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With Christie, Obama vows, ‘We will not quit until this is done’
Just six days before the election, President Barack Obama toured storm-ravaged areas with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. He told Garden State residents struggling in the superstorm's aftermath that all of America shares their pain—and their government is there to help.
"The main message I wanted to send is the entire country has been watching what's been happening," Obama said Wednesday during a visit to the Brigantine Beach Community Center. "Everybody knows how hard Jersey's been hit."
("Except my boss," shouted Michael Henshaw, 32, a Brigantine resident who works at an insurance company. "Well, except your boss. If you need me to call, you let me know," Obama replied, drawing laughter from the room. That exchange, and many of the details in this post, are from pool reporter Reid Epstein of Politico.)
The White House told reporters that during the worst of the storm's devastation 200 people were sleeping in the center's gym, though that number has dropped to 50. The center still serves as a spot for people to get meals and take hot showers.
Obama traveled to New Jersey, which bore the brunt of the storm's wrath, with Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Craig Fugate. The president and Christie—an outspoken Mitt Romney backer—traded praise over the response to the devastating storm.
"I want to just let you know that your governor is working overtime to make sure that as soon as possible everybody can get back to normal," said Obama. "We are going to be here for the long haul. We're going to not tolerate any red tape. We're not going to tolerate any bureaucracy."
Christie, wearing a blue polar fleece jacket with "CHRIS CHRISTIE GOVERNOR" in white letters over his heart, echoed Obama's message.
"I just want to tell all of you exactly what the president just said. I know he means it," Christie said. "I want to thank the president for coming here today. It's really important to have the president of the United States acknowledge all the suffering that's going on here in New Jersey, and I appreciate it very much. We're going to work together to make sure we get ourselves through this crisis and get everything back to normal. Thank you for coming, sir."
Aides say the president is focused on doing his job, not on the election, but the governor's praise and the seemingly smooth federal response to the storm could help him in his neck-and-neck race with Romney.
Obama and Christie took an aerial tour of some of the destruction aboard the president's Marine One helicopter before the visit to Brigantine.
In brief public remarks afterward, the governor had said of the president, "He has sprung into action immediately to help. He has worked incredibly closely with me since before the storm hit.
"It's been a great working relationship to make sure that we're doing the jobs that people elected us to do, and I cannot thank the president enough for his personal concern and compassion for our state and the people of our state."
(He also joked about those who ignored his "admonition to get the hell out of here. You are forgiven this time, but not for much longer.")
Obama returned the praise, saying Christie had been "responsive" and "aggressive" even before "this incredible storm. ... The people of New Jersey recognize that he has put his heart and soul into making sure that the people of New Jersey bounce back even stronger than before. So I just want to thank him for his extraordinary leadership and partnership."
The president added that "because of some good preparation, the loss of life was kept lower than it might have been."
He then offered his "thoughts and prayers" to those who lost loved ones. "I speak for the whole country," he said.
Both men cited the urgent need to restore power to the vast areas that lost it during the storm.
Obama, who canceled campaign events on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to take charge of the federal response, said he had instituted a "15-minute rule" for returning telephone calls from governors and mayors. "If they need something, we'll figure out a way to say 'yes,'" the president said.
"We will not quit until this is done," he promised.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/christie-obama-vows-not-quit-until-done-214410192--election.html
"The main message I wanted to send is the entire country has been watching what's been happening," Obama said Wednesday during a visit to the Brigantine Beach Community Center. "Everybody knows how hard Jersey's been hit."
("Except my boss," shouted Michael Henshaw, 32, a Brigantine resident who works at an insurance company. "Well, except your boss. If you need me to call, you let me know," Obama replied, drawing laughter from the room. That exchange, and many of the details in this post, are from pool reporter Reid Epstein of Politico.)
The White House told reporters that during the worst of the storm's devastation 200 people were sleeping in the center's gym, though that number has dropped to 50. The center still serves as a spot for people to get meals and take hot showers.
Obama traveled to New Jersey, which bore the brunt of the storm's wrath, with Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Craig Fugate. The president and Christie—an outspoken Mitt Romney backer—traded praise over the response to the devastating storm.
"I want to just let you know that your governor is working overtime to make sure that as soon as possible everybody can get back to normal," said Obama. "We are going to be here for the long haul. We're going to not tolerate any red tape. We're not going to tolerate any bureaucracy."
Christie, wearing a blue polar fleece jacket with "CHRIS CHRISTIE GOVERNOR" in white letters over his heart, echoed Obama's message.
"I just want to tell all of you exactly what the president just said. I know he means it," Christie said. "I want to thank the president for coming here today. It's really important to have the president of the United States acknowledge all the suffering that's going on here in New Jersey, and I appreciate it very much. We're going to work together to make sure we get ourselves through this crisis and get everything back to normal. Thank you for coming, sir."
Aides say the president is focused on doing his job, not on the election, but the governor's praise and the seemingly smooth federal response to the storm could help him in his neck-and-neck race with Romney.
Obama and Christie took an aerial tour of some of the destruction aboard the president's Marine One helicopter before the visit to Brigantine.
In brief public remarks afterward, the governor had said of the president, "He has sprung into action immediately to help. He has worked incredibly closely with me since before the storm hit.
"It's been a great working relationship to make sure that we're doing the jobs that people elected us to do, and I cannot thank the president enough for his personal concern and compassion for our state and the people of our state."
(He also joked about those who ignored his "admonition to get the hell out of here. You are forgiven this time, but not for much longer.")
Obama returned the praise, saying Christie had been "responsive" and "aggressive" even before "this incredible storm. ... The people of New Jersey recognize that he has put his heart and soul into making sure that the people of New Jersey bounce back even stronger than before. So I just want to thank him for his extraordinary leadership and partnership."
The president added that "because of some good preparation, the loss of life was kept lower than it might have been."
He then offered his "thoughts and prayers" to those who lost loved ones. "I speak for the whole country," he said.
Both men cited the urgent need to restore power to the vast areas that lost it during the storm.
Obama, who canceled campaign events on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to take charge of the federal response, said he had instituted a "15-minute rule" for returning telephone calls from governors and mayors. "If they need something, we'll figure out a way to say 'yes,'" the president said.
"We will not quit until this is done," he promised.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/christie-obama-vows-not-quit-until-done-214410192--election.html
Quit while you're ahead, teko, on the wildfire thing. My house was less than 10 miles from the edge of the fires, so I LIVED it, the whole time it was happening.
President Obama did NOTHING, for a long while, and Texas was left to fend for itself. As for OK getting $3M and TX getting $23M... the OK fires were in rural areas, and only a few homes were affected. Almost 3,000 homes were destroyed in TX, and the fires were in SUBURBAN areas (that's why more $$$ was aloted to us, but not nearly enough to cover it).
Obama doesn't much like Texas, or so it would seem.
He let the state burn, with no FEMA aid.
He closed down the Johnson Space Center.
He shut down the shuttle program.
He shut down NASA's R&D facility, in Clear Lake City.
He voted against us getting a shuttle, when Houston is basically where the shuttle program was BORN.
Yeah, he has a thing for Texas, for some odd reason.
President Obama did NOTHING, for a long while, and Texas was left to fend for itself. As for OK getting $3M and TX getting $23M... the OK fires were in rural areas, and only a few homes were affected. Almost 3,000 homes were destroyed in TX, and the fires were in SUBURBAN areas (that's why more $$$ was aloted to us, but not nearly enough to cover it).
Obama doesn't much like Texas, or so it would seem.
He let the state burn, with no FEMA aid.
He closed down the Johnson Space Center.
He shut down the shuttle program.
He shut down NASA's R&D facility, in Clear Lake City.
He voted against us getting a shuttle, when Houston is basically where the shuttle program was BORN.
Yeah, he has a thing for Texas, for some odd reason.
Re: Wildfires
You just backed up my argument, that Obama sat on his a$$ while Texas BURNED.
The fires started in November of 2010, and burned through September 2011.
Rick Perry BEGGED for disaster relief, starting in December, and only PARTIALLY got it, in July of 2011. It took Obama SEVEN MONTHS to get off his butt and do something about it.
Here you go... read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Texas_wildfires
You just backed up my argument, that Obama sat on his a$$ while Texas BURNED.
The fires started in November of 2010, and burned through September 2011.
Rick Perry BEGGED for disaster relief, starting in December, and only PARTIALLY got it, in July of 2011. It took Obama SEVEN MONTHS to get off his butt and do something about it.
Here you go... read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Texas_wildfires
Rhetoric?
I see... when I criticize the President, and his actions, and his responses (or lack thereof), his policies, and disagree with the way he handles things, you consider that rhetoric?
Would you consider it rhetoric, when you criticize GWB, and his actions, and his responses (or lack thereof), his policies, and disagree with the way HE handled things, when he was in office?
I'm just trying to figure out what your definition of the word "rhetoric" is today.
And seriously Terko, good on ya, for holding President Obama in high regard, whether he wins or loses the election. That said, we ALL know he's going to win the election on November 6th, so I'm not sure why we on the Right continue to fight the inevitable! I conceded the election 34 months ago, remember?
Yes, Romney has been advancing a little in some polls you see, here & there, but overall, Obama still has quite a large lead, overall. It might only be a point or 2-3, state-by-state, but add up all those 1,2,3 point leads across the nation, and all of a sudden Obama's overall lead becomes a little bit more profound.
I see... when I criticize the President, and his actions, and his responses (or lack thereof), his policies, and disagree with the way he handles things, you consider that rhetoric?
Would you consider it rhetoric, when you criticize GWB, and his actions, and his responses (or lack thereof), his policies, and disagree with the way HE handled things, when he was in office?
I'm just trying to figure out what your definition of the word "rhetoric" is today.
And seriously Terko, good on ya, for holding President Obama in high regard, whether he wins or loses the election. That said, we ALL know he's going to win the election on November 6th, so I'm not sure why we on the Right continue to fight the inevitable! I conceded the election 34 months ago, remember?
Yes, Romney has been advancing a little in some polls you see, here & there, but overall, Obama still has quite a large lead, overall. It might only be a point or 2-3, state-by-state, but add up all those 1,2,3 point leads across the nation, and all of a sudden Obama's overall lead becomes a little bit more profound.
During a May 12 interview with The Texas Tribune, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples touched on what was still a denial by the federal government of the general disaster declaration about the wildfires. Staples said: "It’s just unconscionable that FEMA and this administration is denying our request for a general disaster declaration. And to put it in context, just in June of 2009, the same administration approved the type of declaration request that we’re asking, when nine counties out of the 77 in Oklahoma burned for about three days. We’ve had wildfires that have been out of control for two weeks."
We found Staples’ claim Mostly True. Staples correctly said the Obama administration had denied Texas’ request for a disaster declaration in response to long-burning wildfires: Also, the administration had approved a similar disaster declaration request from Oklahoma in 2009, in response to wildfires that burned for only a few days.
Yet Staples’ statement left out a crucial relevant fact. FEMA had not denied federal aid for the 2011 Texas wildfires; it had approved the fire-fighting grants adding up to $23 million — far more than Oklahoma’s approximate $3 million in disaster aid.
Postscript: In July 2011, President Barack Obama reversed course, signing a general disaster declaration allowing local governments in 45 counties to seek federal help to pay for debris removal and emergency measures taken to save lives and protect property and public health due to the spring wildfires, the Associated Press reported.
We found Staples’ claim Mostly True. Staples correctly said the Obama administration had denied Texas’ request for a disaster declaration in response to long-burning wildfires: Also, the administration had approved a similar disaster declaration request from Oklahoma in 2009, in response to wildfires that burned for only a few days.
Yet Staples’ statement left out a crucial relevant fact. FEMA had not denied federal aid for the 2011 Texas wildfires; it had approved the fire-fighting grants adding up to $23 million — far more than Oklahoma’s approximate $3 million in disaster aid.
Postscript: In July 2011, President Barack Obama reversed course, signing a general disaster declaration allowing local governments in 45 counties to seek federal help to pay for debris removal and emergency measures taken to save lives and protect property and public health due to the spring wildfires, the Associated Press reported.
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 27, 2012
President Obama Signs Louisiana Emergency Declaration
The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Louisiana and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Isaac beginning on August 26, 2012, and continuing.
The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the parishes of Ascension, Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, and Washington.
Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.
W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Gerard M. Stolar as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 27, 2012
President Obama Signs Louisiana Emergency Declaration
The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Louisiana and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Isaac beginning on August 26, 2012, and continuing.
The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the parishes of Ascension, Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, and Washington.
Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.
W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Gerard M. Stolar as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.
What that means el is that regardless of the turnout of this election, President Obama will still be held in high regards with me.
You however, are more than welcome to your own opinions and rhetoric.
You however, are more than welcome to your own opinions and rhetoric.
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