Obama cancels planned campaign stop in Iowa (Cedar Rapids) due to major flooding

[bullwinkle428]

Presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is scrubbing plans to visit flood-stricken Cedar Rapids Wednesday, in light of the attention the Cedar River's expected crest will demand of city officials.

"Not only would this visit take focus away from the flood relief efforts, but it would also take away resources like local police, etc.," a campaign e-mail sent around noon to Obama supporters in Iowa said.

Campaign officials at Obama's Chicago headquarter confirmed the change in plans.

Obama had been planning to take his two-week economic policy tour through typically Republican and fall battleground states to Cedar Rapids for a late-morning economic forum.


http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080610/NEWS/80610028/1001/

My comment - this is entirely the correct decision. The local authorities have their hands completely full trying to manage this situation, and his appearance would have compromised their ability to take care of business.

Compare and contrast this with *'s visit to New Orleans days after Katrina, when he apparently needed half the military to shuttle his ass around, all the while, people continued to die in the streets...