Bush tour: More time in Rancho Bernardo

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Rancho Bernardo:

At a cul-de-sac turnaround, Bush told reporters that he was visiting ‘to survey first-hand the terrible devastation done by the fire.’

He had his right arm draped over the shoulder of Kendra Jeffcoat, who lost her home. Her face alternated between grimace and smile as she struggled to hold in her emotions.

‘To the extent people need the help of the federal government, we will help,’ the president said. He said what he liked about Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was the attitude he demonstrated: ‘You show me a hill, I’ll go up it,’ the president said of the governor.

Bush also praised Sen. Dianne Feinstein for asking the right questions and said, ‘We’ll give her the answers.’

Asked to rate the difference between the federal response to Hurricane Katrina and the fires, the president said the question was better put to historians.

‘My heart is with the Jeffcoats right now. The experts can figure out whether the response was perfect or not,’ he said.

‘There’s all kinds of time for historians,’ Bush said.

Bush gave one more hug to Jay Jeffcoat, then left the area at 10:44 a.m. The president is traveling in an armored SUV.

-- James Gerstenzang