Dear Leader, caught once again demonstrating forcefully how little interest he has in other countries, especially when the people who live in them are poor, is back-pedaling furiously and making savage grunting noises which are being interpreted by people who don't know him as 'compassion'.

[O]n Wednesday, Mr. Bush made his first public comments since tsunamis inundated about a dozen countries on Sunday, reflecting pressure on the vacationing president to appear more engaged in what aid groups are calling one of the worst natural disasters in history.

“These past few days have brought loss and grief to the world that is beyond our comprehension,” he said at his ranch in Crawford, Tex., adding that Washington was prepared to contribute much more than the $35 million it initially pledged.

“We are committed to helping the affected countries in the difficult weeks and months that lie ahead,” Mr. Bush said. He said the United States would work closely with Japan, India and Australia to coordinate relief efforts.
(emphasis added)

The two giveaways are bolded:

1) 'appear more engaged'. Not be more engaged, just appear to be. The illusion of appearances is everything with this Admin; the reality has no meaning at all.

2) Friendly NYT reporting. The Emperor did NOT pledge $35Mil 'initially'. He pledged an even stingier $15Mil; they upped it to $35M only after being publicly embarrassed about their lame, offhand response, a response that smacked of a town devastated by a hurricane going to its richest citizen for help and having him generously offer $100 for blankets before heading out on the back nine at the local country club.

I've got 20 bucks says that in a few weeks, when the tsunami story is off the front pages, the Emperor will quietly--on a Friday afternoon, most likely--do what he did to NYC after 9/11: there, he promised $20Mil when he was standing on the WTC rubble with his arm around a fireman 'and more of it's needed.' Then, back in Washington, he cut it to $5Mil, saying 'we can't afford more.' The promise got acres of publicity; the broken promise got a mention here and there.

Anybody who expects this president to keep a promise like this hasn't been paying atention. So--any takers?