MINNEAPOLIS -- President Bush visited the Interstate 35W wreckage in Minneapolis Saturday, stating, "Out of these tragedies can come a better life."

Yet many Minneapolis residents found Bush hard to believe, citing his slow reply to Hurricane Katrina.

A demonstration took place on a hill adjacent to the Mississippi River, with protestors from a variety of organizations.

"Compared to Katrina, it's nothing," said Larry Thorin, a Minneapolis resident who, like many others, came to the site to protest the ongoing war in Iraq, among other things.

In reaction to Bush's proposed federal funding of the bridge reconstruction, many of the Minneapolis residents shared a similar sentiment. In reaction to the proposed $250 million, Thorin called it "a drop in the bucket."

Jae Phillips, another Minneapolis demonstrator, called it unnecessary.

"The $250 million will help, but it should go to other cities like New Orleans," he said. "Minneapolis does well for itself."

Jennifer Umolac, who took part in organizing the demonstration, said, "I think that this is a wake up call for all of us." Umolac referred to the demonstrators as "the bridge group" because of the unifying properties of the (bridge) catastrophe. "All of us try to make bridges in our daily lives," she said.

Many people understood the president's visit as an attempt to rejuvenate his political support. Others tied the visit to the upcoming Republican National Convention in 2008.

Bush, by addressing the bridge collapse, did manage to gain himself some respect, however.

"He had to do what he had to do," said Phillips. Phillips believed the president deserved a thank-you.

Still, some are skeptical.

"Every politician does things that are personal and political -- that's the nature of (politics)," said Thorin. "I don't know what's in his heart."

As Bush left the scene in one of two helicopters, many of the demonstrators moved to the river.

The demonstrators then spoke with the media, placing flowers in the river to commemorate the victims of Wednesday's tragedy.