Bush comment raises eyebrows

2005-09-06 18:08

Houston - Former presidents George HW Bush and Bill Clinton got smiles, hugs and requests for autographs when they met with refugees from Hurricane Katrina - but it was Bush's wife who got attention for some of her comments.

Barbara Bush, who accompanied the former presidents on a tour of the Astrodome complex on Monday, said the relocation to Houston was "working very well" for some of the poor people forced out of New Orleans.

She said: "What I'm hearing, which is sort of scary, is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality.

"And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them."

Her comments came as the two former presidents visited with hundreds of the 23 600 hurricane refugees and announced the creation of the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund.

'Tragedy should be examined'

George HW Bush said: "We're most anxious to roll up our sleeves and get to work. It will take all of us working together to accomplish our goal. This job is too big for any one group."

Clinton said he thought the federal government's response to the tragedy should be examined. He said but for now, the focus should be on helping the refugees restart their lives.

Clinton said: "There is still a lot of anger. There is still a lot of confusion, but I don't think we should be surprised.

"These people lost everything and the experience they had in the Superdome or the convention centre was horrible."

The elder Bush said he didn't like the criticism levelled at his son, President George W Bush, but added, "As a president it goes with territory".

As the Bushes entered a shelter set up at the Reliant Centre with Texas governor Rick Perry, Perry and Barbara Bush immediately gravitated toward two children, while former president Bush shook hands with a group of men.

Clinton tours the shelter

After a brief exchange with one girl, Barbara Bush grabbed her hand and took her to meet her husband.

Barbara Bush placed her arm around the girl's back and the child smiled widely as she talked with the former president.

Clinton toured the shelter with his wife, senator Hillary Clinton of New York, and senator Barack Obama of Illinois.

Obama, picked up a little girl who brought him a small heart she had made in a makeshift daycare centre at the shelter.

Obama said to the girl: "What's your name, sweetie? You look so pretty.

"You made this heart and you decided to give it to Bill Clinton, didn't you?"

The little girl, named Kearra, shook her head affirmatively.

Clinton, giving the tiny toddler a hug, said: "Well, I give you my heart. You're beautiful. Thank you for the heart."

- AP