CNN reports:

President Bush on Tuesday said he takes responsibility for the federal government’s failures in responding to Hurricane Katrina.

"Katrina exposed serious problems in our response capability at all levels of government and to the extent the federal government didn’t fully do its job right, I take responsibility," Bush said during a joint news conference with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.

Finally.  He goes the Truman route (kind of, I guess, maybe) — after days of denying federal government lapses, and after days of having his minions blame others, while talking about not blame-gaming.

From the movie "Quiz Show":

"I’m happy that you’ve made the statement. But I cannot agree with most of my colleagues. See, I don’t think an adult . . . should be commended for simply, at long last, telling the truth."

From John Kerry:

"The President has done the obvious, only after it was clear he couldn’t get away with the inexcusable."

From Elton John:

"’Sorry’ seems to be the hardest word"

From Josh Marshall:

"No absolution without true repentance."

Josh adds that the President should admit he is truly responsible, not "responsible" in a buck-stops-here kind of way.  Right on.