Obama Will View Hurricane Damage in New Jersey with Gov. Christie

[kpete]

Source: ABC

Obama Will View Hurricane Damage in New Jersey with Gov. Christie

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Obama will travel to New Jersey tomorrow to view the destruction wrought by Hurricane Sandy on the state. Scheduled to appear with Governor Chris Christie, Obama has suspended personal appearances at campaign events to respond to the storm.

Speaking at the Red Cross headquarters in Washington today, Obama said his thoughts and prayers were with those who lost loved ones in the devastating hurricane, which has claimed at least ten lives in New York City alone.

“Obviously this is something that is heartbreaking for the entire nation,” he said, “And we certainly feel profoundly for all of the families whose lives have been upended, and are going to be going through some very tough times over the next several days, perhaps the next several weeks and months. The most important message that I have for them is that America is with you. We are standing behind you

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/10/obama-will-visit-hurricane-sandy-damage-in-new-jersey-with-gov-chris-christie/

[powergirl]

1. Aaaaand Fox and Friends have head explosions in 3-2-1 . .

[bemildred]

2. LOL. This is so righteously funny.

Soon a fine mist of brain matter will envelop the FOX studio.

[iandhr]

4. Millions of people don't have their lights on.

Funny is not a word I would use to describe it.

[bemildred]

6. But that's not what is being described.

What is being described is the reaction of FOX snooze to Christie seeing the light, and working with the President to ADDRESS the catastrophe, and that is a DAMN GOOD THING.

[CoffeeCat]

3. This is really something...

It's been made public (and obviously Christie leaked it) that Romney called Christie and asked if he could tour the NJ damage. No doubt, Mitt wanted to appear presidential and look important.

Christie said no. He completely rejected Mitt's idea to come to NJ.

Christie has gone out of his way to praise Obama, even have photo ops taken with both of them holding hands! Now, Obama will tour the devastation with Christie.

Mitt must be crying all over those donations he got today.

Seriously....WHAT is going on? I think this is much, much more than Christie positioning himself for a future presidential run. The public won't remember any of this in a few months. Christie has years to position himself as a bipartisan. He doesn't need to do this now.

My guesses: Romney is finished and Christie knows it. He's distancing himself from Romney. If my guess is right, we will see other Republicans doing the same thing. God knows Romney ran a crap campaign and damaged the Republican brand.

Another guess: A disaster in your own state opens your heart and your mind. You are vulnerable and suddenly partisan bickering and hatred seem really crass and small. Obama has actually been helpful, responsive and reassuring to the Governors of these affected states. He's actually helping them. This is Christie's way of saying, "Thank you, Mr. President."

This is worth deep discussion--because Christie's actions aren't neutral. They humiliate Romney in so many ways--with a week to go in a Presidential election, and they help Obama. Christie's actions help Obama to look presidential, bipartisan and like a commander in chief. They destroy Romney's talking point that he is the guy who can work better in a bipartisan fashion.

This is huge. Really huge.

I'd like to know that others think--because something big is going on behind the scenes. This just doesn't happen out of nowhere, without important people at big tables discussing (and okaying) these activities and the ramifications.

They're practically giving Obama the election--but just several weeks ago, Christie introduced Romney at the Republican convention!

[RumplestiltskinGR]

8. Christie isn't stupid

Christie is no dummy, and having impotent, FEMA hating Mitt at his side would be about as meaningful as posing in an empty soup kitchen, washing clean dishes.

[beac]

14. Welcome to DU, RumplestiltskinGR!

I can't wait to see what happens when Mitt's bus full of faux relief gets stuck in the mud and Christie has to divert resources to rescue it.

[Swede Atlanta]

9. I think your assessment as it relates to Christie is "spot on".....

Christie has been a hard-hitting conservative attacking collective bargaining, etc. But I also think that Christie is that type of northeast Republican that has the CAPABILITY (not that he always shows it) of being rational and bipartisan. His state has just suffered one of the worst, if not the worst, natural disasters. He has a state in total disarray. He KNOWS that the state of NJ cannot, without federal assistance, manage this crisis. He knows, in his heart, that government is not all bad, that it performs vital, essential functions that no private enterprise can match.

But your assessment that Christie is abandoning Robme may be premature. He was the keynote speaker at the RNC "Hate Obama-thon" in Tampa. His speech there makes no bones about his hatred for this President and his policies. I would like to think that Christie recognizes he will need Obamacare soon, very soon, given his girth and that he needs the President to help his state and that the federal government is not EVIL. But I think he is being more calculating. I think he thinks if he sucks up to BO he can get what he needs for his state while still supporting Robme's draconian policies.

[Johnyawl]

10. Christie is trying to help finish romney. Why? Follow the money...

...NJ & NYC will need hundreds of billions of dollars in Federal aid over the next couple of years to rebuild. Would you want asshole-privatize-FEMA-romney controlling those funds? Christie knows that if the Cantor led teabaggers control the House of Representatives, and rmoney is president, they'll shut off the money and starve FEMA so that private investment firms can underwrite the bonds the states will have to sell to fund the recovery. NJ & NYC will be in the same position Greece is in: impoverished to pay the interest on the bonds and loans.

With Obama in control, there should be enough republicans in the house with some skin in this game to join with the democrats to fund the rebuild. They're gonna have to raise taxes to cover this.

Christie just became a big government republican.

Look for Christie and Jeb Bush to lead the charge in 2016 to disenfranchise the teabaggers.

[southern_belle]

12. +1000 n/t

[SteveG]

15. I heard Christie speaking at a news conference

earlier today, and he basically said screw the electoral politics, he has much bigger problems to deal with, and the President reached out to him and all of the other Governors of the affected states without regard to party. He reached out quickly and put the resources of the federal government at their disposal. NJ has been devastated, NYC and Long Island have been devastated, much of he DE and MD coastline has been severely damaged, DC, Baltimore and Philly have suffered serious damage, and our President has responded, quickly and with grace and style. He has shown how Presidential he can be. Over the next week, he will be seen as an effective President bringing to bear the forces of the Federal Government to help alleviate a massive disaster and to help a whole region begin the process of getting back on it's feet. That is the image of our candidate that we want people going to the voting booth to have of him when they pull the lever.

[Ineeda]

5. Even IF this is a self-serving

Christie maneuver for 2016 -- and is there really any doubt? -- it benefits our president right now. So let's thank the NJ governor for his part in 2012 and worry about the next election on January 22nd!

[CindyinIndy]

7. This speaks volumes!

Really would like to see Mitt throwing a fit about this. You know it's happening somewhere.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

11. Very proud of our President just now.

He's doing one of the finest jobs ever in responding to a horrible disaster. "Brownie" (damn turd) just needs to STFU.

[gateley]

13. Does Obama plan to visit any of the other States that were hit?

[drlindaphd]

16. Mr. Obama is the president

And he is doing his job. He is not just being a politician running for office, looking for a boost in the polls moment. He is The President of the United States who is helping the people he has promised to serve.

Romney, on the other hand, has stated very clearly that he does not believe it is the role of the federal government to provide disaster relief. He would disband FEMA and leave the disaster aid to private resources.

The contrast between the two men cannot be clearer. Yet on top of all this, Romney has the chutzpah to suggest to Gov. Christie that he come to NJ for a tour (reads photo and publicity op). Why? He has no power to help. He does not even believe the government he wishes to run should help.

He should be ashamed of himself, but I do not believe he is capable of feeling this.

I hope this wakes people up and they see him for who he really is. An opportunist who does not care about real people or even think we are actually human beings.