"President George W. Bush took responsibility on Tuesday for any failures in the federal response to Hurricane Katrina and acknowledged the storm exposed serious deficiencies at all levels of government four years after the September 11 attacks.

'To the extent that the federal government didn't fully do its job right, I take responsibility,' Bush told a White House news conference at which he openly questioned U.S. preparedness for another storm or a 'severe attack.'

Bush's rare admission of 'serious problems in our response capability' came as the White House stepped up efforts to repair his public standing."