Bush
comforts Southern California
ALPINE,
Calif. (AP) -- President Bush on Tuesday
walked the remnants of a Southern California
community devastated by wildfire, comforting
residents he said were resilient despite
being "crushed by the material loss."
"A
lot of people in this neighborhood lost
all their possessions, but the spirit is
strong,'' the president said. ''America
has got some wonderful citizenry who just
refuse to be defeated.'' He praised residents
for pulling together at a time of great
loss, saying, ''The worst of nature can
bring out the best in our fellow human beings."
The
president flew from his Texas ranch to this
fire-scorched area of California as firefighters
neared containment of the state's largest-ever
wildfires. They have killed 22 people, destroyed
nearly 3,600 homes and blackened more than
743,000 acres of brush and timber.
Bush
also stepped into the aftermath of California's
recall election. Gov. Gray Davis and Gov.-elect
Arnold Schwarzenegger joined him in Marine
One, the presidential helicopter, for a
tour of fire damage and at a briefing by
fire officials.
White
House officials ensured that the president
alone was seen consoling fire victims. Davis
and Schwarzenegger were sent on their own
tour while Bush hugged residents of Harbison
Canyon, 28 miles east of San Diego, amid
a breathtaking tableau of destruction.
Little
more than chimneys, foundations and the
incinerated shells of cars remained. The
acrid smell of air hung thick in the air.
Frank
Peters and Karen Hayes guided Bush through
the ruins of their home, where two sewing
machines and an air conditioner sat, melted
and mangled among the rubble. Bush hugged
the two residents and ruffled the hair of
their children, Shannon and Sean.
Some
residents lining the canyon roads seemed
shell-shocked, taken aback by the president
and those accompanying him through their
obliterated community. But others seemed
in good spirits, laughing and waving as
they snapped pictures of the White House
procession.
One
woman flipped open her picture phone and
photographed Bush and other residents posing
in front of the ashes of a home.
Bush
went from one wrecked home to the next,
introducing himself as simply ''George Bush''
and shaking his head as he approached residents.
''I
see tragedy and heartache,'' Bush told reporters
during his tour. ''However, I see a strong
spirit which exists here, I see people who
are resolved to rebuild their lives.'' The
president said he met ''some families here
that are, obviously, crushed by the material
loss,'' but he praised their resiliency.
At
the height of the fires last week, California
was spending an estimated $9 million a day
fighting the wildfires. The total cost of
fighting the blazes could reach $200 million.
Bush
had declared five counties in Southern California
federal disaster areas, which can clear
the way for aid for individuals and businesses.
The
Federal Emergency Management Agency and
the Small Business Administration have written
checks for nearly $7 million in grants and
loans, the White House said.
Bush
carried no new aid to the state Tuesday
in a three-hour visit, his 10th to California.
''No,
what I do is I answer questions as to whether
or not the help that is available is being
delivered,'' Bush said. He said residents
had given high marks to the federal efforts.
''I've
seen the truth of the devastation of a fire.
That's evident. Now I want to know whether
or not the help that is available is being
expedited and made available,'' Bush said.
Those
fighting the fires described their efforts
to the president, Schwarzenegger and Davis
in a ''war room'' established for Bush's
visit.
From
the air, Bush saw the evidence of the firefighters'
efforts. Undeveloped hills were blackened
for mile after mile, and even the runway
where Bush touched down was burned. But
the flames stopped at housing developments
in almost all areas.
''I
think when people realize the scope of the
fires, the historic nature of these fires,
they'll realize what a superhuman effort
you all put in to save lives,'' Bush later
told firefighters. ''This is, to me, an
ultimate act of sacrifice.''
Bush's
California swing closed out a seven-day
trip away from Washington. Bush raised re-election
money in several cities, delivered an economic
speech and spent six nights at his ranch.
"I
think when people realize the scope of the
fires, the historic nature of these fires,
they'll realize what a superhuman effort
you all put in to save lives. This is, to
me, an ultimate act of sacrifice."
-
George Bush to firefighters
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