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| Obama to tour areas hardest hit by Sandy after scrapping campaign plans | Obama to tour areas hardest hit by Sandy after scrapping campaign plans |
| (4 months later) | |
| Barack Obama was due to tour some of the areas hardest hit by superstorm Sandy as he and his rival Mitt Romney sought to navigate the tricky political waters stirred up by disaster. | Barack Obama was due to tour some of the areas hardest hit by superstorm Sandy as he and his rival Mitt Romney sought to navigate the tricky political waters stirred up by disaster. |
| With less than a week to go until the presidential election, Obama has left the campaign trail to focus almost exclusively on dealing with the aftermath of the disaster. He appears to be gaining an early political advantage from his handling of the crisis, with a prominent Mitt Romney supporter, New Jersey governor Chris Christie, describing the president's response as "outstanding". | With less than a week to go until the presidential election, Obama has left the campaign trail to focus almost exclusively on dealing with the aftermath of the disaster. He appears to be gaining an early political advantage from his handling of the crisis, with a prominent Mitt Romney supporter, New Jersey governor Chris Christie, describing the president's response as "outstanding". |
| The White House said on Tuesday night that Obama will travel to New Jersey to inspect the storm damage with Christie. He is due to meet people recovering from the storm as well as members of the emergency services involved in the rescue operation. | The White House said on Tuesday night that Obama will travel to New Jersey to inspect the storm damage with Christie. He is due to meet people recovering from the storm as well as members of the emergency services involved in the rescue operation. |
| Romney, stuck on the sidelines in Ohio and frustrated over two lost campaign days, is to take a gamble by returning to the campaign trail on Wednesday in Florida. The risk is that he could alienate voters with partisan speeches at a time when most are still focused on the damage and deaths resulting from the storm. | Romney, stuck on the sidelines in Ohio and frustrated over two lost campaign days, is to take a gamble by returning to the campaign trail on Wednesday in Florida. The risk is that he could alienate voters with partisan speeches at a time when most are still focused on the damage and deaths resulting from the storm. |
| Wednesday could provide one of the striking image of the election: Obama touring the stricken sites in New Jersey alongside Christie, a Republican, contrasting with Romney campaigning in Florida. Obama can present an image of standing above politics as he co-ordinates rescue and clean-up operations. | Wednesday could provide one of the striking image of the election: Obama touring the stricken sites in New Jersey alongside Christie, a Republican, contrasting with Romney campaigning in Florida. Obama can present an image of standing above politics as he co-ordinates rescue and clean-up operations. |
| Sandy could turn out to have a decisive role in the outcome of next Tuesday's election in much the same way that the response of Obama and his opponent John McCain did in the face of the economic collapse in 2008. | Sandy could turn out to have a decisive role in the outcome of next Tuesday's election in much the same way that the response of Obama and his opponent John McCain did in the face of the economic collapse in 2008. |
| Although the early benefit appears to be going to Obama, there is danger, too, for the president if complaints begin to emerge of incompetence. The public mood could also quickly sour if there are long delays in restoring power to the millions across the east coast currently without electricity. | Although the early benefit appears to be going to Obama, there is danger, too, for the president if complaints begin to emerge of incompetence. The public mood could also quickly sour if there are long delays in restoring power to the millions across the east coast currently without electricity. |
| Obama, after declaring New York and New Jersey to be disaster areas, which opens the way for federal aid, held a video conference from the Situation Room at the White House with members of his cabinet and the emergency services to ensure that help is getting to the stricken areas and that power will be restored as quickly as possible. | Obama, after declaring New York and New Jersey to be disaster areas, which opens the way for federal aid, held a video conference from the Situation Room at the White House with members of his cabinet and the emergency services to ensure that help is getting to the stricken areas and that power will be restored as quickly as possible. |
| A White House statement said: "The president told his team that their top priority is to make sure all available resources are being provided to state and local responders as quickly as possible and directed them to identify and resolve any potential bottlenecks or shortfalls should they arise." | A White House statement said: "The president told his team that their top priority is to make sure all available resources are being provided to state and local responders as quickly as possible and directed them to identify and resolve any potential bottlenecks or shortfalls should they arise." |
| Obama has been careful to avoid being overtly political, but his stress on the extent of federal aid going to the worst-hit states indirectly allows him to draw a distinction between himself and Romney. | Obama has been careful to avoid being overtly political, but his stress on the extent of federal aid going to the worst-hit states indirectly allows him to draw a distinction between himself and Romney. |
| Romney, in a debate last year with other Republican candidates seeking the presidential nomination, advocated that the federal emergency management agency (Fema), which is overseeing the rescue and clean-up operations, should have its budget cut to help reduce the federal deficit. | Romney, in a debate last year with other Republican candidates seeking the presidential nomination, advocated that the federal emergency management agency (Fema), which is overseeing the rescue and clean-up operations, should have its budget cut to help reduce the federal deficit. |
| While Romney was advocating the transfer of some Fema powers to states and did not specifically say this would result in less money for emergency operations, the clip from the debate is being shown repeatedly on television and could harm him. | While Romney was advocating the transfer of some Fema powers to states and did not specifically say this would result in less money for emergency operations, the clip from the debate is being shown repeatedly on television and could harm him. |
| It is fast developing into a potentially embarrassing campaign issue for the Republican challenger, with Democrats stressing the importance of the federal government's strategic overview. | It is fast developing into a potentially embarrassing campaign issue for the Republican challenger, with Democrats stressing the importance of the federal government's strategic overview. |
| The New York Times, in an editorial, described Romney's plan as absurd. "Those in Hurricane Sandy's path are fortunate that, for now, that ideology has not replaced sound policy," the editorial said. | The New York Times, in an editorial, described Romney's plan as absurd. "Those in Hurricane Sandy's path are fortunate that, for now, that ideology has not replaced sound policy," the editorial said. |
| Romney was pressed 14 times on the issue by reporters shouting questions at him but all were ignored. | Romney was pressed 14 times on the issue by reporters shouting questions at him but all were ignored. |
| The extent to which Romney has been sidelined by the storm was evident in the Dayton area, Ohio, where he held a hurriedly re-organised event on Tuesday. | The extent to which Romney has been sidelined by the storm was evident in the Dayton area, Ohio, where he held a hurriedly re-organised event on Tuesday. |
| A 'victory rally' was changed into 'a storm relief' event, and Romney restricted his comments in a highly shortened five-minute address to praising the "generosity of the American people – it's part of the American way". | A 'victory rally' was changed into 'a storm relief' event, and Romney restricted his comments in a highly shortened five-minute address to praising the "generosity of the American people – it's part of the American way". |
| Romney recalled how when he was governor of Massachusetts his state had welcomed refugees from the 2005 Katrina hurricane in New Orleans. | Romney recalled how when he was governor of Massachusetts his state had welcomed refugees from the 2005 Katrina hurricane in New Orleans. |
| CNN encapsulated Romney's problem. It broadcast barely a sentence or two of his speech before abruptly cutting away to its storm coverage. | CNN encapsulated Romney's problem. It broadcast barely a sentence or two of his speech before abruptly cutting away to its storm coverage. |
| After speaking, Romney "set to work" packing up tins of food and bottles of juice that local people had donated to victims of the storm in New Jersey. | After speaking, Romney "set to work" packing up tins of food and bottles of juice that local people had donated to victims of the storm in New Jersey. |
| While Romney in person showed notable restraint in fending off politics for the day, the same could not be said for his wider campaign. Radio adverts warning voters that "Ohio cannot afford four more years of Obama's failed policies" were still blazing across the state. | While Romney in person showed notable restraint in fending off politics for the day, the same could not be said for his wider campaign. Radio adverts warning voters that "Ohio cannot afford four more years of Obama's failed policies" were still blazing across the state. |
| Obama had been planning to visit Ohio on Wednesday but cancelled the trip. | Obama had been planning to visit Ohio on Wednesday but cancelled the trip. |
| One of the biggest surprise endorsement for Obama's stewardship during the storm came from Christie, who at one time was being touted as a potential Republican presidential candidate. | One of the biggest surprise endorsement for Obama's stewardship during the storm came from Christie, who at one time was being touted as a potential Republican presidential candidate. |
| "The federal government's response has been great," he told NBC, adding that he had been on the phone with Obama several times up to midnight Monday. New Jersey is one of the worst-hit areas. | "The federal government's response has been great," he told NBC, adding that he had been on the phone with Obama several times up to midnight Monday. New Jersey is one of the worst-hit areas. |
| He had asked the president to designate New Jersey a disaster area and added: "The president has been outstanding in this." | He had asked the president to designate New Jersey a disaster area and added: "The president has been outstanding in this." |
| In a separate television interview, Christie, who has been out campaigning regularly on Romney's behalf, said: "The president has been all over this and deserves great credit." | In a separate television interview, Christie, who has been out campaigning regularly on Romney's behalf, said: "The president has been all over this and deserves great credit." |
| The Obama campaign used its mammoth email list of supporters, normally subjected to regular daily pleas for donations, to urge them to offer financial help to the American Red Cross. | The Obama campaign used its mammoth email list of supporters, normally subjected to regular daily pleas for donations, to urge them to offer financial help to the American Red Cross. |
| Although Obama is not campaigning personally, his campaign teams are carrying on as normal in the crucial swing states. The disruption has been worst in New York and New Jersey but neither are likely to have an impact on the election as they are both solidly Democratic. | Although Obama is not campaigning personally, his campaign teams are carrying on as normal in the crucial swing states. The disruption has been worst in New York and New Jersey but neither are likely to have an impact on the election as they are both solidly Democratic. |
| It is the eight or so swing states that will determine the outcome and, apart from Virginia, New Hampshire and North Carolina, they have been untouched by the storm. Elsewhere, Obama and Romney staff and volunteers were pursuing their schedules, rounding up potential supporters and trying to persuade them to vote early. | It is the eight or so swing states that will determine the outcome and, apart from Virginia, New Hampshire and North Carolina, they have been untouched by the storm. Elsewhere, Obama and Romney staff and volunteers were pursuing their schedules, rounding up potential supporters and trying to persuade them to vote early. |
| Polling has been disrupted by the storm but the latest show the two neck and neck, with Romney enjoying a one- or two-point lead nationally, but Obama ahead in five of the eight swing states, Romney in two and the two tied in Virginia. | Polling has been disrupted by the storm but the latest show the two neck and neck, with Romney enjoying a one- or two-point lead nationally, but Obama ahead in five of the eight swing states, Romney in two and the two tied in Virginia. |
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