Both Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump have stayed mum on the floods.
Advertisement
Obama, who is now on vacation with his family in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, hasn’t spoken publicly about the deadly flood that has led to federal disaster declarations in 20 parishes.
President Barack Obama is unlikely to break from a New England vacation to survey flood damage in Louisiana, despite calls for him to visit and meet with responders and victims.
Seinfeld co-creator and Curb Your Enthusiasm star Larry David joined Obama at Farm Neck Golf Course for the latest golf outing of the President’s vacation.
The White House said Mr Obama is just trying to get the most out of the time he’s spending here with family and friends before the busy season, packed with foreign and domestic travel, begins.
Mr Obama, who is on a two-week vacation in Martha’s Vineyard, an island off the coast of MA, took a short break from his relaxation time to raise money for Mrs Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee he hopes will succeed him when he leaves office in January.
Democrats Hank Goldberg and his wife, Carol Brown Goldberg, are hosting the event at their home in Chilmark, the same town where the president is renting a vacation home. “But if we do not do our jobs, then it’s still possible for her to lose”.
Clinton did not join Obama at the fundraiser.
“The water was waist deep, so it’s iffy if I can take the sheet rock and insulation half way or have to go to the ceiling”, she said.
Obama is expected to campaign aggressively for Clinton in the fall run-up to the November 8 elections. He endorsed her right after the primaries and caucuses ended in June. The federal government’s response to that natural disaster, in which more than 1,830 people were killed and millions more along the Gulf Coast and New Orleans were left homeless, haunted Bush for the remainder of his presidency. This is his final visit to the island as the president of the US.
Clinton is not expected to appear with Obama. She’ll be making her first campaign appearance with Vice President Joe Biden in his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
President Barack Obama has come under fire for declining to cut his vacation short to visit flood-ravaged Louisiana, but the state’s governor said a presidential visit at this time would only cause more headaches for officials. So far, he has indulged in seven rounds of golf, five dinner outings, two afternoons at the beach and a couple of trail walks.
Advertisement
The president is scheduled to return to the White House on Sunday.
