Otherwise. When should a president go to the site of a disaster and what should his or her role be when there. Our phone lines are open. A special line for Louisiana Residents this morning. 202 7488003. You can also catch up with us on media on facebook, its facebook. Com cspan. Cspanwj. Er, its were talking about the president s visit yesterday, but your thoughts on the role of a president in time of disaster. Headlinese of the stemming from the louisiana visit yesterday. Obama meets with louisiana flood victims. It shows he hasnt forgotten us is the headline there of the front page of usa today this morning. Headline. Obama sees firsthand, louisianas devastation. And theres a picture of president obama walking with a family to tour their flood ravaged home. Washington times, obama tours baton rouge flood damage, not worried about tardiness, or criticism. And thats what were focusing on this morning. Timingticism about the of the president s visit. A role politics played in the timing of his visit. Yesterday president obama was asked about the politics of his visit. Heres a bit of what he had to say. First of all, one of the benefits of being five months short of leaving here is i dont about politics. The second thing i have seen, that whenly, is disaster strikes, thats probably one of the few times washington tends not to get political. Nobody on this, block, none of those first. Esponders nobody gives a hoot whether youre democrat or republican. Makingey care about is sure theyre getting the drywall out and the carpet out, and building,t any mold and they got some contractors in here and they Start Building as possible. Thats what they care about. And the advocate in baton of those papers calling on the president to get down to the area sooner. To bring his focus to the region. Headlines from there, august 17, lead editorial. Vacationer or not, a hurting now,iana needs you president obama. In that editorial they vote sometimes president ial visits the way of emergency response, doing more harm than good. At we dont see that as factor on the 17th, that flood waters are subsiding. Time for the president to pay a personal visit, showing thesolidarity with suffering of americans. Baton rouge advocates, yesterday after the president made his trip down, had a second edito editorial. Visit appreciated. In terms of the timing of the president ial visit, the governor edwardsiana, john bell last night was speaking on asked aboutnd was the president coming. He said he doesnt have time for s that have started to consume the discussion about the catastrophic flooding in louisiana. Asked to obama was hold off from visiting the state when things were settled. All the intersections and the closed off he said news npt daily program. The president came this week. Whatnk the visit timely is governor John Bell Edwards said. We want to hear your thoughts on general. S in when you think they should go to disasters, what they should do there. Ey get our phone lines are open. We start with a republican, craig in cedar rapids, iowa. Even know what the people are thinking about all this. They just want to keep us its anotheruse fundraiser for them. Why doesnt the president go out are. To where all the fires why doesnt the president go to italy where the earthquake was . Keeping the country divided. Adjus hour immediate i adjust just keeps on this stuff all the time and drives everybody else nuts. So out of touch with the rest of the people that are paying for all this. Government, you know its government of the people by the people and for the people. Isnt really the federal government doing it to the people, its the federal government doing it to the rest of the government. To getn are we going that straight . The media needs to start bringing us together, working together as fellow americans divided sokeeping us they can make more money out of division. Craig, when do you think a disaster should hit a point that go . Esident should when does it make sense regardless of what the Media Coverage is . Thats a very good question. Ten or nine or at seven . You know, a and im talking about when you rate it from 010. Then what really difference does it make when the president goes there when we have all organizationsnt like fema and Everything Else thats supposed to be doing their job . And were so tired of these people, you know, doing this ask doing that, and doing that and it doesnt make any difference. Takes foruch money it obama to go anywhere, and hes always spending millions of places. Going and were paying for all this, and then everybody complains federal taxes being so high. The 1 soe paying for they can do all these trips all time. When obamas out of office, i wish they would tally how much spent on all these trips. Its in the billions of dollars. All right. To marta waiting in riverdale, maryland. Democrat. When should the president go to a disaster area and what should be when theyre there . Caller i think the president the right thing. As the governor of louisiana said, they will let the to comet to know when out there, because it can cause some conflicts. They have to prepare for the to be there. I think some of the callers like the caller before that was just on the phone. Said the president spends millions of dollars. Inry president thats been office spends millions of dollars to go different places for political reasons or for whatever reason it may be. So i think some people just dont have the knowledge. Not extremelily 100 knowledgeable extremely 100 knowledgeable about politics. But i look at things from the logic part of it, the logic view, and also i do have a little knowledge of politics. President did the right thing. As the governor of louisiana supposed to bet there as soon as the disaster strikes. Thats impossible. More fairneed to be when it comes to deciding things that president s do or anyone in arena. Itical because they are not in their shoes. They dont really know. Some thoughts from a louisiana resident, from lafayette, louisiana. Jay, koolata. Editore a letter to the in the baton rouge advocate. Mr. Trump came to louisiana on friday to view the devastation. Our wonderful president was on a golf course. Headline that day was obama to visit disaster area in states while mr. Trump got a small secondary bylines. Tend to give cre credit to a doesnt care and doesnt have time for our issues. T whatever the reason, he came. Please be fair and give credit where cre credit is due. In someate playing out of the newspapers. President s role in a disaster and when should they go asking. Were rick from independence, good morning. I dont think they should go. Care if youre republican, democrat, independent or whatever. Theoure president of United States with the travel expenses and all of the chaos it and the caused. These people already have chaos. Senatorshat we elect and governors and local politicians for. This is why we have a National Guard. Last person i would want to see if i was in louisiana or any there any kind of devastation, it would be somebody bringing in thousands for security and Everything Else. Well take care of it. You me bounce this off technology we have. Im sorry . Let me bounce this off you. Postis from the washington story about what americans expect from president s during disasters. They write the main benefit of a president going to a disaster is to rally support and bring in donations at a time when Media Attention can be fleeting. A visit from the president shines light on the administration. He brings the national media, brings attention. Americans are great at responding to a tragedy if they know about that. Sense is it important to have the spotlight that the brings . T brings if no, he can get on a satellite around the world. He can go straight to a governors office. Even if hee went went to louisiana, he could go out of that area and do a staging area there. But he doesnt have to be down there. Who cares if the president comes . Dont. Because if my house or community is devastated, hes the last see. N i want to he can stand there in washington. He has the pen to write the to need fore going fema. We dont need chaos anymore. We already got chaos. Lets get back to basics, back to reality in this country. See theou want to do is president , then you need to move to Higher Ground. The president using his pen a week ago when it came to the disaster in louisiana, official louisiana disaster declaration on august 14. Heres a printout of the disaster declaration triggering the fema funding that would be for up to 20 perishes now that have been included in disaster declaration area. Dorothy on the line for democrats. Good morning. Caller yes, i was grateful were saying the president actually did what he was supposed to do. Exactly when he was supposed to. Moore, where we had an f5 tornado that came through. When it first happens, you the president there interrupting the emergency people taking care of your fire, your water, your gas, your traffic, your security. Everything thats needed. That is why he called the andrnor immediately released fema and the money immediately. Not go at that time to do the interruption. Dorothy. You, what did you make of donald trump going down to louisiana on friday . Caller if i had been there, i would have slapped his face him to get out of there. Because it was nothing but interruption. If he makes decisions like that, need to be president. He should have waited for an the governor, is that what youre saying . Caller he should have waited until he had clearance from the governor that everythings been taken care of, yes. Fred, line for republicans, from jessup, maryland. . Hat do you think caller good morning. First i was going to say its hear these courts when they give obama a pass. To hear. Ng me sick theyve made [ indiscernible ] for this man over and over. Zero accountability. The president is the leader of our country. Who needs to step up and organize things and get everybody fired up and get things going where they should go. This is another example of leading from behind. For the cheerleader media, everyone would be outraged. Laugh. To i just cant believe. Where are these bush factors at . Didnt give president bush a break. That man said things ahead of the and the democrat party, mayor and the governor at that time were democrats. Games. Were playing they never let a tragedy go to waste. Media, and just [ indiscernible ] he could do nothing wrong. Its just another example of leading from behind. Foxnews. Com makes somewhat the same point youre making. Of 2005,in september then senator obama attacked bushs handling of passive accusing him of indifference. Canceling his vacation and returning to washington after the hurricane hit. Resourcesoved all the of the federal government and was in constant communication and disaster officials visited within days. More than ten days after the with ata flooding began least 13 dead and thousands displaced. Mr. Obama did not issue a or otherwise interrupt his vacation. He made the trip on tuesday. Mr. Obamas 2005 description was an accurate presentation of bush. He was not going to allow the interfereflooding to with at least eight days of fundraiser and fund. Our nights out of town troy in eastern maryland, democrat. Good morning. Caller yes, good morning. I think that the word disaster relative term. I think that if president obam obama baton rouge, excuse me. I think he should have went to california and visited the fires more out there. Is whatthe bottom line happens i love that he comes to the disaster and boosts morale. Whats thee leaves, end game part . Are people getting what they need. So thats the bottom line for me. When you say disaster is a relative term then. Advisin advising the president advise him to go and not to go . I think thats a slippery slope. Disaster can be a fatality of five people as well can be a disaster for 5,000 people. Thats a hard call. Compared toan life another human life. Its all disaster, its all fatality. So when should you go, when shouldnt you go. Host thats the question asking. In maine. Dent, scott, good morning. Hello . Go ahead caller i was listening to amazesllers and it just me. Him to do,ple expect obama . They go down and wave a magic go away make the storm or it never happened . Ly overlooking,e i think, one of the main reasons be down there looking around, is why that storm happened. The climate on with to make Something Like that happen. That flood that should never flood. Hes not going to do anything. People are just overlooking one not gettinghats taken care of. Not getting talked about. Louisianas horrible for dumping crap in the water and the air anyways. Oil rigs and stuff. And thats just a completely theyre completely overlooking that. Host scott, partially to your point. Times editorialyork editorialse of their notes monday fema took steps to businesses, and local governments that want to build floodprone areas with federal money, they would have areas. O in higher up to 2 feet from the requirement of 1 foot. Places like hospitals and Nursing Homes would be built 3 elevation. Base up 2 feet. Talking about the changes fema is making as storms become more commonplace and flooding has become more commonplace. That inread more about the state new york times. Baltimore, maryland, independent. Go ahead, chris. Caller the president , i believe its on the part of the president to show up when the individualf the states request him. Thats on the ground have the best knowledge about whats going on. It just amazes me ow some of these how some of these republicanrepublicans who are ag government are one of the first ones to call the federal its time forn economic help. Host chris a president should only go when they get a from a governor . What if a governor and a a differente of Political Party and the governor doesnt necessarily want to be president. He do you think those factors might play into those sorts of decisions if its always up to governor . Caller i think if its a true disaster it shouldnt the Political Party, president or the governor to. Ngs i think that, you know, the fact disa disaster is a great equalizer. Bob in jacksonville, texas. A democrat. Good morning. Caller thanks. Appreciate you letting me speak. If a governor of a Different Party dont want him to come disaster,me to that then i think he should get on make that and statement that the governor dont want me down there or want me at his disaster. Let the people know. Theyll take care of the rest of it. But these republicans, they amaze me. Of them would gripe if you hung them with a new rope. Amazing. They have never wanted to do anythingor agree with which this president has came up done. R host so bob, talk about bush katrina and your thoughts about what president bush did itn it came to katrina and came to flying over katrina in wet famous picture that earlier of the president looking out of air force one at the city of new orleans. Caller i didnt think too much about him flying over because that could be i think that was not a bad decision. Showed up there with of saying you did a heck of a job. [ indiscernible ] doing a goodnt job. But oh, yeah he had his sleeves bigtime. Im going to tell you something. When you compare bush to obama, comparison. Obama is ten times the president bush was. Host all right. Thats bob in texas. Some history on president s natural disasters from the Washington Post. Other bus Bush Administration officials said president ial stopovers would have required assistance from the coast guard and rescue helicopters. Talking about the latest disaster in louisiana and whether president obama would go. The story notes american president s have for decades theed up at sites of biggest natural disasters. President nixon visited in the of hurricane chamile. Until recently, smaller natural typically had Vice President s and their staff. With the president , the Vice President brings a lighter smaller plane,. Otorcade Vice President biden for example, visited scranton and colorado when those areas were hit by flooding. The washingtonn post if you want to read more. Line foraples, independents. Go ahead. Caller good morning cspan. Wondering if the president shouldnt hold back until if sayoes show up, maybe he show up as commander in chief air cavalry type response. Vietnam. O it like in it was no trouble mustering 30 helicopters to get somewhere in hurry. Why doesnt he come in with the the the help, with the evacuation choppers. It makes an impression at the same time. Putting on overhauls. Host you think that would be and effective for the people on site . Know, i think a flood could be seen really well from the air. That may be the best way to view a flood for executive is to fly instead. Large area but if youre going to bother high and dryt that and set up motorcades, if youre going to spend some money, do good. Im saying come in with a response that means something, when the governor calls for you. Have to agree with most of these people that this is a show. Thing. Good cheerleading personally i dont think i would cancel my vacation for it. Communicate able to everything he needs to do some way besides getting someplace in person. Host walter back to that point from the Washington Post story. Spotlightnk the though can bring donations and help from around the country and keep the countrys attention on a site so a week after the people dont forget about it . Caller well, theres other the spotlight and that brings me back to trump. Trump would have shut up and stayed in the background for two his media would have had nothing else to talk about except the flood. Dont want to get political. My most important point i wanted to talk about was maybe the best response would be after his flyover or his fly over. Wherever brownie his brownie is. Maybe he should meet with the heads of the giant Insurance Companies and deal with the men in the suits and let the guys in overalls do their thing. People say on the ground, but ground at that point. Its water. Theres one more point. Im in south florida and were to floods. In fact theres a tropical thing maybe towards south florida in about five days that were keeping an eye on. Its not a storm or depression yet. But when you think about the amount of stuff that each one of us has in our garage or bas basement. Insecticides, pesticides, cleaning products. You look at that kind of devastation and then you talk about businesses that have 55gallon drums full of chemicals. And especially thats a petrochemical area. Youre in a floodprone place. Fast. This stuff happens but theres got to be a better storage place, becaus