Bush emerges from the White House Trailer Park

On Wednesday morning Mr. Bush, operating from a trailer just across the road from his ranch that has been converted into a secure communications center, called the leaders of Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia and India to pledge his support.

"I assured those leaders this is only the beginning of our help," he said of the $35 million that the administration has pledged so far.

Mr. Bush's aides are aware that the depth of America's compassion will be compared to what other nations are spending, what Washington spends on lesser disasters at home, and what is now being spent in Iraq.

Spain has publicly committed about $68 million. Australia has pledged $27 million. American officials say those comparisons can be misleading because the United States is providing airlift and other services in an aid coalition with Japan, India and Australia.

Then there are the domestic comparisons. Congress has approved roughly $13 billion for aid related to the hurricanes that hit the country in the late summer. Most of that is going to Florida, where Mr. Bush loaded fresh water and dry goods into the trunks of cars.

Of course, that was home turf, and an election campaign was under way, and even Mr. Bush's critics do not expect spending on that scale for the far greater disaster in South Asia.

Of course we don't. Why would we expect this president to put as much money and effort into affecting perceptions of the U.S. in Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country in the world, as he did in begging for votes in Fla'ida?

Well, at least he "emerged from the trailer" on the ranch to make a statement (too bad he had to, as usual, mix concern for the victims with his trademark bitchiness: "'I felt like the person who made that statement was very misguided and ill informed,' Mr. Bush replied, ticking off the magnitude of increases in American aid.")

Now perhaps he could also show his concern for this mounting tragedy by cutting short his vacation. Or perhaps Colin Powell could rejuggle his priorities by overseeing relief efforts in Asia instead of overseeing the ball drop in Times Square.