Obama Takes Hit For Not Visiting Flooded Louisiana, But Guv Tells Him To Wait

[babylonsister]

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/louisiana-governor-dont-need-visit-president-now

Obama Takes Hit For Not Visiting Flooded Louisiana, But Guv Tells Him To Wait
Allegra Kirkland
Published August 19, 2016, 8:41 AM EDT


President Barack Obama has come under fire for declining to cut his summer vacation short to travel to flood-ravaged Louisiana, but the state’s governor said a presidential visit at this time would only cause more headaches for officials.

“It is a major ordeal, they free up the interstate for him,” Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow on Thursday. “We have to take hundreds of local first responders, police officers, sheriffs, deputies and state troopers to provide security for that type of visit.”

“I would just as soon have those people engaged in the response rather than trying to secure the president,” Bel Edwards continued. “So I’d ask him to wait, if he would, another couple weeks.”

Historic floods in the Bayou State have killed at least 13 people and prompted mass evacuations, leaving at least 40,000 homes damaged. Though Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Craig Fugate have toured the flood damage and coordinated the federal government’s response, critics have blamed Obama for finishing out his two-week vacation in Martha’s Vineyard rather than traveling to Louisiana himself.

snip//

Donald Trump and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) canceled a planned event in New York on Friday with plans to tour the flood damage in Baton Rouge instead, the Associated Press reported.

Bel Edwards’ spokesman, Richard Carbo, told the AP that Trump was welcome in Louisiana, “but not for a photo-op."

[liberal N proud]

1. This is an exact example of how Obama is damned if he does, damned if he doesn't

No matter what Obama does, the republicans are going to attack him for it.

[Glorfindel]

2. Well, of course. It's all they have. Nothing helpful or constructive, just criticism and attacks.

The only thing Repukes are actively in favor of is a tax cut for the already-wealthy who don't need it.

[underpants]

3. Yep. And Bush pulled firefighters away from Katrina for a photo-op

but it was hardly reported

Hell, they criticize Obama for NOT SAYING things.

[Solly Mack]

4. Truthfully, anyone that has even driven in southern Louisiana knows all the waterways

and bridges, the swamps and bayous , that you have to drive over to get places. Now is not the time to divert attention away from recovery to use resources, both human and otherwise, to provide security for anyone.

Donate money and if you have a place to stay already, volunteer for clean-up and at shelters, or hospitals, anywhere you can be to help in the recovery - but do not place any additional burdens on an already traumatized people.


I live in Louisiana and even though my area has not been hit like the lower parishes, it's still raining here, the puddles are growing, and this state does not need any grandstanding - it needs money and volunteer workers and helpers (keywords there being work and help - not meaningless words and photo-ops).

[tonyt53]

5. I said this same thing in response to a poster yesterday - other matters are more pressing.

Those people need money and manpower - lots of it and now only Congress can help with that. God help the people of LA getting anything from Congress.

[lame54]

6. But, what about the photo-op...

[whistler162]

7. I am trying to figure out if President Obama

has spoken about the flooding but since we are in a 24/7 Trump cycle it was ignored?

[csziggy]

11. Why does the President need to TALK about the flooding - he's provided the aid needed

The Latest: Governor Defends Obama's Response to Flooding
By The Associated Press
DENHAM SPRINGS, La. — Aug 18, 2016, 4:04 PM ET

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards is defending the Obama administration's response to the severe flooding in his state.

President Barack Obama has received criticism for staying on vacation rather than traveling to Louisiana to see the damage first-hand.

But Edwards said Thursday that he's spoken with the White House daily and has received quick responses for each request he's made to the administration. He noted that FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate visited the state Tuesday and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson was in-state Thursday.

Edwards said he is "not complaining in any way about our federal partnership."
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/latest-evacuation-urged-louisiana-community-41478191

Standing in front of cameras to make a statement will not help the people of Louisiana. Going there and getting in the way of the rescue crews will not help them, either.

Right now I'm {not} watching the dog and pony show of Pence and Trump sight seeing in Louisiana and looking at the number of vehicles and people trailing them that could be helping people who lost everything in the floods. It would be much, much worse if Obama went there.

[whistler162]

12. It was a comment on the 24/7 Trump news

[Adsos Letter]

8. Sounds like the governor is fine with it.

[Thinkingabout]

9. Right now they are making a door to door search to see if there are some victims in homes,

Many people still have not been able to return to their homes to assess damages. The first responders have been working hours trying to rescue people from rapid rising waters. Someone has to be the adult in the room, holding up responders from doing their jobs is wrong thinking. Some of the first responders homes was also flooded, instead of doing photo ops they need to care for their homes and families before a photo op.

[toddwv]

10. We know how this would go down if he immediately went there.

The same people would complain that he was interfering with the recovery effort for a photo-op.