After “Devastating Storms,” in the Southeast, Obama to Travel to Alabama
EmailABC News' Sunlen Miller reports:
Noting that the “devastating” storms which have ripped through the southeastern United States have been “some of the worst that we’ve seen in decades,” President Obama today attempted to assure Americans he’s focusing on the domestic disaster.
“We can't control when or where a terrible storm may strike, but we can control how we respond to it,” Obama said from the East Room of the White House this afternoon, “And I want every American who has been affected by this disaster to know that the federal government will do everything we can to help you recover and we will stand with you as you rebuild.”
President Obama announced that he will travel to Alabama tomorrow where he will meet with those leading the response efforts, as well as the families who are “reeling from this disaster.”
In remarks that were scheduled to announce the reshuffling of his national security team, the president briefly addressed first what has been done so far to help deal with the storm’s aftermath.
“I've already spoken to the governors of Alabama, Virginia, Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia and I've let them know that we are ready to help in any possible way. I've declared a state of emergency in Alabama so that we can make all necessary resources available to that state. I've dispatched Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate to Alabama so that he can personally work with state and local officials,”
The president said that the loss of life has been “heartbreaking” and the damage to homes and business is “nothing short of catastrophic.”
So far 164 tornadoes have been reported from Mississippi to New York, the worst tornado outbreak since 1974 when a super tornado outbreak killed more than 300 people.
“In a matter of hours, these deadly tornadoes — some of the worst that we've seen in decades — took mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, friends and neighbors, even entire communities. Others are injured, and some are still missing.”
The president commended those who have been “working around the clock” for the last two days to help save lives and rebuild communities.
“And we pray for their success and we stand with every American affected by this disaster in the days and weeks to come.”
-Sunlen Miller
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What a bunch of disasters and this is only the start of the tornado season.
The photos of the devastation are heart-breaking.
This is when the necessity of a strong, well-managed government at a local, state and national level is proven its importance.
My thoughts go out to the people who have suffered so much, so quickly.
Posted by: Lydia | April 28, 2011, 4:51 pm 4:51 pm
LYDIA: “This is when the necessity of a strong, well-managed government at a local, state and national level is proven its importance.”
True. Disaster relief and recovery is one thing most people expect of their government. Unfortunately, due to the over-extended and unwieldy nature of ours, too busy with the myriad other tasks that should really be left to the private sector, its performance during disasters is usually quite disappointing. It also helps to have a commander in chief who can break away from his campaigning and fund-raising to care for the people he swore to protect.
Posted by: Anonymous | April 28, 2011, 5:18 pm 5:18 pm
Anonymous, was George Bush campaigning during Katrina?
You GOPhers are shamless.
This is a disaster. Can we keep stupid politics out of it.
The folks in Alabama care less about Obama’s birth certificate right now.
With the state of emergency declared, the National Guard should be dispatched immediately. Afterall we are spendings trillions in Iraq and Afghanistan. We should at least take care of our families in AL, TN, VA, WV, GA, etc., or else see you in 2012.
Posted by: STEVE_NJ | April 28, 2011, 6:25 pm 6:25 pm
Steve,
Obama went to three fundraisers in New York last night after going to Chicago to be on the Oprah Winfrey show. Yes, he was campaigning. He’s ALWAYS campaigning.
Posted by: Jose | April 28, 2011, 7:07 pm 7:07 pm
Jose,
So What?
As long as he is still doing his job who cares?
Bush did not go to any fundraisers, but what did he do for Katrina victims?
You guys are plain nuts.
Get a grip. The guy is President for at least another 2 years. Given the imps you have as GOPher candidates he is guaranteed another 4 come 2012.
Now can we concentrate on fellow Americans in AL, TN, VA, GA please.
My gosh.
Isn’t this a time for us to just stop stupid politics and take care of suffering fellow Americans.
Posted by: STEVE_NJ | April 28, 2011, 8:05 pm 8:05 pm
Steve,
Then why did you bring up George Bush, Mr. High and Mighty?
Posted by: Jose | April 28, 2011, 8:21 pm 8:21 pm
Keep in mind where these devastating storms happened (you know Obama and his team are) and how quickly he was to respond- even in rhetoric.
Posted by: Ed | April 28, 2011, 9:05 pm 9:05 pm
Steve,
Then why did you bring up George Bush, Mr. High and Mighty?
Posted by: Jose
JUST TO MAKE A POINT ABOUT HOW DERANGED SOME OF YOU ARE.
THERE SHOULD BE NO PLACE FOR POLITICS IN THIS DISASTER.
REAL AMERICANS ARE HURTING.
So let us stop the “silliness” for once and take care of our fellow American citizens in need (assuming you are a US citizen). Except like some of you we are hell bent on creating “Obama’s Katrina”.
Posted by: STEVE_NJ | April 28, 2011, 10:17 pm 10:17 pm
“With the state of emergency declared, the National Guard should be dispatched immediately.”
Posted by: STEVE_NJ | Apr 28, 2011 6:25:44 PM
You do understand, don’t you, that neither the president nor the executive branch of the federal government “dispatches” the National Guard. Guard units are under State command and can be activated when the governor declares a state of emergency. The governor may make a formal request for a declaration of national emergency which, if granted, puts FEMA in charge of the disaster response. It, however, does not assume command of the National Guard.
The president and/or Congress can activate Guard units to serve with the military in times of war or national emergency and in the event of invasion or rebellion, but in all cases it must be done with the consent of state governors.
Posted by: SukieTawdry | April 28, 2011, 10:25 pm 10:25 pm
SukieTawdry,
Thanks for the education on National Guard Activation.
I think the Governors of the affected states should activate the National Guard units under their command immediately with the support of FEMA resources.
People are hurting. We should not allow this disaster to be magnified by delaying assistance to the affected. A whole University town is in shambles in Alabama. We need to act fast.
Posted by: STEVE_NJ | April 28, 2011, 10:33 pm 10:33 pm
If a Republican were president the left would be blaming him for this, just like they did with Hurricane Katrina. I recall lifting weights at the gym and watching the breaking news coverage of Hurricane Katrina when a guy near me said cynically, “liberals are so crazy I bet you they blame Bush for this.” Sure enough there were a couple days later wagging their pointy snarled fingers at conservatives.
Posted by: EPU | April 29, 2011, 12:13 am 12:13 am
To all the climate-change-birthers, the tornado outbreak was not global warming related according to Craig Fugate, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), who dismissed Thursday climate change as a factor in the deadly tornadoes: “Actually what we’re seeing is springtime,” he said.
“Many people think of Oklahoma as ‘Tornado Alley’ and forget that the southeast United States actually has a history of longer and more powerful tornadoes that stay on the ground longer.”
However, the stronger-than-usual tornadoes affecting the southern states were actually predicted from examining the planet’s climatological patterns, specifically those related to the La Nina phenomenon.
“We knew it was going to be a big tornado year,” he said. But the key to that tip-off was unrelated to climate change: “It is related to the natural fluctuations of the planet.”
Posted by: EPU | April 29, 2011, 12:26 am 12:26 am
EPU,how do we know that these tornados were stronger than usual?They seem to have hit more populated areas,leading to more damage and fatalities.How many victims were in trailers?Unfortunately tornados and tornado outbreaks will always be with us.Unfortunately in Virginia they have done away with sirens for more “advanced” methods of warning.Those methods are not working.
Posted by: Nephron | April 29, 2011, 8:19 am 8:19 am
Jose wrote:”Steve,
Then why did you bring up George Bush, Mr. High and Mighty?”
.
Ouch… that had to have hurt ol’ Steve. Always count on the extreme lefties preaching to us about doing as they say… not as they do themselves.
Posted by: gk | April 29, 2011, 9:58 am 9:58 am
EPU,
No one blamed Bush for Katrina (a natural disaster). Bush was not God.
The Bush Administration was blamed for its slow and lacklustre response to the disater.
I always thought it would have been STUPID for someone to believe that Bush was being blamed for an act of nature, but STUPID is not hard to find these days.
Posted by: STEVE_NJ | April 29, 2011, 10:56 am 10:56 am