Page 29 - Support Role News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Governor, thank you so much for being here. when we were there on the ground in st. thomas and st. john, one of the things we saw that was ubiquitous is the presence of the u.s. army. we saw a lot more of them than we saw fema tarps. what is the status of the recovery and is there a significant army presence on the ground and is fema there? >> fema is here. there are troops from 30 states. a good number of them are playing a support role and augmenting our security. i was touched by your opening piece in terms of the resiliency of people here. we've got probably 1500 to 1800 blue roofs on. we'...

What can you tell us about the devastation on the ground and the people affected? >> a great question. at least for the early part of this week as i said i started the week in louisiana. they were very nervous that that second run of hurricane harvey was going to blow through the western part of the state and inflict a lot of damage. but the path of hurricane harvey stayed largely over the louisiana border. but you don't have to go very far from where we are in lake charles to see a lot of serious damage. in fact, right over the border in orange, texas, which is only about 30 miles from where ...

Local officials realizing they make the decisions on the ground. he has a support role and he has played that very well and he has had great communications with democrat governors in louisiana, democrat mayors in houston as well as republicans. this has not been a party issue. this has been a human life issue. saving people, rescuing people, getting them help. but he will never satisfy those who just hate him more than they love the victims of that hurricane. >> eric: critics are saying he didn't show empathy. he got up on the fire truck and talked about the crowd size. looking to the presiden...

If you're picked up without a warrant or 72 hours max. and they had not been seen and literally were picked up and put in a cage with a 6-month-old child at home. that is the only place, that is the only means of support that they have is a cage. we are seeing folks who have been in there since january and literally on charges like urban camping, on charges like the use of fighting words. minor traffic violations and people have lost their homes, their jobs, their children, and it's unacceptable. >> so how do you infiltrate the system and how are you able to change it for these people and get ...

So many americans struggle. >> just to clarify, was he joking when he said that making a deal on health care would be an easy one? >> i think if you watch the tape, it was a light-hearted moment, jonathan. he was having a little fun. >> he doesn't think it's easy. >> no, watch. he was having a fun time with the senators there. jim? >> reporter: the other thing that the president said last night was our soldiers are fighting like never before in iraq. as you know, sean, u.s. troops there are in a support role and advise an assist role. what does he mean when he says they're fighting like never ...