Who's your president?

Who is leading the western effort to aid the nations hit by the earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean? Is it Bush? No, he's clearing brush and riding his bike in Texas on vacation. Is it his buddy in Britian, Tony Blair? No, he's on vacation in Egypt.

But there is a president on the job. Name of Clinton. President Bill Clinton. He's in England, and has spoken out on the disaster, and offered concrete plans and leadership on how the rich western countries might respond. The EU leaders are responding to his ideas, and are organizing accordingly.

Eventually Bush got the message. Nothing like Clinton envy to get the heart started. So a little while ago Bush finally made a public announcement and set some wheels turning on organizing aid.

Some observers are pointing out that some of the affected nations are predominately Muslim, and an opportunity to show compassion is being lost, which only reinforces the image of the U.S. as selfish and self-centered. We lose 3,000 on 9-11 and the world shakes, and it affects an election more than three years later. Upwards of 120,000 die because of a single event elsewhere, and our government's response is affectless, stingy and late (though American individuals and even some corporations are responding quickly and generously.)

Guardian Unlimited The Guardian Clinton puts onus on the wealthy