Bush Rebuts Fishing Accusations
U.S. President George W. Bush and his father
George H.W. Bush
tour the flooded city of New Orleans.
A Disassociated Press Report, Washington, D.C., Sept. 21, 2005
By Eric Mader
U.S. president George W. Bush today rebutted accusations that his
decision to bring fishing gear on a September 2 visit to the flood-devasted
city of New Orleans showed indifference to the suffering of hurricane victims.
"We couldn't have been fishing for more than fifteen minutes from
that boat," the president said, denying rumors that he spent nearly
two-thirds of the four hour visit trying to catch something. "Our visit to New Orleans was
strictly business. That we brought
that gear with us, well, maybe it wasn't the best idea."
The president visited the flooded city with his father George H.W. Bush
on September 2, two days after Hurricane Katrina wrought havoc in the
city. His administration has come
under sharp criticism for the federal government's slow response to the
disaster.
The photos of the fishing trip surfaced Monday, made available to the
press by Nathan Reilly, driver of the boat and an intern in the office of New
Orleans mayor Ray Nagin.
"I thought the situation was a little strange as it was
happening," said Reilly.
"He kept telling me to head here, then head there, while he and his
father kept casting around the flooded lanes and alleys."
The reaction of city residents was not always friendly, according to
Reilly.
"In one neighborhood the people got angry and started throwing
things, empty bottles and such, so the president flipped them the bird and told
me to 'throttle it out of there.'
I remember those were his exact words. 'C'mon, throttle it out of here!'"
"Finally they caught something and wanted me to get some
pictures," Reilly said.
"It was after that that we headed back to reconvene with the
mayor."
The president's mother and former First Lady, Barbara Bush, defended
her son by pointing out that he and his father had always been avid sportsmen.
"There's nothing wrong that they did a little something while
surveying the disaster," she said, speaking Tuesday on CNN's Larry King
Live. "That they cast that rod a few times was just a
lark. It didn't interfere in their
survey of the scene."
The Disassociated Press--News for "Nation Builders"
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