The flooding in Louisiana has left at least 13 people dead, 40,000 homes damaged, and 86,000 have applied for federal disaster aid.
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U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate arrived in the flood-damaged city of Baton Rouge on Friday but the state’s Democratic governor advised against touring areas affected by recent deadly rains.
In announcing Mr Obama’s planned visit, the White House said the President would be “mindful of the impact that his travel has on first responders” and did not want to “interfere with ongoing recovery efforts”.
Setting up in a parking lot in St Amant, a hard hit area between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Trump’s convoy handed out water bottles, diapers, and other supplies to people in need.
White House advisers cited Obama’s daily briefings on the flooding during vacation, including an update Friday from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, who traveled to Louisiana on Thursday.
Before meeting volunteers at a church in north of Baton Rouge, Trump said: “The president says he doesn’t want to go, he is trying to get out of a golf game”.
“We welcome him (Louisiana), but not for a photo operation”, said the governor’s office in a statement asking the NY to help by volunteering or making “a substantial donation”.
He’d told reporters earlier that he believed the president should be there, echoing calls from residents and The Advocate newspaper for the president to interrupt his two-week vacation to make an appearance.
Even by his own vacation standards, President Obama was almost invisible over the past two weeks on the island playground of Martha’s Vineyard while emergencies mounted on the mainland.
He added at an event in MI this evening: “To the people of Louisiana, we are with you and will always be with you”. “I’m just here to help”.
Former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, a prominent Trump backer, said he was happy to have leaders visit his city after the September 11, 2001, attacks because it showed support for the victims’ families and solidarity with New Yorkers. He took a break from his time off to hold a fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who tweeted out about the devastation while she herself took a day off.
Edwards also praised the president’s quick response to the flooding disaster in the interview, noting that Mr. Obama had reached out via phone to discuss the crisis, declared the area a disaster zone as soon as Louisiana requested it, and sent all the resources required by the state. “So I’d ask him to wait if he would”.
When a south Louisiana group home for young offenders called for flood evacuation help, churches in Shreveport and local volunteers made them welcome.
Clinton said that people can donate money to the Red Cross and to the Baton Rouge Area Foundation.
In a clear swipe at her rival, Clinton added “the relief effort can’t afford any distractions”.
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“It is good Trump and Pence are going to Louisiana to help fellow Americans who are in pain”, former House speaker Newt Gingrich tweeted.
