Society - Eddie Vedder

George W flew into Redding yesterday to survey the damage from the recent and ongoing fires. The last sitting president to visit the far north state was President Kennedy in 1963. JFK stayed for two days; spent the night in Lassen Volcanic National Park before giving a speech before a throng of 10,000 at Wiskeytown Dam; and he mingled with the locals, chatting and shaking many a hand. Bush graced us for a short 2 hours. He did the obligatory photo shots with Eagle Scouts and Fire Jumpers, surveyed the damage from a helicopter, promised Federal aid and left. His arrival was greeted by only a sparse scattering of locals. Comments aired by the local TV channel were of the "I came to see him just because he is a president, not because I support his politics. I voted for him but now realize he has been so wrong about the war" variety. Before the fire, Bush was already scheduled to travel to Napa for a private fundraiser for McCain. Coming to Redding under the guise of surveying the fire damage made for a perfect opportunity to shift the cost of the cross-country flight to taxpayers. He only had to pay the cost of Air Force One from Redding to Napa. How convenient. How sad. I really hate being cynical, but it is what it is.

Our country is bleeding and he is off raising money for McCain.