Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton released a statement saying she had spoken with Edwards and the best course of action was to highlight the need for donations.
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The White House has said President Obama will visit Louisiana next Tuesday to view first-hand the effects of vast floods that have left 13 dead and tens of thousands displaced, the country’s worst natural disaster since Superstorm Sandy in 2012.
Obama granted the designation to 20 of the state’s 64 parishes, Louisiana’s equivalent to counties. The flood waters destroyed 40,000 homes and killed 13 people in in Louisiana and MS, while thousands still remain at about three dozen shelters across the region.
“Right now, the relief effort can’t afford any distractions”, Clinton said.
His trip to Louisiana, a rare departure for the candidate whose campaign so far has consisted largely of mass rallies and television phone-ins, comes a day after he made a rare expression of remorse for making comments that “may have caused personal pain”.
Edwards said he had not been informed of Trump’s visit and hoped the candidate was in not in town exclusively “for a photo-op”.
Does President Barack Obama need to take time out of his vacation to visit flooded areas around Louisiana?
The flooding, which began last week after record-breaking rains of more than 75 centimeters, has been described as the worst USA disaster since Superstorm Sandy in 2012.
Is Trump’s visit bringing more of a spotlight on Louisiana?
After Trump and Pence toured the flood damage, they went to Greenwell Springs Baptist Church, to meet with Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, and Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, an worldwide Christian relief organization.
White House advisors said Obama is getting daily briefings on the flooding during vacation, including an update Friday from Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, who traveled to Louisiana a day earlier. Trump’s son Eric, meanwhile, told Fox News that Manafort “was incredible”, but his father didn’t want to be “distracted by whatever things Paul was dealing with”. The White House announced Friday afternoon that Obama will visit the area on Tuesday, after his vacation concludes.
A torrent of about two feet of rain inundated the southern part of the state, devastating areas hit hard by Hurricane Katrina over a decade ago.
The Democratic governor of the state, John Bel Edwards, though, has said he has no problem with the president not having visited or the federal response.
He said Obama was eager to hear more officials on the ground about the response, including how the federal government can assist in the recovery and rebuilding efforts.
Some 86,500 people have already filed for federal aid following the historic levels of rainfall.
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People like Bourgeois, whose homes were not in designated high-risk flood zones, were especially unprepared for the rising water. It also came after Friday’s visit to the region by Republican nominee Donald Trump, who called for a more robust national response.
