President Bush today appointed former Presidents Bush (41) and Clinton (42) to spearhead a private fund raising effort to aid victims of the tsunamis that hit southern Asia. After a somewhat tepid response, the U.S. has now promised $350 million in aid. With the death toll still rising, President Bush met with the former presidents and urged Americans to “join a broad human relief effort” by giving to “reliable charities.”

The Bloomberg news agency reports:

Following today’s announcement, former presidents Clinton and Bush accompanied President Bush to the embassies of India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia to sign condolence books. They offered bouquets of roses and Bush told Indian ambassador Ranendra Sen that he planned to make a trip to India this year.

In the wake of the disaster, the online community has been lauded and panned for it’s response to the quake. Photoblog sites such as this one bring faces to the devastation.

>> DCist on how you can help.

Image from Ron Edmonds/Associated Press via New York Times