URL http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A01E1D61731F933A25756C0A9619C8B63

DATE/ AUTHOR None	AUTHORS: Jim Rutenberg

H Bush Tours Tornado-Ravaged Town in Kansas and Promises Governor Help in Rebuilding

S1 With memories of his administration's flat-footed response to Hurricane Katrina still lingering, President Bush visited a tornado-wrecked patch of Kansas on Wednesday to pledge administration vigilance in recovery efforts.

S2 The visit seemed to have a dual purpose: to deliver an in-person pledge of support for the town of Greensburg, and to dispel any comparisons to the hurricane response, one day after his administration sparred with Gov.
S3 Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas over disaster readiness.

S4 The governor was at his side as he toured the wreckage.

S5 ''Our role as government officials is to work with the states and local folks to get whatever help is appropriate here,'' Mr. Bush said.

S6 Speaking to reporters separately, Ms. Sebelius, a Democrat, said, ''There will be money -- federal, state, local,'' adding, ''We have an opportunity to rebuild a real American town.''

S7 Behind the scenes, tension remained.

S8 On the way to Kansas aboard Air Force One, the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, R. David Paulison, was sent to the press cabin to refute the notion that the response in Kansas was anything less than swift and thorough.

S9 ''I've asked probably at least 20 times, Is there anything that you need you don't have?''
S10 Mr. Paulison said.
S11 ''The answer is no.
S12 The response in this particular case was absolutely phenomenal.''

S13 And officials pointed to positive reviews across the state, including one from Earl Liggett, Kiowa County commissioner, who, referring to the hurricane response, said in an interview: ''I think FEMA was left with some egg on its face there, and they're going to make sure it doesn't happen here, and it hasn't.
S14 It's been an unbelievable response.''

S15 But FEMA's response was never at issue in the dispute with Kansas officials.
S16 Ms. Sebelius had criticized the shortages of equipment for the local National Guard, which she linked to its heavy deployment in Iraq.

S17 She did not repeat that criticism on Wednesday.
S18 She said the response had been ''prompt and good,'' and she added, ''We have a lot of assets here now.''

S19 A bit later, one of Ms. Sebelius's aides said the governor's concern was not about the initial response, but the rebuilding ahead.

S20 ''It's the ongoing recovery effort that may be hampered,'' the aide said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he did not want to upstage the governor.
S21 ''After Air Force One leaves, we've still got work to do.''

S22 Tony Snow, the White House spokesman, said that if state officials determined they were ill-equipped, ''they'll get what they need, period.''

S23 For his part, Mr. Bush stuck to tending to those struggling to recover, according to a pool report, surveying the damage first from above, aboard Marine One, his helicopter, and then on the ground.

S24 Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas, a Republican presidential contender, rode the helicopter with Mr. Bush, and when asked about Mr. Bush's reaction, said, ''Pretty devastating.''

S25 Later, standing amid the wreckage on Bay Street, Mr. Bush said: ''My mission is to -- today, though, is to lift people's spirits as best as I possibly can and to hopefully touch somebody's soul by representing our country, and to let people know that while there was a dark day in the past, there's brighter days ahead.''

