The president is doing the right thing to assure people that the federal government is much better prepared for Rita than it was for Katrina.

If those people survive, others will be emboldened. If they don't, others will be intimidated.

I am uniquely positioned and prepared to be president. I can assure you I am serious. I am committed,

People have real reservations about the Republicans, but they aren't clear what the Democrats stand for. There is a widely perceived general disarray in the Democratic Party. It's too early yet for a leader to emerge.

It makes you wonder, when they have so many problems, why they would let this fester the way they have.

It's hard for the White House to regain momentum if the Congress is in disarray. It ties up the Republicans in Congress and limits their ability to execute any White House agenda.