WASHINGTON — President Bush checked in with governors and others Saturday to make sure everything was being done to deal with Hurricane Gustav.
He prepared for the possibility of travel to the region and designated two more states eligible for federal help ahead of landfall. The president called state leaders in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas in the early morning from the White House, said spokesman Scott Stanzel.
The president asked each governor if the federal government was providing the help they need and pledged “the full support” of his administration, Stanzel said.
Bush praised the governors for mobilizing their states effectively to get ready.
“That doesn’t mean that everything will be totally smooth,” said White House press secretary Dana Perino. “We’re facing what could be a very strong hurricane, possibly one of the largest and strongest to hit America since records began.”
On Friday, Bush declared states of emergency for Louisiana and Texas; he added Mississippi and Alabama on Saturday.
Such a move is rarely taken before a disaster hits. The declaration clears the way for federal aid to supplement state and local efforts and formalizes coordination. The administration did the same thing before Katrina struck in 2005.
The Associated Press
