“I want the people of Louisana to know is that you are not alone on this even after the TV cameras leave the whole country is going to support you and help you until we get folks back in their homes and lives are rebuilt….”
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Obama’s visit to the flood zone, normally a routine presidential exercise, has become politically freighted thanks to his own decision not to interrupt his annual Martha’s Vineyard vacation, criticism by Republican Donald Trump and the Baton Rouge newspaper, and memories of the botched federal response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
“Because it helped to shine a spotlight on Louisiana and on the dire situation that we have here, it was helpful”, said John Bel Edwards, the state’s Democratic governor.
But he said the work of rebuilding will continue for months. “Baby, let me tell you my community has come through”.
“Sometimes once the flood waters pass, people’s attention spans pass”, said Obama. This is not a one-off. “I need all Americans to stay focused on this”, he said.
Obama consoled the relatives during a brief meeting on the sidelines of his trip to Baton Rouge to tour flood damage and meet with affected residents.
But while residents such as Baton Rouge’s Marie Sibley pleaded to Obama “to just help us”, others like Albany’s Catherine Murphy were less optimistic.
Visibly sweating in the humid 92-degree weather, Obama hugged residents as he went from door-to-door asking about flood levels and relief efforts.
“President Obama should have gone to Louisiana days ago, instead of golfing. Too little, too late!” An editorial headline in the Baton Rouge Advocate last week read: “Our Views: Vacation or not, a hurting Louisiana needs you now, President Obama”. His predecessor, President George W. Bush, was criticized for not going to Louisiana and other areas hit by Katrina soon after the hurricane made landfall.
But Obama dismissed those critics, saying the only thing that mattered was the professionalism of the Federal Emergency Management Agency response.
” ‘I’m not complaining in any way about our federal partnership, ‘ Edwards said in a news conference Thursday”.
Edwards said in a news conference on August 18 that last week, immediately after the flooding, was not a good time for Obama to visit.
“Nobody gives a hoot whether you’re Democrat or Republican”.
“As I think anybody who can see, just the streets, much less the inside of the homes here, people’s lives have been upended by this flood”, he said Tuesday, after walking through the Castle Place subdivision in Zachary. The initial four-parish disaster area has since been expanded by FEMA to include 20 counties.
Also Monday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced an extension of 120 days for renewing flood insurance policies to give policy holders “one less thing to worry about” as they fix their homes. “A lot of homes have flood insurance, but a lot of homes don’t”, he said, saying he had advised FEMA chief Craig Fugate to “get money out as quickly as possible” to residents who are beginning to rebuild.
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Speaking to reporters, Obama said that the administration intends to approach Congress for additional recovery funds once there is a clearer picture of what’s needed. “There are reasons for us withholding this information, I’m talking about the details of this information, to protect the confidentiality, and that’s all I can say right now”.
