Bush's Day In New Orleans: "A Whirlwind More Of Sights And Sounds Than Of Substance"...

President Bush made a series of appearances in New Orleans today as part of White House efforts to make amends to Gulf Coast residents who were largely abandoned by the government during Hurricane Katrina one year ago.

The tone of the day was "optimistic" and "at times almost defiant," according the The New York Times. Bush listened to a brass band and visited the home of legendary musician Fats Domino. He rode through the Lower Ninth Ward, the area most severely damaged by Katrina, although he did not leave his motorcade. The President attended a memorial mass and delivered an anticipated speech, but, ultimately, his visit seemed "a whirlwind more of sights and sounds than of substance." After the last of the scheduled events he boarded Air Force One and headed back to Crawford, Texas, where he will prepare to shift focus from the catastrophic hurricane to the impending five-year anniversary of 9/11.

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