Biloxi, Miss. – A year after he was accused of being days late and dollars short when Hurricane Katrina battered the Gulf Coast, President Bush went to the still-devastated region Monday for two days of sympathy and symbolism marking the anniversary of the storm.
The first stop was a Biloxi neighborhood where Bush was welcomed by people pleased with how the rebuilding has gone. Bush will be in New Orleans today, where there is far less satisfaction.
The president offered optimistic remarks, citing a “sense of renewal here,” tempered by a nod to the ongoing challenge.
“We understand people are still anxious to get in their homes,” Bush said in a sweltering sun. “We understand people hear about help and wonder where it is. We know that, but the first thing is that the federal government has made a commitment to help, and it starts with a large check.”
Bush walked the working- class neighborhood before his remarks, visiting with folks he met when he toured the area a few days after the storm. He drew applause by noting the progress.
“I went by their home,” he said of Sandy and Lynn Patterson, whom he met last year amid the destruction. “It’s got air conditioning.”
Before leaving the White House, Bush was briefed on another storm now threatening the region: Tropical Storm Ernesto, which hit Cuba on Monday and could be on track for South Florida and a possible test of post-Katrina response procedures.
The Bush administration acknowledged errors and what it called “lessons learned” after the botched response to Katrina. The president’s visit – his 13th since the storm – was evidence he had learned a key lesson about showing up.
“I’ve come back on this anniversary to thank you for your courage and to let you know the federal government stands with you still,” he said.
Bush began the day at a lunch with Mississippi government and community leaders, including Gov. Haley Barbour, who said earlier in the day that government is not the only answer when a massive storm threatens.
Bush dined Monday evening with Louisiana state and local officials in New Orleans, including Mayor C. Ray Nagin.
Bush is to attend a prayer service in New Orleans today.
