Compassionate Conservatism

"We finally cleaned up public housing in New Orleans. We couldn't do it, but God did." --Rep. Richard Baker (R-LA), "overheard" in a conversation with lobbyists.

"I mean, you have people who don't heed those warnings and then put people at risk as a result of not heeding those warnings. There may be a need to look at tougher penalties on those who decide to ride it out and understand that there are consequences to not leaving." --Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA).

"Given the abysmal failure of state and local officials in Louisiana...I hope the House will refrain from directly appropriating any funds . . . to either the state of Louisiana or the city of New Orleans." --Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Co.) in letter to Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert.

"I don't know. That doesn't make sense to me." --Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-IL) asked in the interview whether it made sense to spend billions rebuilding New Orleans since it lies below sea level.

"The question is how do you separate the needy from those who just want a $2,000 handout." --Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-AK).

"Almost everyone I’ve talked to says we're going to move to Houston. What I’m hearing is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this --this is working very well for them." --Barbara Bush, Sept. 5 to NPR.

“the question is if people know year after year after year a natural disaster occurs in a particular place and people continue to build there and want to live there, should they bear the responsibility of buying insurance or should everyone else bear the responsibility?” --Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) in radio interview who supports federal assistance for homeowners in Arizona after repeated forest fires.

"I understand there are 10,000 people dead. It's terrible. It's tragic. But in a democracy of 300 million people, over years and years and years, these things happen." --Jack Burkman, Republican Strategist.

"The Lord Jesus Christ is going to come on time. If we just wait." --Sec. of State Condi Rice, Sun. Sept. 4 saying a few words at a church service in Whistler, Alabama.

"Judge Roberts can, maybe, you know, be thankful that a tragedy has brought him some good." --Pat Robertson, Sept. 1, 700 Club.

"The good news is -- and it's hard for some to see it now -- that out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic Gulf Coast, like it was before. Out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house -- he's lost his entire house -- there's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm looking forward to sitting on the porch." --W, Sept. 2, 2005, Mobile, AL.

"The death tax is an unfair double taxation of income, which hurts America's small businesses and farms and threatens job growth." RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman, Sept. 1, 2005 in e-mail pushing tax cut while New Orleans drowns.

"I believe that the great city of New Orleans will rise again and be a greater city of New Orleans. (Applause.) I believe the town where I used to come from, Houston, Texas, to enjoy myself -- occasionally too much -- (laughter) -- will be that very same town, that it will be a better place to come to." --W, Sept. 2, 2005, longingly remembering his partying youth.

"Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job." --W, Sept. 2, 2005, Mobile, AL.