Should Obama cut his vacation short to visit Louisiana?
The Red Cross has deemed this month鈥檚 flooding in Louisiana the 鈥� since superstorm Sandy, prompting many to question where the country鈥檚 leadership is in the midst of the catastrophe.
The answer, at least where President Obama and his family are concerned, is Martha鈥檚 Vineyard, a wealthy resort island off the coast of Massachusetts. While some argue that the Obamas are enjoying a well-deserved vacation, others say that the president鈥檚 response to Louisiana鈥檚 crisis is telling.
鈥淎 disaster this big聽begs at ground zero,鈥� writes the editorial board of Louisiana's Advocate. 鈥淚n coming here, the president can decisively demonstrate that Louisiana鈥檚 recovery is a priority for his administration 鈥� and the United States of America.鈥�
Louisiana was deluged with rain this weekend, with some parts of Livingston Parish seeing as much as 31 inches of rain over 15 hours. Since Sunday, the National Guard and other emergency responders have rescued more than 30,000 people. More than 7,000 people are in emergency shelters. Thirteen people have died.
"This disaster is the worst to hit the United States since Superstorm Sandy, and ,鈥� said Red Cross vice president of disaster services operations and logistics Brad Kieserman, 鈥渁 number which may grow as we learn more about the scope and magnitude of the devastation."
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) director Craig Fugate arrived in Louisiana on Wednesday, while US Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson arrived on Thursday. Mr. Fugate is under orders from Mr. Obama to use all available resources to help with recovery in flood-stricken areas.
That , as CNN reports. Louisiana鈥檚 flat geography means that flood waters will recede slowly. And with many homes underwater and uninsured, homeowners could be left without the means to rebuild and recover.
Despite the government鈥檚 efforts on behalf of the people of Louisiana, however, Obama鈥檚 absence rankles. Many have compared his decision to remain on vacation in Massachusetts to President George W. Bush鈥檚 decision to remain on vacation during the aftermath of hurricane Katrina in 2005, a move that the Advocate terms a 鈥渟ymbol of official neglect.鈥�
Critics say that Obama should leave for Louisiana immediately聽if he wants to save face.
鈥淪ometimes, presidential visits can get in the way of emergency response, doing聽more harm than good,鈥� the Advocate editorial states. 鈥淏ut we don鈥檛 see that as a factor now that flood waters are subsiding, even if at an agonizing pace. It鈥檚 past time for the president to pay a personal visit, showing his solidarity with suffering Americans.鈥�
Others, however, defend the president. The Washington Post, for example, ran 聽outlining Obama鈥檚 refusal to 鈥減erform鈥� for the media. If Obama says that he is monitoring the situation from Martha鈥檚 Vineyard, the Post writes, then he genuinely believes he can monitor the situation much better where he is.
鈥淭he president can鈥檛 be everywhere,鈥� Secretary Johnson told reporters.
On the other side of the political spectrum, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate Mike Pence arrived in Louisiana on Friday, a move that the Associated Press reports is emblematic of the campaign鈥檚 shift since a recent staffing shakeup.
