Romney tours storm damage in Louisiana
(CNN) - Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney arrived in Louisiana Friday afternoon to tour damage left in the wake of Hurricane Isaac with Gov. Bobby Jindal and Sen. David Vitter.
Romney, who was accompanied by his wife, Ann, said that the trip was to learn and obviously to draw some attention to what's going [on] here... so that people around the country know that people done here need help."
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Romney met Jindal and Vitter in Jefferson Parish, where where flooding and downed trees was visible on the roadside. National Guard troops, with vehicles that can accomodate high water, were in the area.
Reporters could hear Romney and Jindal discussing the fishing industry, which is a major part of the economy in this area.
Romney also stopped in the Jean Lafitte Town Hall to meet with local officials and relief workers.
He also stopped to shake hands with a man along a flooded roadway with a sign which said, "Mitt's Our Man."
Some 630,000 people were without power Friday afternoon in Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, where at least 572,000 people were in the dark. Jindal said that many people who should have evacuated the area he and Romney visited had not evacuated.
Earlier Friday, the White House announced that President Barack Obama would visit Louisiana on Monday.
The top Democrat in the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid, issued a harsh statement Friday while Romney was in Louisiana, saying that "Under a Romney-Ryan administration, we would not have been prepared to respond to Hurricane Isaac."
"Paul Ryan's budget would gut disaster funding, making it much harder to get aid to our fellow Americans in their time of need," he continued, mentioning Romney's running mate, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan. "It is the height of hypocrisy for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan to make a pretense of showing sympathy for the victims of Hurricane Isaac when their policies would leave those affected by this disaster stranded and on their own."
- CNN Political Reporter Rachel Streitfeld contributed to this report
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Turning the victims of nature's forces into political fodder is disgusting. This man should go home.
Mitt Romney in Louisiana Friday afternoon with his wife, Ann,
So what? Neither of them work anyway.
Who cares? it is just for a photo op.
Nice photo op. Maybe those needing rescued can say they're Paul supporters and Romney will make sure they get relocated.
It appears as though President Obama has chosen the strategy of leading from behind again.
If this massive flooding took place in Ohio or Florida, he would've found a way to fit it in his campaign trip schedule already.
That is great that he cares:)
I wonder if Mr. Romney told those poor folks that the Ryan budget slashes funds for FEMA?
Good jobs Romney/Jindal.
Republicans are complaining why it taking so long for Pres.Obama to look over the flooded sites,one word president..It's a logistical nitemare especially with airports down,there's more flooding than in Katrina, at least what experts say..He'll be there and doesn't people get smart and get out aren't they tired of swimming all the time from their homes,get smart,move elsewhere!!
Pander much? Mittens has been no where on the other disasters, but now, he is trying desperately to be human.
Never forget that Romney wants to cut way back on federal emergency response funding around the country. Just ask Ryan who has said so many times. That was a major part of a budget proposal he pushed in the House.
And where was our erstwhile President and Vice-President? At a union rally!! Guess we know who they're REALLY concerned about.
Pete
It's a logistical nitemare especially with airports down,there's more flooding than in Katrina,
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I guess Romney must be taller than Obama since he was able to land. Next excuse. In Obama's case if it is not served to him on a silver platter than it doesn't work for him.
Forget about funds to anyone if Romney was president. This will be on his cutting block. Romney doesn't care what these people are going through. Obama had teams up and running before the hurricane even hit the shores. Do Redumblicans lie about everything?
tpaine1
And where was our erstwhile President and Vice-President? At a union rally!! Guess we know who they're REALLY concerned about.
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Political fodder during a disaster speaks more to you than to our President.
This is what a real leader does.
"Ryan stretching the truth to make his speech more effective, is just another form of doping, in that if you believe him, you are a dope." – Stephen Colbert yesterday, in character.
Nice photo op. Too bad he can't show the same support and compassion for our soldiers in Afghanistan. This man wants to be commander-in-chief, yet, he made no mention of the war in his speech. Zip, Nada, Zero. Of course, this may be explained by his calling the U.S. a "company": this morning.