The Boy in the Bubble

There is a revealing article in the upcoming edition of Newsweek which describes the how and why of President Bushs' inaction during the early stages of the disaster in the Gulf. (That's the Gulf of Mexico not the Persian Gulf.) This story is based on information provided by close associates of the White House inner circle. In a nutshell these insiders tell of a White House run by a president who chooses to remain ignorant of the world around him and annoyed at anyone who tries to break into his bubble. Perhaps the blissful feeling of ignorance he requires is a replacement of the buzz Bush so craved as a younger man. Unfortunately the hangover for binge will effect the nation at large. George W. Bush's head may no longer hurt in the morning when he wakes up but the rest of us feel sick everyday from it.

Among the reasons given for the pitiful Katrina response:

The President doesn't like to cut short his vacations

It's a standing joke among the president's top aides: who gets to deliver the bad news? Warm and hearty in public, Bush can be cold and snappish in private, and aides sometimes cringe before the displeasure of the president of the United States, or, as he is known in West Wing jargon, POTUS. The bad news on this early morning, Tuesday, Aug. 30, some 24 hours after Hurricane Katrina had ripped through New Orleans, was that the president would have to cut short his five-week vacation by a couple of days and return to Washington.

The President suurounds himself with "Yes-Men"

But it is not clear what President Bush does read or watch, aside from the occasional biography and an hour or two of ESPN here and there. Bush can be petulant about dissent; he equates disagreement with disloyalty.

The President doesn't watch the news

The reality, say several aides who did not wish to be quoted because it might displease the president, did not really sink in until Thursday night. Some White House staffers were watching the evening news and thought the president needed to see the horrific reports coming out of New Orleans. Counselor Bartlett made up a DVD of the newscasts so Bush could see them in their entirety as he flew down to the Gulf Coast.