Could Katrina Be Bush’s ”Perfect Storm”?

We hate to use the “perfect storm” clich
Hurricanes give presidents the chance to look presidential, and Bush has ordered up a lot of federal aid for the region; after the storm blows through, we’ll see if he tours damaged areas. But gas prices have plagued Bush throughout August. Along with Iraq, they dragged on his approval ratings, as well as on public opinion about the otherwise improving economy. Bush ends this August with an average job rating that is several points below what it was when he started it.

Judging from the plans he laid out in his late July and early August radio addresses, Bush had intended to spend much of the month touting positive economic signs like growing homeownership and the shrinking unemployment rate and deficit. Instead, gas prices and resulting airline industry problems have been the main economic story of the month. And due to increased violence in Iraq, delays in the drafting of the constitution, and the national attention paid to Cindy Sheehan, Bush also had to focus much more on the war during August than the White House had anticipated.

MSNBC