Bush and Clinton in Haiti aid push-Obama, Bush, Clinton stand 'united' for Haiti

The three presidents urged donations for the victims and the relief effort




President Barack Obama on Saturday brought together his White House predecessors, Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Bill Clinton, for a joint appeal for victims of Haiti's devastating earthquake.

"By coming together in this way, these two leaders send an unmistakable message to the people of Haiti and to the people of the world," Obama said in the Rose Garden, flanked by the two former leaders.

"In these difficult hours, America stands united. We stand united with the people of Haiti who have shown such incredible resilience, and we will help them to recover and to rebuild."

The United States was launching "one of the largest relief efforts in our history" to bring aid to Haiti following Tuesday's devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck the heart of the poorest nation in the Americas.

Bush, who congratulated Obama for his "swift and timely response to the disaster," said he was pleased to work with Clinton "to mobilize the compassion of the American people."

The challenges in Haiti "are immense, but there's a lot of devoted people leading the relief effort," he said.

"The most effective way for Americans to help the people of Haiti is to contribute money. That money will go to organizations on the ground who will be able to effectively spend it.

"I know a lot of people want to send blankets or water. Just send your cash," added Bush.

Clinton, the United Nations special envoy for Haiti, said the priority for now to ship food, medicine and water to Haiti.

"But when we start the rebuilding effort... we want there to be a place where people can know their money will be well spent, where we will ensure the ongoing integrity of the process. And we want to stay with this over the long run," he said.

The Haitian earthquake relief effort will not be measured in days or weeks, but in months and even years, US President Barack Obama has warned.

President Obama has asked former presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton to co-ordinate efforts to involve more Americans in the recovery and rebuilding effort that is needed in Haiti when he met with them at the White House on Saturday.

Mr Bush said the most effective way for people to help is to "just send your cash", while Mr Clinton said he believes Haitians can build a better future if Americans do their part.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is heading to Haiti on Saturday to inspect the earthquake damage and discuss with Haitian and other officials how to speed humanitarian aid to thousands of sufferers and further shape the recovery effort.

Mrs Clinton will be the highest-ranking US official to visit Haiti since Tuesday's devastating earthquake, which the Red Cross estimates killed 45,000 to 50,000 people.

The White House has said Mr Obama has no immediate plans to visit himself.

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