Bush Admits Katrina Air Force One Photo Was 'Huge Mistake'

More than five years after the fact, former President George W. Bush is admitting that having a photograph taken of him peering out the window of Air Force One at the Katrina-caused wreckage of New Orleans was a "huge mistake."

During an interview with NBC's Matt Lauer set to air next week, Bush had no qualms accepting that, with 20/20 hindsight, he would have approached the situation much differently to avoid appearing "detached and uncaring."

"It's always my fault. I mean, I was the one who should have said: 'A) Don't take my picture, B) Let's land in Baton Rouge, La., C) Let's don't even come close to the area.' The next place to be seen is in Washington at a command center. I mean it was my fault," Bush said.

Bush's handling of the natural disaster was widely regarded as one of the low points of his political career, which was projected by a downward slide of his approval ratings in the following months.

The former president went on to show remorse for not getting more directly involved with the ground situation in the aftermath of the hurricane's damage to the gulf.

"In retrospect, however, I should have touched down in Baton Rouge, met with the governor and walked out and said, 'I hear you. We understand. And we're going to help the state and help the local governments with as much resources as needed,'" Bush said. "And then got back on a flight up to Washington. I did not do that. And paid a price for it."

Bush also addressed Katrina backlash in the context of his public image by saying that Kanye West's "George Bush doesn't care about black people" comment was one of the most painful moments of his presidency.

Comments

[HowardScottPearlman]

12:41 PM on 11/09/2010

The Hugh Mistake that Bush let the city of New Orleans flood for thre days before doing anything !

Bush should be jailed for Criminal Negligence !

[mauibucky]

03:27 PM on 11/08/2010

It could have easily been a photo op with the caption" President gazes at destruction as Air Force One prepares to land in New Orelans". Of course , he didn't land, he flew onto Arizona and California for fund raisers. THAT should have been his regret, not the photo.

[socialmistfit]

01:04 PM on 11/08/2010

"I hear you" is possibly the most important message for a President to convey to those he leads.

There was a large percentage of the population that didn't feel heard by Bush.

There is a large percentage of the population that do not feel heard by Obama.

Clinton and Reagan are two past presidents that did a very good job making more of their constituents feel heard.

[jena132]

12:55 PM on 11/08/2010

So he can accept responsibility for having his picture taking but not for two wars, killing thousands and costing billions?

[Charles Elk]

12:26 PM on 11/08/2010

Democrats and Republicans are two sides to the same coin. If you vote for either your just as guilty as the other party for corrupt government. Two party systems are dumb. Vote third party to see actual change.

[floridalib]

12:40 PM on 11/08/2010

A third party got us a tea bagger Senator in Florida, I will stick with the Dems.

[Charles Elk]

12:44 PM on 11/08/2010

Last I checked Tea Party ran as Republican. Durp.

[Jerry Barry]

12:12 PM on 11/08/2010

Kanye West compared to President Bush, President Bush way smart then that idiot Kanye West!

[CaliGrown78]

12:54 PM on 11/08/2010

PA-LEASE!! LOL I got socks smarter than Bush

[aresponse2dotcom]

04:24 AM on 11/09/2010

That statement alone shows your ignorance, and your laziness in just accepting band wagon rhetoric. What a lemming you are

[Bronxdude]

12:11 PM on 11/08/2010

Who drove the economy into a ditch and left the nation unsafe? 9/11 – worst terrorist attack in American history – occurs during republican administration, and tea klansmen are silent. Duplicitous republican sock-puppets lie to manipulate patriotism, invade Iraq, and tea klansmen are silent. Bush squanders Clinton surplus, triples deficit, and tea klansmen are silent. Bush appoints horse trader to head FEMA, thousands die in the aftermath of Katrina, and tea klansmen are silent. Bush guts Geneva Conventions, authorizes torture, and tea klansmen are silent. Bush supports subprime mortgage derivatives, deregulates financial industry, America dances on the precipice of economic annihilation, and tea klansmen are silent. Bush ignores Fourth Amendment, weakens Constitutional rights, authorizes warrantless wiretaps, and tea klansmen are silent. Bush signs Prescription Drug Bill, largest subsidized give-away in history, and tea klansmen are silent. Bush allows Osama to escape from Afghanistan, and tea klansmen are silent. Bush signs unfunded NCLB legislation, the most intrusive federal law in history, and tea klansmen are quiet. Bush sends troops to war with no body amour, thousands die, and tea klansmen are silent. Republican deregulation exposes millions to toxic products from China, and tea klansmen are silent. Republican deregulation kills and injures hundreds of miners, and tea klansmen are quiet. Staffed during the Bush Administration with Halliburton lackeys, acoustic safety “shut-off” switches are banned by the Minerals Management Service, republicans scream “drill, baby, drill,” largest preventable oil leak in history occurs, and tea klansmen are silent.

[NYC07]

11:56 AM on 11/08/2010

People of US : "Bush Presidency big mistake"

[Philclock]

12:00 PM on 11/08/2010

People of today:
Obama and Democrats blew it.

[CaliGrown78]

12:54 PM on 11/08/2010

Not so much buddy....

[redsongia]

11:49 AM on 11/08/2010

You know George, no one is really interested in going down memory lane with you.
Leaving town and staying mum for two years was the best decision you ever made.  The country needs a few more years to heal -- from the story your admin tried to "sell" regarding the war, in particular.  So please stop bringing up other, lesser disasters, stop sending your Rovian cronies to talk about how the current president is not good at "selling."  Just hush.  Let others do the country's business for a while.

[clemmers]

11:43 AM on 11/08/2010

So, appointing incompetent cronies and completely screwing up response to the Katrina disaster - just fine. Taking a picture of it - BAD!

[UmberLamp]

11:36 AM on 11/08/2010

So all of his regrets have to do with his poor image? Kanye calling him a racist and a picture that made him seem uncaring are what he's concerned about?

The only hope this gives me is that all the hateful comments made to him at least harm his vanity, if nothing else.

Was it all for VANITY?

[BlueDog1]

11:05 AM on 11/08/2010

Let them eat cake.......................

[liberal123]

10:58 AM on 11/08/2010

His presidency was a huge mistake.

[2garen]

10:42 AM on 11/08/2010

The man admits to ordering waterboarding that is illegal by the Geneva Convention and still no indictment or investigation.

[Aluminaste]

10:20 AM on 11/08/2010

"Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job." --to FEMA director Michael Brown, who resigned 10 days later amid criticism over his handling of the Hurricane Katrina debacle, Mobile, Ala., Sept. 2, 2005

So...is this the only mistake he admits to??