Bush wondered, "Are we capable of dealing with a severe [terrorist] attack?" but Wash. Post didn't report it

In contrast to other major media, The Washington Post ignored President Bush's September 13 acknowledgment that he is unsure whether the United States is "capable of dealing with a severe [terrorist] attack." Bush made his acknowledgment in the sentence immediately following his statement that "to the extent that the federal government didn't fully do its job right [in responding to Hurricane Katrina], I take responsibility," which the Post did feature.

Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney made protecting the nation from terrorism a major issue during the 2004 presidential campaign. Cheney warned in September 2004 that "'if we make the wrong choice [in the election] then the danger is that we'll get hit again and we'll be hit in a way that will be devastating from the standpoint of the United States."

But during a press availability with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Bush responded to the question, "Mr. President, given what happened with Katrina, shouldn't Americans be concerned if their government isn't prepared to respond to another disaster or even a terrorist attack?" as follows:

BUSH: Katrina exposed serious problems in our response capability at all levels of government. And to the extent that the federal government didn't fully do its job right, I take responsibility. I want to know what went right and what went wrong. I want to know how to better cooperate with state and local government, to be able to answer that very question that you asked: Are we capable of dealing with a severe attack or another severe storm? And that's a very important question. And it's in our national interest that we find out exactly what went on and -- so that we can better respond.

A September 14 Post article by staff writers Jim VandeHei and Jonathan Weisman characterized that answer only in terms of Hurricane Katrina:

President Bush yesterday said he takes personal responsibility for the federal government's stumbling response to Hurricane Katrina, as his White House worked on several fronts to move beyond the improvisation of the first days of the crisis and set a long-term course on a problem that aides now believe will shadow the balance of Bush's second term.

"Katrina exposed serious problems in our response capability at all levels of government," Bush said at a White House news conference with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani. "And to the extent that the federal government didn't fully do its job right, I take responsibility. I want to know what went right and what went wrong."

Below are examples of other news accounts that documented Bush's concession about the country's questionable preparedness to deal with another terrorist attack.

The New York Times [9/14/05]:

President Bush said on Tuesday that he bore responsibility for any failures of the federal government in its response to Hurricane Katrina and suggested that he was unsure whether the country was adequately prepared for another catastrophic storm or terrorist attack.

"Katrina exposed serious problems in our response capability at all levels of government, and to the extent that the federal government didn't fully do its job right, I take responsibility," Mr. Bush said in an appearance in the East Room with President Jalal Talabani of Iraq. "I want to know what went right and what went wrong."

In response to a reporter who asked if Americans, in the wake of the hurricane, should be concerned about the government's ability to respond to another disaster or a terrorist attack, Mr. Bush said: "I want to know how to better cooperate with state and local government, to be able to answer that very question that you asked: Are we capable of dealing with a severe attack or another severe storm? And that's a very important question."

Los Angeles Times [9/14/05]:

After a tour of the flood-ravaged city Monday, Bush had pledged that the federal government would help in New Orleans' recovery. He deflected questions about federal mismanagement of Katrina relief, though, saying he would not "play the blame game" -- a phrase that White House officials used repeatedly after the storm.

But Tuesday, appearing at a Washington news conference with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Bush spoke plainly when asked whether the government was prepared for another natural disaster or a terrorist attack.

"Katrina exposed serious problems in our response capability at all levels of government," he said. "And to the extent that the federal government didn't fully do its job right, I take responsibility."

Bush added that he wanted to "know how to better cooperate with state and local government, to be able to answer that very question: Are we capable of dealing with a severe attack or another severe storm? And that's a very important question, and it's in our national interest that we find out exactly what went on so we can better respond."

Associated Press [9/14/05]:

President Bush for the first time took responsibility Tuesday for federal government mistakes in dealing with Hurricane Katrina and suggested the calamity raised broader questions about the government's ability to handle both natural disasters and terror attacks.

[...]

Bush's acceptance of responsibility came in response to a reporter's question on whether the United States was capable of handling another terrorist attack, given its halting and widely criticized response to Katrina.

"That's a very important question," Bush said. "And it's in our national interest that we find out exactly what went on -- so that we can better respond."