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Subscribe to RSSMuch of Paterson, N.J., has been under water in the aftermath of Irene.
President Obama will travel there Saturday to survey the damage, the White House announced.
Here's the White House's release:
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 31, 2011President Obama to Travel to Paterson, New Jersey
WASHINGTON - On Sunday, September 4, the President will travel to Paterson, New Jersey, to view damage from Hurricane Irene.
Today, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate traveled to New York and New Jersey to survey response and recovery efforts on the ground following Hurricane Irene and to reaffirm the federal government's ongoing commitment to supporting our state and local partners as those important efforts continue. Yesterday, Administration officials made similar trips to Connecticut, North Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia.
More details on the President's travel to Paterson will be released as they become available
Leave a Comment:
First Read as usual , offered to carry the President's water...but with all the flooding, it wasn't needed.
Yeah, Bobbers...hilarious to laugh at the misfortune of others who have lost everything due to Irene.
What is the death toll from this storm now? Yeah, very funny indeed.
Yeah, yeah, whatever.
How about an article about Obama asking for a joint session at the exact same time as the republican debate.
Now why on earth would he do that? We waited for his vacation, no reason he couldn't give his speech today, yet he does this.
I think it great - should give the debaters PLENTY to talk about.
I'm sure there are Republicans out there with a stop watch, calculating how many hours its been since Irene and the President hasn't visited yet.
I look forward to hearing the jobs plans from Huntsman and Obama, but I'd really like a jobs bill from the Republicans who have had the house over 200 days now. Didn't they run on jobs, jobs, jobs.
...and interrupt Boehner's 5-week bender? Lord knows the Congressional Republicans would just love being called back early from their vacation, right?
I'm just glad to hear that the President will visit the disaster area a WEEK after the hurricane. That's about as timely as FEMA showing up in a month. I'm guessing that will be followed by a trip to Vermont in October.
Eric I would like to see a 2012 Budget from the Senate that is due in 4 weeks. I would ask for the Republican controlled House of Representatives 2012 budget but I dont have to because they passed theres five months ago. I'm sure it will become a "crisis" soon enough though. As Rahm Emanual and i beleive Jimmy Carter said a "a CRISIS is a terrible thing to waste".
Joe,
The People of NJ don't need the President to come any earlier. This flooding at the moment is not over, and why take the resources away from helping the flood victims to prepare for the Presidents visit.
My God if he was going today you Obama haters would be bitching and if he goes any day you would be bitching.
Cause he knew there'd be nothing else interesting on,....that's why.
Since Gov. Chris Christie was the only Republican to praise government/FEMA for preparedness and management of the storm, New Jersey is a good pick. Then the president should go to Eric Cantor's district in Virginia and see if those folks are ready for a new representative.
The Republican debate will no doubt provide even more gifts to the Dems, like having it on record--each candidate raising his/her hand against a 10 to 1 in spending cuts to revenue hypothetical. A joint session of Congress won't prevent a GOP/TP circus, and hey, the president should enjoy the bully pulpit that is his right in exchange for all the grief he puts up with from the Grand Obstructionist Party.
About that Republican controlled House of Representatives 2012 budget, is that what the Paul Ryan plan or Balanced Budget Amendment is called? These are nothing but symbolic POS nonsense. Putting together plans so outrageous as to have NO hope of partisan support and passage is NOT being responsible or any other BS propaganda.
Now, Now there Spanky, It's going to be okay.
Demanding FR to write what you think is news.
Oh, didn't you see the President was a little busy today. Oh, but we mustn't do a go see and reassure people that the President and the rest of the country are going to help them. Nope, that GOP Presidential Debate of wannabes that's more important. I get it, it's more important to hear a bunch of Republicans tell us how great they are.
Nice attempt at diversion David Noah, where are all those Republican jobs? (awaits the next redirection).
Spanky-
And wtf does an address to congress and the country have to do with that debate? Is congress running for president?
CNN is also holding a republican debate the following week. So whats the big deal? Every time the president wants to meet with a joint session of congress, it will depend on a republican debate schedule that has ZERO bearing on anything congress does?
am sure BO or his wife will take a trip to Vermont, New Hampshire in October or so- just to see the trees turning color. He has no other interest at all. These states are not swing states in his campaign program.
Nice of you to speak on behalf of the people of NJ.
Oh. Really? What time does he tee off?
Can't wait to see the man who currently occupies the Oval Office at the riverside photo-op....shirt sleeves rolled up...yellow hard hat on his noggin...and holding a sand bag with a concerned look on his face.
Ben...
Now that's funny !!!
Let's start a pool on what he shoots. I'll bet he ends up at least 15 over par. Mulligans don't count.
Ok, great Bob-1887910 . Now what is different about the Country now that you have said that?
Will Obama invite NJ Governor Chris Christie, or is he afraid of being seen with a real leader?
With luck some of Christie's ability will rub off on him
Yeah, no, I'm sure the President and the Governor haven't spoken at all since this weekend.
Christie only leads the way to the all you can eat buffet. True leaders develop winning strategies that cost far less in terms of money and the deaths of US soldiers like Obama did in Libya.
Sorry Eric, it was the U.N. Security council that Passed the resolution and set the terms for enguagement in Libya. Obama wanted a coalition, so its the coalition that gets credit.
Hey Eric why the fat jokes? How about the President had to stay indoors over the weekend because the Secret Service didn't want to chase him around Nantucket Bay with those Dumbo ears?
Pretty juvenile remark?
You want to debate the Libyan strategy? Well, let me know about the next time a Republican President ignores congress to bomb Iran and uses the Obama precedent for ignoring the War Powers Act? I know it will happen and you know it will happen. This President, because of what he has done in Libya, has basically made the argument that any future President can Nuke another country. Why not, there are no American Serviceman that will get harmed. Isn't that his argument for extending the Libyan Kinetic Action?
Bob-1887910
"Will Obama invite NJ Governor Chris Christie, or is he afraid of being seen with a real leader?"
No. He's afraid Christi's gravitational pull will bring the tides back ahead of time.....
Now- Eat my shorts, Bob.
But isn't this the President that claimed the oceans will begin to recede under his watch? Are you saying that Christie's power is greater?
Alan, NJ
But isn't this the President that claimed the oceans will begin to recede under his watch? Are you saying that Christie's power is greater?
======
Sweet Lord, you've been listening to too much George Will on Sunday morning. Get your own sound bites, originality is always the better option.
Sorry, all original. I watch English Soccer on Sunday mornings.
Priorities you know.
Are you talking about Christie or Obama?
I think Christie should be arrested for impersonating a continent.
I think he should move around to keep from killing the grass.
They thought a storm surge was coming ashore until they found out it was only Christie doing a cannonball.
Christie a real leader, I guess so. The only thing he can lead is the line at the buffet.
Exactly. Bob Schiefer / David Gregory / Christian Amapour, or Wayne Rooney. No contest.
David Noah, you can't have it both ways. Obama can't be a failure for going into Libya, and then when its a success he had no role. Nice try.
Alan, if the size 58 pants fit, then wear them. Christie is fat and so dense that light bends around him.
Too funny Bob. In the meantime Chris Christie asks for federal dollars to clean up the mess. Kind of ironic, no? Republicans want small federal government until they need the federal government. They advocate for state's rights until the state can't handle something. But then again, New Jersey taxes are so high they can't be raised anymore so i guess Christie needs to go crawling to the federal government with his hand out.
Obama see's Irene damage. Right wing complains.
Obama doesn't Irene see damage. Right wing complains.
It would be nice if they at least cared about those affected but whatever.
Great points ! It's also really caring to state during the hurricane that there should be no federal relief without cuts first to the budget.
The people on the Tea Potty side love to display their fake outrage. They have nothing else but hate.
Obama see's Irene damage. Left wing worships him.
Obama doesn't see Irene damage. Left wing worships him.
Obama economy tanks. Left wing worships him.
Bob, I am a moderate. Try again whiner.
Bob,
Obama sees Irene damage. Right wingers criticize him for traveling.
Obama doesn't see Irene damage. Right wingers criticize him for not visiting.
Obama economy tanks only after the Tea Party downgrade.
What would be nice Jeff, is for you to proofread your ignorant post BEFORE posting it.
Because he couldnt look at Pictures and watch the News like everyone else? Now they will have big motorcades, security, tie up airspace and roads, while they are trying to recover from a disaster, so Obama can have his picture in the press.
All Presidents visit disaster sites, get over it.
He's already in the biggest disaster site of all time its called "Washington DC". He doesn't need to leave the "White House" to see a disaster he just needs to open his eyes.
If only there were some device that could fly the President into the area of the damage...something that didn't require a long runway for takeoffs and landings.
Somebody better think of something quick.
The Tea Potty folks bitching, are just stuck on stupid with their fake outrage.
But Paterson was a disaster site before Irene. What took him so long.
Biggest disaster site that Obama is trying to visit is a joint session of Congress..........so he can talk about jobs.
When have you heard the right talk about jobs? Actually a lot. What have they done about it. Nothing.
David: "He's already in the biggest disaster site of all time its called "Washington DC".
Kudos, best line of the day!
Hi I am Bob, I vote for myself. :'D
lolz...
And again and again lol.
What he should be doing is visiting all the tens of millions of American lives he has destroyed with his policies.
What, you lonely in prison?
Which policies would those be?
Were they cut taxes and go to war? No.
State that deficits don't matter? No.
Start two wars and not pay for them? No.
Obama spent 5 Trillion in 2.5 years. Bush 4 Trillion in 8 years.
044110 - maybe he spent because Pres. Obama put Bush's unfunded wars on the books instead of off the books - Bet if you take those wars off the spending goes way down.
What America Has Become
What has America become? It has become a land where “conservatism” camouflages a growing movement to advance the agenda of the wealthy and powerful at the expense of working families.
It has become a land where an obviously-failed party ideology drives a country to near-Depression, and then rebrands itself as “tea party” to retain political power. It is a place where “the party of personal responsibility” denies culpability for the destruction it has wrought.
America has become a place where we apologize to Chinese politicians for allowing the import of their lead-tainted toys. America has become a place where the number one debtor nation in 1980 now owes more money to more countries than any other nation.
America has become a place where 30 years of deficit spending is a coward’s way of raising taxes.
America has become a place where propaganda is pawned off as actual news, and where fake reporters are inserted into presidential press conferences to deflect difficult or embarrassing lines of questioning.
America has become a land where we faked “Weapons of Mass Destruction” to further our political ends, and caused the deaths of over 5,000 Patriot sons and daughters and the permanent maiming of 30,000 others. An estimated 300,000 Iraqi citizens are also dead.
America has become a land where anti-Liberalism has become justification to destroy Unions, hate minorities, further enrich the wealthy and powerful, and sanctify the redistribution of wealth upward to make the already rich,…..even richer.
America has become a place where a college dropout, half-term, half-wit, quitter state governor, or a witch that believes mice are being equipped with human brains can rise to within a heartbeat of the presidency. They would need to write the nuclear launch codes to Americas arsenal on their hand.
America has become a place where we betray our own covert CIA agents and their operations in retaliation for political non-conformity. Such people are deemed “fair game” (Cheney’s actual phrase).
America has become a place where the very politicians who raised America's debt ceiling 4 times under Bush are now calling for fiscal sanity.
America has become a place where a centrist president is painted as the Joker, and is vilified as “Socialist” or “Commie” while he single-handedly saves a country and two companies from certain financial ruin and bankruptcy; salvaging 4 million American jobs.
America has become a place where justifiable environmental concerns are vilified as impediments to business.
America has become a place where the president's citizenship is questioned, but one presidential candidate, Senator (McCain), was ironically not born in the U.S.
America has become a place where the destruction of a president supplants the advancement of a nation.
America has become a nation where political obstruction replaces political construction.
America has become a place where the party of morality should have many of its members arrested (and more than a few of them have been: Abramoff, Libby, Delay, Madoff, Cunningham, Foley, Stevens, Craig, Gingrich,..etc,… etc,...etc) for moral turpitude, and the violation of civil laws of every type.
America has become a place where the private tragedy of a brain-dead woman's corpse (Terry Schiavo) was paraded about in a macabre, politically-motivated media circus of the exploited.
America has become a place where we cede our leadership role in manufacturing, technology, high-speed rail, alternative energy, medicine and the education of our youth for tax breaks for the wealthy; better put as welfare for the well-off, or Conservative Socialism.
America has become a place where political banalities (DADT, immigration) become political necessities, urgencies.
That is what America has become.
Respectfully submitted,
America is a place where a Democratic pedophille named Congressman Studds was reelected by his liberal/progressive voters several times after being busted having sex with 15-16 year old male pages
America has become a country where the Annointed One advances the agenda of corrupt Unions over the needs of working people
WHAT HAS THE UNION DONE FOR ME?
Seniority Paid Up Life Insurance
Job Security Sickness and Accident
Representation Long-Term Disability
Grievance Procedure Hospital, Surgical, Medical Benefits
Promotional Opportunities Layoff Disability Benefits
Job Classifications Paid Mental Health Program
Health and Safety Provisions Equal Pay for Equal Work
Protective Equipment Drug and Alcohol Program
Shift Preference Guaranteed Annual Income
Relief Periods S.U.B. Pay
Work Standards Short Work Week Benefits
Uniform Pay Scale Severance Pay
Guaranteed Wage Increases Pensions
Cost of Living Raises Prescription Drug Coverage
Overtime Pay After 8 Hours Eight Hour Day
Time and ½ For Saturdays 40-Hour Work Week
Preferential Hiring Agreement 30-and-Out Retirement
Survivor Pension Benefit Family Dental
Double Time for Sundays Family Vision
Shift Premiums Inverse Seniority Layoffs
Call-in Pay Hearing Aid Program
Paid Holidays Skilled Apprenticeships
Paid Vacations Employee Rebates
Paid Absence Allowance Christmas-New Year Holiday Pay
Moving Allowance Paid Education Leave
Jury Duty Pay Tuition Assistance Program
Bereavement Pay Equal Opportunity Program
Military Duty Pay Voluntary Overtime
Safety Shoes Program Rotation of Premium Time
You mean raised wages high enough compared to the rest of the world that Detroit is now a ghost town? You mean forcing companies to retain incompetent, inefficient and dangerous workers just because they have senority? You mean having policies that I can't move a box from one side of the lab to the other because some overpayed union worker will get 4 hrs of overtime due to grievences?
Here in California Corrections officers get paid for "walk time" — the minutes it takes them to get from the front gate to their posts behind prison walls.
Excellent! Brilliant thinking boys. Every time I mention "Unon" or "Midwest" on this board one city comes up: Detroit. The right-wing think tanks must be pushing this one hard this month.
How do you reconcile the fact that Detroit's competitors have higher compensation and higher rates of Unionization?
Germany and Japan have high rates of Unionization while the U.S. rates are falling. Twenty-Eight percent of the workforce was Unionized in 1980. Today we are struggling to have 7%.
Fact: America, and Detroit were doing better when Unionization was at 28%,....coincidence?
What if instead of being the CAUSE of the problem declining Union membership were a SYMPTOM of the problem?
Any of you giant republican brainiacs ever think of that?
@ GOPisextinct
Yes we have. I have been to Japan and Germany and have experienced the union shops there. In both cases labor works with management as opposed to trying to chisel every last dime out of them. Looking back in history its almost impossible to find an industrial strike in Germany or Japan.
America and Detroit were doing better when Unionization was 28% because Germany and Japan were still bombed out shells trying to rebuild their industry. Now we have to realize that were not any better at making things than the rest of the world and our wages and benefits need to reflect that.
The 28% figure I cite was from 1980. Japan and Germany were hardly "bombed out shells" at that time.
He hasn't seen anything yet ???????????????????????????????
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Come On! The storm damage is like 60 miles away-- it's a 20 minute chopper ride.
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And people were mad at Bush regarding Katrina???Â
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What about Biden ignoring warnings to not drive Saturday in Delaware and instead brought out his VP security detail so he could go GOLFING !
What a shame. It took a hurricane to pull the "Putter-in-Chief" away from his golf game. America would be better off if he just stayed on the course and OUT of our lives.
Right wing whiners are out in force I see. They whine about liberal media, yet spend a hell of a lot of time here posting garbage. Spanky and the others offer nothing but cheap shots and republican talking points...Way to think for yourselves teanuts!
Mmm... like Obama thinks for himself with his 1930's style socialism
You mean republikan socialism,....welfare for the well-off?
All Obama has to do is watch tv Irene has been on ever since it landed in NC but tv want get him a vote.
What a waste of electricity and bandwidth.
To all you east coast teabaggers, here is your opportunity to take advantage of a smaller government.
Just say "NO" to the FEMA funds. I dare ya...
Some of the comments are pretty sad.
Many of our citizens lives have been dismantled as a result of Hurricane Irene. Both parties should have enough compassion to put political bickering aside and be instead pulling together to aid your fellow Americans in a time of crisis.
When a President visits any town, it takes away a lot of resources to protect the President. This is why a President will wait for a week or so to visit a devastated site, for the people in that area do not need the distractions, or their resources pulled away to protect the President.
Yes, it is campaign time. However each party is under scrutiny by the voters. Interference in recovery to a catastrophic damaged area for political gain will be political loss. Rather it be Republican, or Democrat.
Giving relief to the victims of the Hurricane, or any disaster should always be placed above politics.
Eric, do you ever come up for air?
Maybe just maybe obama will take the Unions to task for the debacle that has ensued. Four days without electricity and I have yet to see a national grid truck. Good work. Kudos to Deval Patrick and Obama. Dumb and dumber.
During the 2008 Ice storm, in New England. There were some without power 2 to 3 weeks later.
Oddly enough, we should see unemployment claims drop temporarily along the east coast. It will take a large workforce to undo the damage caused by Irene. In the Northeast, Winters are very cold with lots of snow. They will not have much time to repair homes and business's and the infrastructure before winter sets in. Sales for bussiness's will go up to replace the items destroyed in the flood and wind.
Out of Devastation comes opportunity.
I'm all for a strong Military , but I find it hard to justify almost 2oo billion increase in the DOD budget at this time. Is this what the Republican party calls fiscally responsable , I mean they got 98% of what they asked for. that 200 billion would go a long way toward helping Irene relief and infastructure. and before you refute that number ,think very carefully.
President Obama could save himself a lot of travel expense by driving 52 miles south to St. Mary's County, Maryland. It's hard to even describe the amount of damage.
President Obama "the response on the fed, state and local level to Hurricane Irene shoes what good government can accomplish".
What a load of BS. He is implicit in saying the federal gov. will do just as well with health care, jobs creation, "investments" (code word for more out of control spending to be suggested by this Administration), et al.
What was accomplished with Irene, and which definitely was not for Katrina, were the thorough planning before landfall and quick responses and requests after the disaster on the local and state levels.
While Obama wants to toot his horn that he has what it takes to manage people's welfare unlike his Republican predecessor.
In fact is it is the responsibility of the state gov. to request Fed. assistance to a disaster. The Gov. of Louisiana did not do that until it was too late. Bush made several calls to Gov. Mary Landreux (D) asking her to request help so that he could send in aid and the National Guard. Instead she hid in her closet completely unresponsive - she broke under pressure before finally agreeing to the Guard which Bush had already mobilized because he was going in whether she asked for help, as required, or not.
I write this not so much to denigrate Obama and defend Bush but to make it clear Obama is politicizing this tragedy with photo-ops at FEMA and the like. Exposing the disingenuous Dem claims that Bush caused the tragedy of Katrina with his weak response is another reason. That is on the Mayor of New Orleans and the Gov. of Louisiana and not Bush.
That is the truth and not the polished disinformation from the biased liberal mainstream media.
Rep Eric Cantor (R) of Virginia said that any monies spent to repair damage from the storm must be offset with spending cuts? In other words money must be taken from Social Security, Medicare and help for the needy and the poor. The Republicans are scared to death that something is going to stimulate the economy and create jobs and they are betting the ranch against the economy getting better. They will do anything to regain the White House, even though they do not have any viable candidates. If that means hurting the economy and the country then so be it. The American people are overwhelmingly for creating jobs and protecting Social Security and Medicare and the Republicans are not listening. Soon they will hear us loud and clear as we vote them out in mass.
WOW, Obama is going to give a day at the golf course to actually see something first hand. WOW
Is he taking his new Canadian made tour bus or flying???
WHAT HAS THE UNION DONE FOR ME?
Seniority Paid Up Life Insurance
Job Security Sickness and Accident
Representation Long-Term Disability
Grievance Procedure Hospital, Surgical, Medical Benefits
Promotional Opportunities Layoff Disability Benefits
Job Classifications Paid Mental Health Program
Health and Safety Provisions Equal Pay for Equal Work
Protective Equipment Drug and Alcohol Program
Shift Preference Guaranteed Annual Income
Relief Periods S.U.B. Pay
Work Standards Short Work Week Benefits
Uniform Pay Scale Severance Pay
Guaranteed Wage Increases Pensions
Cost of Living Raises Prescription Drug Coverage
Overtime Pay After 8 Hours Eight Hour Day
Time and ½ For Saturdays 40-Hour Work Week
Preferential Hiring Agreement 30-and-Out Retirement
Survivor Pension Benefit Family Dental
Double Time for Sundays Family Vision
Shift Premiums Inverse Seniority Layoffs
Call-in Pay Hearing Aid Program
Paid Holidays Skilled Apprenticeships
Paid Vacations Employee Rebates
Paid Absence Allowance Christmas-New Year Holiday Pay
Moving Allowance Paid Education Leave
Jury Duty Pay Tuition Assistance Program
Bereavement Pay Equal Opportunity Program
Military Duty Pay Voluntary Overtime
Safety Shoes Program Rotation of Premium Time
I hope Obama's new bus can make it through the flood waters.