Tornado victims meet Bush

May 10,2007 00:00 by UPI

GREENSBURG, Kan. - Standing in the midst of devastation Wednesday, victims of the tornado that destroyed most of Greensburg, Kan., could still joke with President George Bush.

Kaye Hardinger said the president offered a lot of encouragement and let them know he cared. In turn, she said she told Bush: "I would have invited him in for a cup of coffee, but I didn't have time to dust."

In front of her gutted brick home was a tall crane flying the American flag.

Bush also was upbeat, smiling frequently and telling one man wearing a green fedora, "stylish-looking hat." He even picked up an electric chain saw and revved it up as he posed for photos with some National Guard members, according to a press pool report.

Bush greeted dozens of people busy clearing away debris from blocks of homes demolished by the deadly Friday night storm.

Mayor Lonnie McCollom flew with Bush on a helicopter tour of the city. "From my perspective, all I can say is I have all the help I have needed," McCollom said. "I am not going to look at the negative. We have a blank sheet of paper and we are going to build."