Bush appalled by response to Hurricane Katrina

WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush said he was appalled by the government's response to Hurricane Katrina, acknowledging his own responsibility.

"I was appalled that a nation as wealthy as ours was not able to respond as effectively as we should have and took blame for it," Mr Bush said. "I mean, to the extent that the federal government was ineffective, I'm responsible. And I understand that. And now the question is how do we learn lessons from the response."

Speaking in an interview with NBC Nightly News, Mr Bush urged patience amid criticism that the reconstruction has slowed. "The devastation is so big, it's going to take a while to rebuild," he said.

In his harshest critique yet of the response to the August 29 storm, Mr Bush said federal authorities and other levels of the government "fell down on the job."

He said he was "disturbed" by the lack of communications immediately after the storm hit. "My reaction was, where's the communications?" Mr Bush said, adding that officials on the scene should have been able to relay information back to Washington to co-ordinate an appropriate response.

Mr Bush had promised to do "whatever it takes" to restore New Orleans and the Gulf coast during a visit two weeks after the storm. But Louisiana officials and evacuees have questioned that pledge.

Mr Bush said rebuilding was underway and federal resources were in place.

"I think it's very important for people to not focus on politics but focus on how we work together to achieve what we all want, which is a Louisiana that's vibrant and New Orleans that's a shining, shining light down there and a Gulf Coast of Mississippi that's been rebuilt and is vibrant and thriving," Mr Bush said.

During a visit to the region yesterday, first lady Laura Bush said the president stood by his pledge to rebuild New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.

Critics say the Bush administration has failed to produce a comprehensive recovery plan beyond the immediate cleanup while Congress has yet to appropriate the necessary funds.

Mr Bush rejected any suggestion that the response to Katrina was slow because many of the victims were poor and black.

"I heard, you know, a couple of people say, you know,... 'Bush didn't respond because of race, because he's a racist,"' Mr Bush said. "That is absolutely wrong. And I reject that."

"You can call me anything you want. But do not call me a racist," Mr Bush said.

- REUTERS