McCain Visits Disaster Relief Center in Toledo
EmailABC News’ Bret Hovell reports: Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., visited a disaster relief center in Toledo, Ohio, on Monday, continuing his effort to politically get out in front of Hurricane Gustav and avoid the overwhelming perception left after Hurricane Katrina that the Republican Party either didn’t know about the magnitude of that storm, or didn’t care.
McCain stopped by the International Services of Hope/IMPACT Disaster Relief Center to shake hands with volunteers. He also packed up a few boxes of cleaning supplies to be sent to the relief effort.
"This is what it’s all about …" McCain said. "This epitomizes the millions of Americans who are serving on behalf of causes greater than their own self-interest and putting their country first."
The hurricane made meteorological landfall southwest of New Orleans just minutes after McCain finished speaking.
The Arizona Republican has scaled back his nominating convention in St. Paul, Minn., which was set to begin Monday, to avoid images of Republicans celebrating while the Gulf Coast reels from the storm.
President Bush, whose approval ratings tumbled after he was thought to have ignored the impact of Katrina, cancelled his appearance at the convention to pay close attention to the storm. Bush’s change of plans wasn’t an altogether unwelcome development for McCain, who has struggled to separate himself from the unpopular incumbent.
On Sunday, McCain traveled to Mississippi to receive a briefing from the state’s governor, Haley Barbour, on disaster monitoring and relief plans.
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McCain is obviously using an American disaster for his own political gain.
Shame on McCain.
Posted by: vickie | September 1, 2008, 12:57 pm 12:57 pm
I like how he worked in his “country first” line. No partisanship here folks. Now move along.
Posted by: doug | September 1, 2008, 1:08 pm 1:08 pm
Face it…if you don’t like McCain, no matter what he does in any circumstance you will criticize it as political. Just like if you don’t like Obama, nothing he does can please. Of course a lot of it is political, Obama might have done the same (or should have) if Gustav happened during his convention. Although, I don’t think they would have cancelled their all star extravaganza for anything. Why can’t we all just accept the fact McCain is doing the right thing, and Obama is doing the right thing by backing off on the sniping for a day or so.
Posted by: dwc | September 1, 2008, 1:18 pm 1:18 pm
McCain is a puppet for the right wing religious conservatives. His choice on VP reflects the pressure on him by those conservatives. He puts his country behind his presidency. Shame on McCain!
Posted by: Quy Tran | September 1, 2008, 1:21 pm 1:21 pm
McCain said they could use any of his homes if he could just remember where they are located.
Posted by: ronnieraygun | September 1, 2008, 1:28 pm 1:28 pm
Partisanship is what it’s all about. There’s nothing the republican party can do to erase Katrina from the minds of the American public. It was one of the most shameful, disgraceful, disgusting things that happened to citizens of this country at the hands of Bush et al. Let’s not forget that Bush turned down help, all in the name of politics, from Cuba, who offered to send in doctors and medical supplies. Can you imagine playing politics when the lives of American citizens are at stake? Unbelievable. If Katrina had happened in a mostly upperclass white part of the country Bush would have been in there to help so fast it would make your head spin. No, I neither like nor trust the republican party anymore. And the selection of Palin to be vice president just put the icing on that particular cake. If good judgment was ever an issue in this campaign, Bush & McCain proved they have none at all.
Posted by: nomore, nomore | September 1, 2008, 1:28 pm 1:28 pm
He couold open up at least 6 of his houses to disaster folks for shelter if he could remember where they were.
Posted by: Saddlesablazing | September 1, 2008, 1:29 pm 1:29 pm
He is using this to benefit himself and he is a sick puppy if you ask me.Now I read his running mate has a 16 year old pregggg——-Nice going set a GREAT exaample for this young girls of this country and Mc Cain knew this before hand.I am wondering if this man has not lost all him brain not part of it.
Posted by: indp voter | September 1, 2008, 1:29 pm 1:29 pm
Better to over react this time than have more of the same un-caring the Republicans displayed last time.
Posted by: Gomer Pyle USMC | September 1, 2008, 1:30 pm 1:30 pm
indp voter: Palin claims that she gave birth to that baby, while her staff went un-notified for 7 months she was suppose to be pregnant. While her daughter was pulled out of school for some mysterious reason for 5 months. I do think we have a Grandmother here who is trying to keep her daughters pregnancy a secret, oops its not.
Posted by: Ernest T Bass | September 1, 2008, 1:34 pm 1:34 pm
Can someone tell me what the hell a senator from Arizona (not normally known for hurricanes) is doing overseeing preparations and offering advice on Gustav?!
Political opportunism at its finest. I would love for the MSM to ask this question.
Repeatedly.
Posted by: Sharktattoo | September 1, 2008, 1:34 pm 1:34 pm
It’s not just that a Senator from land locked Arizona is overseeing FEMA efforts for the gulf coast – he’s doing it in Ohio – a swing state – so he can wear his “America First” hat where swing voters can see it. Nice work on that Straight Talk thing.
Posted by: nh bob | September 1, 2008, 1:38 pm 1:38 pm
For the Obama supporters, you will not give credence to anything positive McCain is doing. Jesus, himself, could come down and do something right, and if Obama had not thought of it first, Obama supporters would find something wrong with it.
The truth is, that McCain is doing the right thing. He didn’t set up a fake campaign to get telephone numbers and email addresses, only later, to use as pandering.
I admire John McCain and know he will be the next POTUS.
Posted by: david from texas | September 1, 2008, 2:38 pm 2:38 pm
Hey, where’s all the critique of Obama and his role about the hurricane? Isn’t he being politically expetious as well? Why am I NOT surprised about this? Obama gets props, but McCain gets drops. go figure…libs are so transparent.
Posted by: nobamamama | September 1, 2008, 2:45 pm 2:45 pm
During Katrina, couldn’t some of the millionaire Hollywood types and political liberals have sent their lear jets, money and open their multiple mansions as well? If there wasn’t any hypocrisy in the comments on the liberal blogs, there wouldn’t be any conversation.
Posted by: Nobamamama | September 1, 2008, 2:49 pm 2:49 pm
Prominent religious conservatives, many of whom have been lukewarm toward McCain’s candidacy, predicted that Palin’s daughter’s pregnancy would not diminish conservative Christian enthusiasm over the vice presidential hopeful.
“I think it’s a very private matter,” said Roberta Combs, president of the Christian Coalition of America. “It’s a matter that should stay in the family and they have to work through it together. My prayers go out to them.”
Added Combs: “We’re excited about the governor and think she’s going to do well.”
Mathew Staver, dean of Liberty University School of Law, said: “We’re all sinners.”
“We all make mistakes. Certainly, the ideal is not to get pregnant out of wedlock. But she made the right decision after her mistake,” he said.
Staver also criticized anyone who would seek to make it a negative campaign issue: “It’s absolutely shameful to put her child in the spotlight. She’s not running for office. When someone can’t face issues, they try to tear down a family.”
Posted by: david from texas | September 1, 2008, 2:51 pm 2:51 pm
“the overwhelming perception that republicans didn’t know the magnitude of the storm”? As if dems knew the magnitude of Katrina? So, where Katrina was concerned, you didn’t learn any lessons from Andrew? Where were you all? You were warned years before that New Orleans was susceptible for a Cat 5 hurricane, yet had no evacuation plan in play. Take responsibility for your own failure already and remember when you see that big twirling storm coming in from the gulf – it’s best to GET OUT OF THE WAY! Now HOW many brains does that take? MORONS!
Posted by: nobamamama | September 1, 2008, 2:53 pm 2:53 pm
and could you imagine if McCain would have went ahead with the convention plans; he would have been crucified for that as well. Dems can do NO wrong, but the “other side” does everything wrong.
Posted by: nobamamama | September 1, 2008, 2:58 pm 2:58 pm
While Obama is actually doing something useful, mobilizing his vast internet resources to raise money and supplies to help the people of Louisiana..
John McCain does another photo op to help John McCain.
Posted by: McInsane | September 1, 2008, 3:06 pm 3:06 pm
What about that Bridge to Nowhere?
McCain has bragged that Palin opposed the famous “Bridge to Nowhere,” only to learn now that Palin supported the project and even told residents of Ketchikan that they weren’t “nowhere” to her.
After the national outcry, she decided to spend the funds allocated to the bridge for something else. Actually, maybe it’s more fair to say that coincident with the national outcry, she changed her mind. The story shows her political judgment, but it is not a reformer’s credential…
Likewise, though she did cut taxes as mayor of Wassila, she raised the sales tax, making her hardly a tax cutter…
The Republicans and McCain can Hide behind this “minor hurricane” (now downgraded to a CAT 2 and missing New Orleans) for another day or two…
But as the wind and rain goes away, the “Palin VP Pick Storm” is only going to grow! It will grow into the biggest disaster for McCain and the Republicans in the last 50 years!!!!
Last Friday when I first started posting about the Bridge to Nowhere LIE Palin was telling, I said by Monday the MSM would be running with it….
Guess what “MY FRIENDS” I was right on the money!!!!!
Bye, bye Mr. McCain!!!!!!
Posted by: Davis | September 1, 2008, 3:14 pm 3:14 pm
I am offended that people blame Bush regarding Katrina. Remember there was a govenor Blanco at the time who was suppose to be “in charge”.
She failed in the whole Katrina debacle.
But because she is a democrat no one harrassed her. Those DAMN democrats blamed Bush.
Now will those same DAMN democrats give him and Jindal any credit.
I doubt it!
Posted by: semby | September 1, 2008, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm
I live in Toledo – we have a very mall component that will be sent in disaster relief to NO area. SO why would McCain come to a disaster relief center in Toledo today?? Toledo is in northwest OHIO – far from NO but a key state in November. What else does he have to campaign on in Toledo just rated one of the poorest cities in the country recently – not a good area to campaign his continued support of NAFTA and Bush tax cuts which gave KILLED this area.
Posted by: Ohiodaughter | September 1, 2008, 7:58 pm 7:58 pm
This is a good photo op.
Posted by: ROME | September 2, 2008, 11:31 am 11:31 am
What a bunch of whiners! It’s always fun to come see what the liberal sheep have to say. Ladies and gentlemen.. I have a news flash for you – Politicians are… Politicians.. which means they practice politics. McCain came to Toledo (I live here) in a strategic ploy to gain votes. Every politician does the same thing. Obama was just in a small town in SE Ohio yesterday and I have never even heard of it. Hmmm… why in the world was he there? Come on folks – WAKE UP. Quit being blinded by the media and stop getting your talking points from the TV and radio. Think independently! Quit watching CNN and reading US Weekly.. Take a break and peruse the Declaration of Independence. You will see the government was formed to protect the public and keep order. It wasn’t formed to grow your crops, pay your bills, care for your kids, and so on. Capitalism was put in place to handle these items. Accountability is word not often used any longer. However, it is the one thing that America needs to re-learn. Here is my suggestion.. take a good long look in the mirror and ask yourself this. Are you doing all you could be a better American? Are you doing all you can be a better person? Quit ripping into these politicians and certainly quit ripping into their innocent children and/or spouses. We are all Americans. This can be a good fight and we can critique issues. However, don’t critique the person. In the end a politician is a politician. They all work with earmarks and they all work with lobbyists. The main thing you want to make sure of, is that if it all hits the fan will they think with their heart and protect each of us as if we were their own family? Just some thoughts from a Great Lakes region tax payer.
Posted by: Bruiser | September 4, 2008, 8:59 pm 8:59 pm
Ever wonder why natural disasters below the mason dixon line get days of media attention and the government gets blame? But when horrible ice storms and tremendous floods hit the northern part of the country – you see… hmm..maybe a couple articles or a few minutes of airtime on the network news. Quit putting your hands out and asking for more. Put your hands out and do some work!
Posted by: GL Tons | September 4, 2008, 9:07 pm 9:07 pm