The Domesticated President

Here's the text of his Arizona speech.

Here's the text from Southern California.

Social Security

Anne E. Kornblut writes in the New York Times from Rancho Cucamonga: "Five years after delivering a major campaign address here about the need to revamp Social Security, President Bush returned on Monday with a similar message, urging an overhaul of the retirement system as he celebrated changes to Medicare that will take effect at the beginning of next year. . . .

"In a nod to the political hurdles that have stalled his proposed changes to Social Security and to predictions that he may have to jettison his plans for individual retirement accounts altogether, Mr. Bush added, 'I'm going to keep working this issue.' "

Bush and the Hurricane

Michael Hedges writes in the Houston Chronicle: "President Bush's swift expression of concern for hurricane victims Monday reflected a recognition of the Bush family's mixed record with the politics of disaster, experts said. . . .

"In August 1992, after Hurricane Andrew flattened parts of South Florida, President George H.W. Bush swiftly visited the scene. But his gesture seemed hollow to many when it took several days for emergency supplies to arrive."

Flash forward to last summer, when four hurricanes ripped through Florida.

"The president responded with a massive outpouring of federal aid. The response by the Federal Emergency Management Agency initially was seen as robust and aggressive. Only later would FEMA be criticized for writing taxpayer-backed checks to those with dubious claims of damage."

Jennifer Loven writes for the Associated Press: "President Bush, urging prayer for Gulf Coast communities 'hit hard' Monday by Hurricane Katrina, weighed whether to release oil from petroleum reserves to help refiners, administration officials said. . . .

"Administration officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said Bush seemed likely to authorize a loan of some oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. But details remained in flux and no decision was imminent, they said.

"The expected move would be designed to give refineries in the area a temporary supply of crude oil to take the place of interrupted shipments from tankers or offshore oil platforms affected by the storm. It would not be intended to keep a lid on soaring gasoline prices."

Speaking of Gas Prices

What does Bush have to say about gas prices?