Katrina: Kristol Admits Bush Is Often Weak on Execution

My favorite (in a perverse way) Katrina-related quote of recent days came from William Kristol, editor of the Weekly Standard and cheerleader-in-chief for the war in Iraq. He told The Washington Post, "Almost every Republican I have spoken with is disappointed" in Bush's response to the disaster. "He is a strong president...but he has never really focused on the importance of good execution. I think that is true in many parts of his presidency."

Perhaps in Iraq, Bill? Think about this comment. Kristol says Bush is not good at execution. Yet Kristol was all for letting Bush engage in one of the most difficult endeavors of all: invading, occupying, and rebuilding another country far, far away. Isn't execution half -- if not more -- of any job? Do you let a surgeon work on a patient, a forklift operator run a machine, or a copyeditor at the Weekly Standard vet Kristol's columns, if he or she is not "focused on the importance of good execution"? I thought these guys were supposed to be adults. Instead, Kristol, the neocon prince, sounds as if he's making excuses for an irresponsible teenager. What do you do with someone who's "not focused on the importance of good execution" -- especially on matters of life and death? Perhaps Kristol ought to ask Donald Trump.

Is the Hurricane Katrina disaster worse than 9/11? Check out my blog at www,davidcorn.com.