During a public appearance this morning at the Iowa Farm Bureau’s headquarters in West Des Moines, Iowa, Governor Chet Culver (a Democrat) said he asked presidential candidate Barack Obama and John McCain not to make personal appearances in Iowa as the state fought flood waters. While Culver didn’t say he’s angry, Culver indicated he had asked John McCain not to stop in Columbus Junction Thursday. Culver said President Bush’s trip to Cedar Rapids and Iowa City on Thursday was entirely different, as it is essential that Bush gets a first-hand look at the flood damage since Bush has the authority to decide how much federal relief comes Iowa’s way.
UPDATE: Here is audio (mp3 runs 3 and a half minutes) of Culver answering a question on this topic, then answering a follow-up question about whether the lieutenant governor’s tour of cropland today is diverting resources from the flood fight. Obama canceled a June 11 appearance in Cedar Rapids due to flooding.
UPDATE II at 3:15 p.m. central: the mayor of Columbus Junction is on FOX News as I type defending McCain’s trip.
About O.Kay Henderson
Kay is a founding member of the Radio Iowa network newsroom. In 1994, she became the network’s news director. She’s a featured reporter and commentator on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press,” and the 2002 recipient of the Shelley Award.
Obama spent his time in Quincy, IL demonstrating he knows that people have to fill sandbags in a flood. Quincy, as most of us know, is a mere 45 minute drive from Keokuk. He was close enough to Iowa to get the publicity McCain also received AND he was in friendly Illinois territory where no one would dare tell him not to visit the flooded areas.
The whole flood thing in Iowa is kind of surreal, as Cedar Rapids is my home town. So, I put together a website.
http://www.saveiowa.org/
It is to help get donations, but also to act as a flood information repository. Thanks for taking a look.
I’m outraged that Senator John McCain would disregard the request of Governor Chet Culver to not visit Iowa amid a massive flood recovery effort in the state. It is unfortunate that John McCain couldn’t resist the opportunity to exploit this tragedy for political gain.
In 2007, John McCain opposed federal legislation that included funding for flood control in Des Moines. Iowa’s congressional delegation supported the Water Resources Development Act of 2007. President George Bush later vetoed the bill.
In 2006, McCain voted against appropriating supplemental emergency funding, including hurricane relief for New Orleans.
I applaud Senator Barack Obama, who canceled his scheduled visit to eastern Iowa last week at the request of state officials.
John McCain chose his own political gain over the welfare and safety of the citizens of Iowa.