south american new order?
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It’s actually possible to keep up with world news in this electronic age. And if you did you would know that Chavez and Venezuela have already sent doctors, search and rescue and aid to Haiti.
No need to smear another country out of ignorance – you can actually do research and find out the truth.
Posted by: tierra | January 14, 2010, 6:32 pm 6:32 pm
Everything has always been and forever will be Bush’s fault.
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Not Bush alone – it was the Bush administration in its totality.
Posted by: tierra | January 14, 2010, 6:34 pm 6:34 pm
Well it’s about time somebody made W. Bush do something. This’ll probably be the first time he’s done something good in a long time.
Posted by: justayreal74 | January 14, 2010, 6:35 pm 6:35 pm
“I think if you asked George Bush whether the government acted up to its ability in responding to Katrina, I think the answer to that would be no.”
And liberal jackasses have the gall to complain about Republicans politicizing this.
Posted by: M | January 14, 2010, 6:37 pm 6:37 pm
Both Bush and Clinton can bring a lot to the table, if nothing else raising some cash. From what I have read their Government response is non existant, lets hope and pray that the supplies don’t get diverted and stored for later use by the current dictator. Despite the negative stuff the writer of this article wrote about Obamas statement on Katrina, shame on anyone for bringing this stuff up, Bush is a good man, not necessarily perfect but a good person.
Haiti is an good example of why any society cannot give up ANY of the rights of a constitution, once one is in place.
Posted by: david | January 14, 2010, 6:37 pm 6:37 pm
It’s my fervent wish that tonight, and for many nights to follow that just before falling asleep, all the Obama Haters have a brief and horrifying mental vision of the death and suffering in Haiti. I’m sorry, but your partisan sarcasm in the face of 50,000 deaths is beyond contempt!
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They really are a morally degenerate sampling of the American population.
Posted by: tierra | January 14, 2010, 6:40 pm 6:40 pm
Chavez’s effort in Haiti is purely token. Let’s see what he pledges in total.
Posted by: LM9 | January 14, 2010, 6:41 pm 6:41 pm
I did not mean to say that Obama is not a Christian I was refering to the ultra
religious nuts.
Posted by: davidbo | January 14, 2010, 6:46 pm 6:46 pm
I believe that our president made the right call by askin GB for help. It shows his humbleness, which some great leaders dont posess. GB and clinton have been sucessful in coordinating relief efforts, I know that Katrina relief did not go as well, but believe only what the media wants you to beleive. Have ypu ever asked your self, was it only Bush, or was he only the messenger? People will continue to ask the why? Obama is calling on Bush when he ditched him on Katrinal during the presidential race, we all know this race can get dirty, and the use of rhetoric devices and fallacies is always there. So Obama has some tough questions to ask, but in the mean time, he will lead this great country to respond to this disaster, and show everyone, even alQaeda, that the American people are always there when anybody needs us, yes, even those that may disagree. Thank you to all those that have donated throught the red cross text donations.
Posted by: Eddie | January 14, 2010, 6:59 pm 6:59 pm
Oh, now President Bush is good enough to help out to make Obama look good! After almost daily smearing
the past administration! Obama is lucky that Mr.Bush
is gracious and has class. ” To be perfectly clear” I think I made my point….
Posted by: 2smart4u | January 14, 2010, 7:13 pm 7:13 pm
Chavez’s effort in Haiti is purely token.
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‘Purely token’. Hogwash. Why would you set out to demean the contribution of Venezuela? I’ll tell you the answer – out of ignorance.
Posted by: tierra | January 14, 2010, 7:16 pm 7:16 pm
Tierra…….Obama wants Bush to help him?
LOL
Posted by: Cw | January 14, 2010, 7:18 pm 7:18 pm
After almost daily smearing
the past administration!
________________________________
Nonsense – this is the aggressor blaming the victim. It is the Obama administration that is getting smeared every day by the Republicans and the right, regardless of what he does. He gets smeared for taking his children for ice cream.
Considering the mess the country was in after the Bush administration, they’ve gotten off easy.
Posted by: tierra | January 14, 2010, 7:19 pm 7:19 pm
I think its’ very generous of Obama to invite the pariah back in.
Posted by: tierra | January 14, 2010, 7:20 pm 7:20 pm
Obama is trying to help, all of you haters are the worlds problem. If this is christianity than I will leave right now.
Posted by: davidbo | January 14, 2010, 7:22 pm 7:22 pm
This is the first unifying gesture that President Obama has made since he was elected. Let it be a start!
Posted by: tillyerkt | January 14, 2010, 7:37 pm 7:37 pm
This is the first unifying gesture that President Obama has made since he was elected.
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Nonsense.
Posted by: tierra | January 14, 2010, 7:50 pm 7:50 pm
This just goes to show that, occasionally, the buck really does stop in Texas.
I’m sure Mr. Bush will do wonders here. Given that he has a good working relationship with Mr. Clinton, and Mr. Clinton is up on everything happening in Haiti (as the UN Special Envoy to Haiti), the coordination efforts will be in the best hands.
Posted by: unclesmrgol | January 14, 2010, 7:58 pm 7:58 pm
Bill Clinton looked very presidential answering question about Haiti relief operations today. Now George W Bush has been asked by Obama to help. Obama is a joke.
Posted by: Cw | January 14, 2010, 8:11 pm 8:11 pm
Given that he has a good working relationship with Mr. Clinton, and Mr. Clinton is up on everything happening in Haiti (as the UN Special Envoy to Haiti), the coordination efforts will be in the best hands.
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Another smart call by President Obama.
Posted by: tierra | January 14, 2010, 8:20 pm 8:20 pm
tierra writes: “They really are a morally degenerate sampling of the American population.”
.
Those you call morally degenerate Americans are the ones who donate their time and money as missionaries to help those in need in all these countries. Catholic Relief Services, etc. you name it are all on the ground constantly, even when the TV cameras are not around. You lefties on the other hand are always anxious to reach in our pockets and use our money to make yourselves feel good. When the dust settles and the news media pick up and fly home, you all disappear.
Posted by: gk | January 14, 2010, 8:48 pm 8:48 pm
Obama has bad mouth President Bush for three years along with his staff and now he has the gull to call Bush for help? Bush of course agreed he is a man and knows history will write about his contributions to our country and/or short falls not Oduma and his gang.
Bush made mistakes as president but t least he was our president not Pelosi or Reid.
Question why is Obama calling on Bush? I would be very careful, sounds like a trap; if it goes wrong they will have some one to blame besides themselves.
Posted by: a citizen | January 14, 2010, 8:51 pm 8:51 pm
Posted by: gk | Jan 14, 2010 8:48:01 PM
______________________________
I was just agreeing with a fellow poster about the Obama haters who come here to hurl their feces, insults and hate against the wall. Stand by the opinion that they set a pitiful moral standard for the country.
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It’s my fervent wish that tonight, and for many nights to follow that just before falling asleep, all the Obama Haters have a brief and horrifying mental vision of the death and suffering in Haiti. I’m sorry, but your partisan sarcasm in the face of 50,000 deaths is beyond contempt!
________________________________
They really are a morally degenerate sampling of the American population.
Posted by: tierra | January 14, 2010, 9:01 pm 9:01 pm
Considering the mess the country was in after the Bush administration, they’ve gotten off easy.
Posted by: tierra | Jan 14, 2010 7:19:19 PM
………………..
Rubbish. The country is 100 times worse off since Obama took over.
Posted by: deb rawr | January 14, 2010, 9:07 pm 9:07 pm
It’s my fervent wish that tonight, and for many nights to follow that just before falling asleep, all the Obama Haters have a brief and horrifying mental vision of the death and suffering in Haiti.
Posted by: B. Bear | Jan 14, 2010 6:25:31 PM
You liberals are sooooo dramatic! Maybe if you gather up all your crystals, sit under your pyramid-shaped meditation tent and wave your magic Harry Potter wand your wish will come true!
Posted by: deb rawr | January 14, 2010, 9:22 pm 9:22 pm
Posted by: Mary | Jan 14, 2010 9:30:22 PM
The hate posting against the President and the Democrats is apparent to anyone with a conscious brain and even one functioning eye.
It happens here every day and it happens repeatedly throughout each day.
It lowers the moral standards in the country.
That unfortunately is what we’ve come to expect from the right wing and the Republican crowd on this site. Not all! But way too many . ..
Posted by: tierra | January 14, 2010, 9:37 pm 9:37 pm
Rubbish. The country is 100 times worse off since Obama took over.
_____________________________________
Nonsense. The country was in economic free-fall when the Bush administration handed it over. The stock markets were in collapse, hundreds of thousands of jobs being lost every month, major banks and financial institutions in collapse, foreclosures and bankruptcies throught the roof, state budgets going into collapse as their tax base disappeared with the jobs, teachers, police, firefighters and health care workers about to be laid off due to no money to pay them.
Iran had put up a secret nuclear facility on Bush’s watch, North Koreas tested its first nuclear weapon on Bush’s watch, Bin Laden and al Qaeda escaped in Afghanistan on Bush’s watch. 2 wars. American auto companies in collapse.
Posted by: tierra | January 14, 2010, 9:43 pm 9:43 pm
Tierra: “It’s a very kind gesture on Obama’s part – to invite the pariah back in”
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This is the SECOND post on this article and it BELONGS TO YOU!!! Get it? It’s a hateful thing to say about a man that just agreed to help a devastated country full of suffering people. YOU President Obama was noble to put aside differences and reach across to Bush…..Bush was noble in accepting the request….and you were beyond hateful. You do NOTHING for Obama’s cause by being this way. If you REALLY cared about the people hurting—you would welcome everyone’s support—-even Bush’s!!!!
Posted by: Mary | January 14, 2010, 9:49 pm 9:49 pm
This is the SECOND post on this article and it BELONGS TO YOU!!! Get it? It’s a hateful thing to say about a man that just agreed to help a devastated country full of suffering people.
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Mary I fear you don’t have any idea what the word ‘pariah’ means.
In the last months of Bush’s presidency 69% of Americans disapproved of Bush.
A pariah is a person who is rejected (from society or home). When 69% of people have rejected you . ..
I think President Obama has been generous to let the pariah back in. It can only do the former President good – same as the elder Bush benefited from being teamed up with Clinton to do relief work.
Posted by: tierra | January 14, 2010, 9:54 pm 9:54 pm
Did you miss this one Mary?
Given that he (Bush) has a good working relationship with Mr. Clinton, and Mr. Clinton is up on everything happening in Haiti (as the UN Special Envoy to Haiti), the coordination efforts will be in the best hands.
______________________________________
Another smart call by President Obama.
Posted by: tierra | January 14, 2010, 9:56 pm 9:56 pm
Tierra: I give up. Have a good night>
I feel comforted knowing that President Obama, Bush, and Clintin will be working together for this cause. Pooling the resources and talents of all three men will hopefully bring some relief to the suffering of those poor people.
Mary
Posted by: Mary | January 14, 2010, 10:09 pm 10:09 pm
President Bush can at least obviously accomplish something. Obama has done nothing whatsoever thusfar, except sink us further into debt.
Posted by: jonny | January 14, 2010, 10:10 pm 10:10 pm
I feel comforted knowing that President Obama, Bush, and Clintin will be working together for this cause. Pooling the resources and talents of all three men will hopefully bring some relief to the suffering of those poor people.
Mary
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Let’s hope so Mary, the news from Haiti is just so bad. Group grave for 7,000 today . .. people don’t know where their relatives are or if they’re alive, and so on . ..
Posted by: tierra | January 14, 2010, 10:17 pm 10:17 pm
To Deb rawr: I may be dramatic but I will be sleeping soundly and you will still have that really bad picture in your mind just before you fall asleep. Oh, I’m consulted the crystals and waived my Harry Potter wand-you will have a “cosmic wedgie” tomorrow while listening to Pat Robertson and Porky Limbaugh.
Posted by: B.Bear | January 14, 2010, 10:53 pm 10:53 pm
hmmmm…BO calls on ‘W’ to assist with Haiti relief, yet according to BO hisself and his MSM minions, ‘W’ is a racist, given his failure at providing relief post Katrina. What up? is His Lordship, barack HUSSEIN obama setting ‘W’ up for failure? with ‘W’ having been out of office for over a year, is BO finally running out of reasons to pass the blame onto ‘W’ for current woes. So BO brings Goerge back into the limelight for more material?
Posted by: realman1963 | January 15, 2010, 6:05 am 6:05 am
Daddy Bush works with CLinton, I think. Does Dorkboy, too?
Posted by: grampasimpson | January 15, 2010, 7:09 am 7:09 am
Every time I think of Dubya, it makes me so happy he’s gone
Posted by: grampasimpson | January 15, 2010, 7:10 am 7:10 am
The hate posting against the President and the Democrats is apparent to anyone with a conscious brain and even one functioning eye.
It happens here every day and it happens repeatedly throughout each day.
It lowers the moral standards in the country.
That unfortunately is what we’ve come to expect from the right wing and the Republican crowd on this site. Not all! But way too many . ..
Posted by: tierra | Jan 14, 2010 9:37:36 PM
——
Curious where you were and what you were posting during the Bush administration, tierra. Love notes, was it?
Still haven’t quite figured out why a Brit like yourself has such an interest in telling us what to think or whom we should elect to lead us since you don’t have to live under the mandates yourself. Unless, of course, you changed citizenship, which begs the question why would you leave the embrace of your socialist European utopia to wallow in the capitalist hedonism that is the U.S.?
Posted by: Jen B. | January 15, 2010, 7:33 am 7:33 am
…don’t put ‘W’ in charge of their (Haiti’s) economy… it’s already horrific.
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | January 15, 2010, 8:06 am 8:06 am
“”"”I think President Obama has been generous to let the pariah back in. “”"”
Posted by: tierra
Still disrespectful. At the end of Bush’s Presidency, the public grew wary of the wars and his poll numbers slipped. If you don’t believe Bush was trying to do his best for this country, you’re wrong. I didn’t vote for Bush, but partisan people like yourself can never find one good word to say about him. Everyone knows it took both parties to get us in this economic mess, but people like you would never admit that.
Posted by: lfrichar | January 15, 2010, 8:20 am 8:20 am
The horrendous happenings in Haiti should transcend political colors and affiliations. When i see the reality on tv I know this is not a political disaster. This is humanity’s catastrophe. Let every man and woman who can help join hands with pres Obama to save the dying in Haiti. Long Live Humanity!!
Posted by: Cyril Jengo | January 15, 2010, 8:28 am 8:28 am