So far, 13 people have been killed and 20,000 were evacuated since the flooding began August 11.
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“While in Martha’s Vineyard, the President has received updates on the situation in Louisiana, including from the DHS Secretary and the FEMA Administrator, who took separate trips there”. The President is mindful of the impact that his travel has on first responders and wants to ensure that his presence does not interfere with ongoing recovery efforts.
Edwards said he would prefer Obama stay away for the time being, since a presidential visit puts so many demands on local resources – resources that are better put to use helping residents and beginning the massive cleanup process.
On Friday, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump paid a highly publicized visit to the state, despite a plea from Louisiana’s governor for political figures to avoid photo ops in the flooded areas.
“The president says he doesn’t want to come, he is trying to get out of a golf game”, Trump said, according to ABC News.
“The current flooding in Louisiana is the worst natural disaster to strike the United States since Superstorm Sandy”, Brad Kieserman, vice president for Disaster Services Operations and Logistics for the Red Cross, said in a statement.
However, a spokesman for the governor dismissed Trump’s visit as a “photo-op”.
Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards said he’s glad Obama waited to visit because the security requirements and highway closures “won’t have the adverse impact it would have if it had been this week”.
“The Democrat Governor’s criticism of Mr. Trump’s visit to Louisiana is an outrage, and completely inconsistent with their criticism of President Bush’s decision to not go to New Orleans immediately after Hurricane Katrina”.
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“The flooding there is bigger than anyone expected”, said the statement. Trump’s motorcade drove past the devastation as it made it way to Greenwell Springs Baptist Church in East Baton Rouge Parish to visit with volunteers. Edwards’ office said Trump did not call to discuss plans to visit. President Barack Obama declared the state was undergoing a major disaster Sunday, freeing up federal emergency funds. Instead, Obama sent an anti-discrimination memo to local, state, and federal agencies assisting victims in the area reminding them that though he is not physically present, he will be watching to make sure that they are not discriminating against victims on the basis of “race, color, or national origin (including limited English proficiency)”.
