How Dare You

President George W. Bush accused Congress on Wednesday of shortchanging New Orleans of about $1.5 billion in funds to rebuild levees that were breached by flood waters when Hurricane Katrina struck.

"Congress heard our message about improving the levees but they shortchanged the process by about $1.5 billion dollars," Bush said in a rare attack on members of his own party as he toured the devastated city.

"And so in order to help fulfill our promise on the levees, Congress needs to restore the $1.5 billion to make this a real commitment to inspire the good folks down here that they'll have a levee system that will encourage development and reconstruction," Bush added.

This is one of those situations where the public announcement was much bigger, but in private the White House got just what they wanted:

Jenny Manley, a spokeswoman for the Senate Appropriations Committee, said that although the White House had announced in a news conference it wanted the full $3.1 billion to go to New Orleans, the official request was never sent to Congress.

"I don't think the blame can be put on Congress," she said.

It's pretty disgusting to blame Congress for not appropriating enough money when you're in New Orleans, but quietly offering exactly what Congress approved when you're back in DC. This is classic Bush Administration: long on rhetoric, short on results, secretive and shadowy behind the scenes.

But then again, what's an unpopular President who doesn't accept responsibility to do but blame somebody else?