Cynical people often suggest that presidents visit scenes of tragedies for political reasons, but President Obama’s visit to Oso, Washington today serves as a reminder of the power of a presidential visit to help people feel cared about.
Oso, Washington, was the scene of deadly mudslide that killed 41 residents, with 2 people still missing. The mudslide engulfed 49 homes and occurred exactly one month prior to the president’s visit.
Video of President Obama’s remarks:
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNjjXO83SyM&feature=share&t=22m26s
The president said that he wanted to come to Oso to let the people know that the country is thinking about all of them, and have been throughout this tragedy. He promised, “We’re not going anywhere. We’ll be here as long as it takes.” The president added that this is what America’s all about. When times get tough, we get each other’s backs.
The president’s visit was definitely appreciated.
Gov.Jay Inslee’s office tweeted out this banner that Oso residents hung that thanked the president:
The pool reporter on the scene spoke to Major General Bret Dougherty, the adjutant general, who said in an interview that there have been 900 people working on the scene over the past month, including 630 National Guard soldiers and airmen. Dougherty, who met Obama when he arrived on Air Force One, said he thanked the president for coming. “It meant a lot to our soldiers and airmen.”
People should expect their elected leaders to care about them, but in today’s politics one political party (the Republican Party) goes out of their way to show regular people that they don’t care about them. President Obama does care about the American people, and it shows. However, some politicians can’t put aside partisan differences to do what is right for people in need. The nation witnessed this behavior when Republicans blocked aid for Hurricane Sandy victims, and their behavior is becoming a common event.
Obama’s visit mattered to the people of Oso today, and the president demonstrated that it matters to people that their leaders care.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
