Frist visits Sri Lanka, pledges aid

[Rose Siding]

GALLE, Sri Lanka -- Bill Frist, majority leader in the U.S. Senate, visited tsunami-stricken southern Sri Lanka on Thursday and pledged U.S. government support and American private sector for tens of thousands who lost homes and loved ones.

``The devastation is actually worse than I had anticipated,'' said Frist, who flew by helicopter to the southern city of Galle from Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, and viewed twisted railway tracks and the foundations of homes laid bare by the Dec. 26 tsunami.

Frist, a Tennessee Republican, was accompanied by Mary Landrieu, a Democratic senator from Louisiana.
...
A group of homeless men at the camp expressed frustration with government-led relief efforts, complaining that the local Red Cross had only set up their clinic, complete with flags and banners, a few hours before the U.S. senators visited. Red Cross officials said their mobile clinics were treating patients at hundreds of camps.
...
Just before his helicopter lifted off, Frist and aides took snapshots of each other near a pile of tsunami debris.

``Get some devastation in the back,'' Frist told a photographer.

http://www.thedailytimes.com/sited/story/html/182750

[wicket]

1. ``Get some devastation in the back,'' Frist told a photographer.

Effing sick!!!! :grr: :grr:

[rockedthevoteinMA]

2. ``Get some devastation in the back,'' Frist told a photographer.

SICK F*CK!! :mad: :grr:

[pfitz59]

3. morbid curiosity......

If Frist wants to help he should resign from the Senate and go work for Doctors Sans Frontieres! His presence in he stricken area is nothing but blatant publicity seeking! What a loser!

[Fridays Child]

4. He promised to show them how to prepare stray cats for barbecuing.

nt

[judy]

5. Only one thing to say:

:puke:

I think the new talking points are:
1 - A Tsunami is worse than war. So why are you guys still whining about Iraq?
2 - Let's keep the numbers of US citizens killed in the catastrophe covered up, so 9/11 can still be referred to as the most American killed in one day.

Let's also remember that "3,000 Americans were killed at WTC" is a bit of RW propagainda. 3000 PEOPLE were killed. I think only a 3rd of them were US citizens.

[TahitiNut]

8. 83% were US citizens, some with dual citizenship.

Of the approximately 2,900 fatalities, 17% were foreign citizens.

[judy]

10. Thanks TahitiNut...

So it is 2407 US Citizens, not 3000.
I am trying to fight the propagandist sound bytes that people keep repeating without thinking.
Thinking is one of our best weapons!

[TahitiNut]

14. That's about right ... and I agree.

The constant exaggerations, repeated biased half-truths, and outright lies spewing forth from the Mighty Wurlitser and polluting public discourse has become a veritable plague of 'no-see-ums.' It's a lot like swatting at clouds of mosquitoes.

[TahitiNut]

6. These boondoggles just get in the way.

The attention and resources that're hijacked to 'red carpet' these photo-op-seeking assholes would be far better invested in restoring infrastructure and re-establishing self-help processes in the areas affected.

[Dulcinea]

7. If Frist really wanted to help....

...he would have brought his little black bag.

He's a doctor, right? So get out there & help the suffering people, you putz!

[jhain]

9. and what did it cost us to put him over there?

And Powell & Jeb???

Love to see an actual dollar amount for all these trips.

[central scrutinizer]

11. probably looking for abandoned cats

so he can get a refresher course in anatomy

[Just Me]

12. I have two words of advice to the Sri Lankans,...

RUN AWAY!!! :bounce:

[daleo]

13. And take your cats with you. n/t

[devilgrrl]

15. He'll put a cat in every pot!

:evilgrin: