[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

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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.