The former First Lady’s remarks were aired this evening on American Public Media’s “Marketplace” program.

She was part of a group in Houston today (Monday) at the Astrodome that included her husband and former President Bill Clinton, who were chosen by her son, the current president, to head fundraising efforts for the recovery. Sen. Hilary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama were also present.

In a segment at the top of the show on the surge of evacuees to the Texas city, Barbara Bush said: “Almost everyone I’ve talked to says we’re going to move to Houston.”

Then she added: “What I’m hearing which is sort of scary is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality.

“And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this–this (she chuckles slightly) is working very well for them.”

You know, I’d like to believe that the entire Bush clan doesn’t sort of laugh at the funny poor people reduced to looting and swimming in their own sewage. I’d like to believe that Barbara Bush wasn’t smirking behind her pearls, and meant to say something kind about how some people might end up in a better financial position post-hurricane. I guess I’ll have to find the Marketplace piece and listen to her tone of voice and decide for myself. But as a printed quote, this comment from W’s momma sure sounds condescending and clueless.

It’s funny about Marketplace – they’re a finance and public policy show, and they occasionally break amazing bits of news.

UPDATE: I’ve listened to the quote and the tone is kind of dim, and dimly kind. The Trib published a clarification from the White House; Scott McLellan tried to shrug it off as a “personal observation.” I’d love to know how that briefing went when somebody had to explain to W just why what his momma said was so easily taken the wrong way.

And if she’d said it in private and it had been leaked, it would have sounded even worse.