Text 5095, 72 rader
Skriven 2007-08-04 23:30:50 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0708043) for Sat, 2007 Aug 4
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President Bush Visits Minneapolis, Offers Sympathies and Aid
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For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary August 4, 2007

President Bush Visits Minneapolis, Offers Sympathies and Aid U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers -- St. Paul District Lower Street Anthony Falls Lock and
Dam Minneapolis, Minnesota

˙ /news/releases/2007/08/20070804-3.wm.v.html ˙˙Presidential Remarks
˙˙Audio ˙˙Photos


10:40 A.M. CDT

THE PRESIDENT: On behalf of the citizens of America, I bring prayers from
the American people to those who suffered loss of life as a result of the
collapse of the 35W bridge here in the Twin Cities. I bring the prayers of
those who wonder about whether they'll ever see a loved one again.

First, I want to thank the Governor and the Mayor and the senators, members
of the Congress for working in a coordinated way to respond to this
tragedy. I have met with the Chief of Police and the Sheriff, rescue
workers, people who represent men and women who are working as hard as they
possibly can to save life and to find life; to go under these murky waters
to find the facts.

And it's going to take a while, but I have been impressed by not only their
determination, but have been impressed by their compassion. I have met
people that were on the bridge -- I met a man who was on the bridge when it
collapsed. His instinct was to run to a school bus of screaming children,
and to help bring them to safety.

We have an amazing country, where people's instinct, first instinct, is to
help save life. There's a lot of peoples' first instincts here in the Twin
Cities was to save the lives of somebody who was hurting. And I know the
people of this community thank their fellow citizens who did that.

I'm here with the Secretary of Transportation, because our message to the
Twin Cities is, we want to get this bridge rebuilt as quick as possible;
that we understand this is a main artery of life here; that people count on
this bridge and this highway system to get to work. There's a lot of
paperwork involved with government. One of our jobs is to work with the
Governor and the Mayor and the senators and the members of the Congress to
cut through that paperwork, and to see if we can't get this bridge rebuilt
in a way that not only expedites the flow of traffic, but in a way that can
stand the test of time.

I make no promises on the timetable. I do promise that Mary Peters, the
Secretary of Transportation, is going to be in charge of this project. I do
promise she's going to listen to the local authorities to find out what the
folks here need. I do promise that when she sees roadblocks and hurdles in
the way of getting the job done, she'll do everything she can to eliminate
them.

Out of these tragedies can come a better life. And I, having visited with
the people here, believe that not only are they committed to a better life,
not only are they committed to turning something ugly into something good,
but it's going to happen.

So I'm proud to be with you. Thank you for your leadership. God bless the
people of this part of the world. Thank you.

END 10:44 A.M. CDT

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