    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
    [August 20, 2008]
    [Pages 1156-1157]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following a Dinner With Elected Officials and Community Leaders
    in Gulfport, Mississippi
    August 20, 2008

        The President. Governor, thank you for
    coming.
        Governor Haley R. Barbour of
    Mississippi. Thank you, sir.
        The President. I thank the United States Senators--Senator
    Wicker, Senator
    Cochran--Congressman Taylor, mayors,
    supervisors--county supervisors, small-business owners, high school
    teacher. Thank you all very much for giving me a chance to come and
    visit with you.
        I have brought--you know, a member of my administration, United States Marine General--retired--O'Dell
    is here to listen to people. We still understand there are issues, but I
    do want to say something about the progress. I remember what it looked
    like right after the storm. I remember what it looked like in the first
    anniversary right after the storm. I remember what it looked like last
    year, Governor. And things have improved a
    lot.
        Are there still people wondering about their future? Absolutely. Do
    they still have other issues to deal with, like cleaning out some of the
    bureaucracy so that the housing issue can get solved quicker?
    Absolutely. But things are better here on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi.
        And one reason they're better is because you've had strong
    leadership, and the other reason--at the State and local level. And the
    other reason is because people refused to give in to the storm. People
    picked up their lives and decided that this is where their home was
    going to be and made something out of these communities.
        I remember going to the schools right after the storm hit and seeing
    the determination of the teachers and principals about how--whether they
    had to be in a trailer or in a old building, they were going to teach
    these kids. And the spirit of southern Mississippi is real, and it's
    alive. And

    [[Page 1157]]

    the leaders here around the table know better than me what I'm talking
    about.
        So I appreciate you giving me a chance to come. I told people that
    I'm almost through, but I'm sprinting to the finish. This is the not the
    farewell dinner. [Laughter] But this is an opportunity to come and
    listen to what's on people's minds, with the idea of continuing to work
    with the elected officials to solve problems and make sure this is even
    better 6 months from now than it is today.
        At any rate, I want to thank you. Food's good here too. [Laughter] I
    appreciate your time, Governor. Thank you.
        Gov. Barbour. Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 6:28 p.m. at Vrazel's Fine Food. In his
    remarks, he referred to Maj. Gen. Douglas V. O'Dell, Jr., USMC (Ret.),
    in his capacity as Federal Coordinator, Office of Gulf Coast Rebuilding.