Rapid response

Disaster recovery -- what the Bush administration does best -- the political kind, that is.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 - Under the command of President Bush's two senior political advisers, the White House rolled out a plan this weekend to contain the political damage from the administration's response to Hurricane Katrina.

It orchestrated visits by cabinet members to the region, leading up to an extraordinary return visit by Mr. Bush planned for Monday, directed administration officials not to respond to attacks from Democrats on the relief efforts, and sought to move the blame for the slow response to Louisiana state officials, according to Republicans familiar with the White House plan.

The effort is being directed by Mr. Bush's chief political adviser, Karl Rove, and his communications director, Dan Bartlett. It began late last week after Congressional Republicans called White House officials to register alarm about what they saw as a feeble response by Mr. Bush to the hurricane, according to Republican Congressional aides.

Condi Rice explains the federal government's plans to deal with the crisis.

Later, at Pilgrim Rest A.M.E. Zion Church in Whistler, Ala., the Rev. Malone Smith Jr. invited Ms. Rice to say a few words.

"The Lord Jesus Christ is going to come on time," she said, "if we just wait."

If He's not too busy shopping for shoes.

And where's the big dog in this keystone korps? The fishing just too good in Wyoming right now? Yes, I know, it's a working vacation -- the nigra situation can be monitored from the ranch, of course.

And yes, the Vega is making political hay of this tragedy. In fact, it's important that we do. The administration's apologists will quickly try to change the channel even as thousands remain in the Astrodome. Even as the dead are being counted in New Orleans. If we don't invoke politics, the incompetence will go unpunished, the mistakes will go unremedied.

Speaking of administration apologists, Cokie Roberts is doing a little fine tuning herself.