Boss Bashes Bush

If President Bush and FEMA thought the worst was behind them in terms of criticism of the Katrina response, they may need to think again. Here's none other than Bruce Springsteen at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival yesterday:

The criminal ineptitude makes you furious. This is what happens when political cronyism guts the very agencies that are supposed to serve American citizens in times of trial and hardship.

Granted, Springsteen has long been one of Bush's harshest critics (and one of the most prominent supporters of his opponent in the last election), so this isn't exactly shocking. But Springsteen's not the only recent visitor to New Orleans who has expressed dismay at the slow progress in rebuilding the city.

Presidents would like to be remembered for their promotion of grand ideals on the world stage. But it's more likely that a government leader's legacy will come down to how well the agencies under his control managed the challenges they were confronted with during his time in office.