Are you still on vacation in this dire time of crisis?

I shouldn't be surprised that the MSM is piling on Dubya for not being a camera-hogging glory-whore like their beloved Bubba "I'm laughing, no I'm crying cuz the camera's on me" Clinton, but a cursory glance at the WaPo's Aid Grows Amid Remarks About President's Absence (washingtonpost.com) shows that Tubby Riefenstahl's bullsh*t smears about Presidential vacations are Holy Writ in the editorial halls of the supposedly objective media.

I'm on holiday vacation now and due to left-over time unused during the year, was out a full week ahead of my co-workers. Now, if they had a problem or something needed doing, it's not gonna be addressed by me until a couple of weeks later. Vacation for most means "I'm not working. See ya"

Despite Clinton's unexamined vacation habits, Dubya got unfairly smeared in "Farginghype 7-11" for being on vacation when anyone who looked at his schedules could see that he had plenty of work on the calendar. The President doesn't get to take the phone off the hook or pass off the job to lackeys while he naps, he's got an army of people briefing him and is able toact from wherever he is at a moment's notice. Clinton was able to order missiles launched to distract from his chunky mistress testifying before a Grand Jury while lollygagging with the hobnobs on Martha's Vineyard, yet were supposed to beleive Dubya is slacking.

I make this preface to show the hateful unfairness that the media is still spewing at Dubya. Despite my not voting for him and serious qualms about his job performance, I think it's instructive to observe how blatantly unfair his treatment is. Whatever he does will get bashed and I dunno how anyone can take the cheap shots so incessantly without wanting to just slug someone over it.

The Bush administration more than doubled its financial commitment yesterday to provide relief to nations suffering from the Indian Ocean tsunami, amid complaints that the vacationing President Bush has been insensitive to a humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions.

Although U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland yesterday withdrew his earlier comment, domestic criticism of Bush continued to rise. Skeptics said the initial aid sums -- as well as Bush's decision at first to remain cloistered on his Texas ranch for the Christmas holiday rather than speak in person about the tragedy -- showed scant appreciation for the magnitude of suffering and for the rescue and rebuilding work facing such nations as Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and Indonesia.

After a day of repeated inquiries from reporters about his public absence, Bush late yesterday afternoon announced plans to hold a National Security Council meeting by teleconference to discuss several issues, including the tsunami, followed by a short public statement.

Bush's deepened public involvement puts him more in line with other world figures. In Germany, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder cut short his vacation and returned to work in Berlin because of the Indian Ocean crisis, which began with a gigantic underwater earthquake. In Britain, the predominant U.S. voice speaking about the disaster was not Bush but former president Bill Clinton, who in an interview with the BBC said the suffering was like something in a "horror movie," and urged a coordinated international response.

Go read the rest, but think about what can actually be done by him as his being pounded for not displaying sufficient FEELING about the disaster. What's he supposed to do? Rush over there to dig graves? Carry fresh water to villagers? WHAT?!?!? We've got relief flights under way, millions of dollars in aid and who knows what else and he's the bad guy because he didn't rush to a camera - like Clinton - to bite his lip and mouth platitudes about "feeling pain"?!?

Imagine you're a resident of the affected area. Which would benefit you more:

1. Sympathetic words from an criminal ex-President who let genocides occur on his watch without comment (cuz those black folks can't vote for him), but doesn't actually contribute more than his worthless words?

B. Actual aid from a President who is willing to send planes, troops, money and food to provide tangible reflief in this time of need?

Talk's cheap and so are the shots taken by the WaPo. Also, considering that Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world, do you think America will gain some stature in among the Islamofascists so warmly supported by the media?

Yeah, didn't think so either. Nevermind.