The Bush administration needs to go

WAS I hallucinating or did President Bush really say in an interview with ABC television that ''I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees"?

This statement alone proves that the leader of our country is a coward who can't own up to the obvious fact that the rescue effort has been hampered by funding cuts, lack of planning, and displacement of personnel and equipment due to the Iraq war.

The fact that his handlers and spinmeisters allowed him to say this proves how confident they are that the lapdogs we call the press corps will continue to repeat the president's platitudes and propaganda without question.

The breach of the levees was predicted over and over by scientists, engineers, journalists, politicians, and emergency management officials.

Children were suffering and dying of dehydration on the streets of New Orleans, and the first instinct of this president is to obfuscate. This administration needs to go, and the press needs to lead the call -- now!

ROB ROSENFIELD, Harvard