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Bush Tours Flood-Damaged Iowa

Posted Jun 19, 08 12:45 PM CDT in US 

(AP) – With the painful lessons of Hurricane Katrina still in mind, President Bush today opened an inspection tour of Midwest flooding that has forced tens of thousands to flee their homes across six states. First stops were Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, which has endured its worst flooding ever. The president is accompanied by two Democratic lawmakers from Iowa, Sen. Tom Harkin and Rep. Dave Loebsack.

FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison, also on the trip, praised the "great coordination" among federal, state, and local leaders. "What we learned from Katrina is that FEMA can't do it all by itself," Paulison said, adding that FEMA was working with other partners—the Army Corps of Engineers and even Wal-Mart —to distribute water, meals, and plastic sheeting. FEMA is also putting sandbags and other supplies in states or towns where flooding hasn't hit yet, just to be ready. "Another lesson learned from Katrina," he noted.

Source Associated Press

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President Bush shouts to a college friend over the helicopter noise from Marine One as he leaves the White House in Washington Thursday, June 19, 2008. The president is traveling to Iowa to tour flood...   (J. David Ake)
President Bush waves as he boards Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, Thursday, June 19, 2008, prior to leaving to tour Midwest flood damage.   (Evan Vucci)
President Bush climbs the stairs to board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, Thursday, June 19, 2008, for a day trip to tour Midwest flood damage.   (Evan Vucci)
Women throw a flood destroyed piece of furniture onto the growing mounds of garbage sitting curbside in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Wednesday, June 18, 2008.   (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
An aisle at Jim's Foods sits in a muddy disarray after floodwaters receded, Wednesday, June 18, 2008, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.   (AP Photo/Kevin Sanders)
David Eberle sorts through, separates and lays out water soaked pictures to dry on the lawn of his home in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Tuesday, June 17, 2008.   (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Water on the Cedar River is rapidly receding leaving behind huge pools of standing water and a huge cleanup ahead, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Saturday June 14, 2008.   (AP Photo/Steve Pope)
Mud cakes a utility truck as flood waters start to recede on the Cedar River, Saturday June 14, 2008 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.   (AP Photo/Steve Pope)
President Bush flies aboard Marine One above flood damaged areas during a tour of Midwest flood damage today over Iowa City, Iowa.   (AP Photo)
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