PressEthic

Both the New York Times and the Washington Post reported today on President Bush’s seemingly genuine apology for the way the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was handled. "Katrina exposed serious problems in our response capability at all levels of government, and to the extent that the federal government didn't fully do its job right, I take responsibility," Bush said in a news conference today.

I know I was blown away when I heard that. Here we have a president who started a war for various false reasons, has presided over the highest gas prices in recent history, and has taken the country from having a budget surplus to having the biggest deficit in the history of the United States, among other things. But he’s never apologized for any of it.

Now, not only is he apologizing, he is also taking responsibility – in essence he’s saying, “The buck stops here.” I certainly give credit where credit is due. The new backbone that the media has grown over the last few days is definitely part of the reason that Bush has suddenly become humble. But it’s not the only reason.

Bush’s approval ratings have steadily declined over the last few months, experiencing a sharp drop in the two weeks since the hurricane sliced through the Gulf Coast. Even Republicans have started to show their disappointment in Bush’s leadership. Many people compared Bush’s performance during Hurricane Katrina to his actions after 9/11 and found him severely lacking this time around. All of this translated into a lower approval rating, and the fear that even though we’ve had a few years to prepare, we would not be protected against a terrorist attack.

For a president who was re-elected on the idea that he was the only one who could protect us against the terrors of the night, there could be no bigger problem. Though he can’t be re-elected, this could translate into a problem for the GOP and their future presidential candidates. An apology is a good way to show regret for mistakes made, but it’s also a good way to deflect further inquiry.

The press has a responsibility to keep digging and keep asking questions. An apology from the president could very easily make the media complacent again; make it forget the courage and tenacity it has once again developed in the wake of this tragedy. That would be the biggest mistake of them all – letting an inept government hide behind an insincere apology.