The Hypocrisy of "Taking Responsibility"

In his speech from New Orleans about the Katrina clusterfuck last night (which I did not see) Bush apparently said that as president, he is responsible for the problems that occured in the federal response. Needless to say, I am not impressed.

First of all, it's clear that the statement wasn't made out of genuine remorse for doing a lousy job. Just a couple of days before he had been very hostile to reporters when the subject of the failures came up, accusing them of playing the "blame game." That's not a man being contrite. It was done for public relations purposes, because his advisors told him he needed to. Because leaders "take responsibility."

But how is pointing out the fact that the president is ultimately responsible for what goes on in the executive branch taking responsibility? The statement contains no information because it is true by definition. It's just a rhetorical ploy to deflect criticism.

Saying "I'm responsible" is not taking responsibility, because if you are responsible, according to the dictionary, you are "liable to give account, as of one's actions or of the discharge of a duty or trust." To take responsibility, Bush must give an account of his specific failings. All he has done with his statement so far is to point out that an accounting is due; he has not given one.

Taking responsibility would involve going on television and announcing "I screwed up when I allowed an incompetent political hack to run FEMA. I did it because (he contributed money/I'm a political hack myself/I was too fixated on Iraq/whatever). Many people likely died because of my actions." Similarly for his other failings.

You can read his intention in his weasily choice of words: he is responsible "as president," not "as the guy who screwed up." If you listen closely you can almost hear the "technically" preceding the "responsible." People will think "You know, the government is huge and the president can't really run everything. But he's a great leader to take responsibility anyway." And it seems to be working, as the media run the "taking responsibility" headline and talk about how he's turning things around.

Of course none of this is any different from what all politicians do, but Bush should not get credit for something he's not doing.