Puerto Rico: Our Fellow Americans

Our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico can use our support after this week’s earthquakes. They’ve shown their enduring… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

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Barack Obama (@BarackObama) January 12, 2020

How A Real President Responds To A Crisis

On March 11, 2011, a massive earthquake and tsunami hit Japan. At 12:33 pm EST President Obama announced an aircraft carrier was en route.

—
Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) September 27, 2017

The next day Secretary Clinton offered “immediate disaster relief assistance.” and SecDef Gates added “We will respond to any need.”

—
Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) September 27, 2017

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March 12 the 7th Fleet deployed 2 destroyers for search and recovery. The 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force prepositioned forces, supplies.

—
Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) September 27, 2017

By March 16 military flew 113 helicopter sorties and 125 fixed wing sorties assisting in search and rescue and delivering water and food.

—
Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) September 27, 2017

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By March 23 the US had 20 ships, 140 aircraft and 19,000 sailors and marines supporting the relief effort.

—
Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) September 27, 2017

We must do better for our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico.

—
Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) September 27, 2017

Thinking About Our Neighbors

Thinking about our neighbors in Mexico and all our Mexican-American friends tonight. Cuidense mucho y un fuerte abrazo para todos.

—
Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 20, 2017

oh yeah, funny

“It isn’t every day that we have an earthquake in the United States.”

As of August 30, there have been 2,901 earthquakes in the United States in 2011 (USGS).

So, yes, there is an earthquake every day in the United States.

🙄

oh boy…..

Steve Benen: Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann campaigned in Florida yesterday, attending services at a Baptist megachurch near Tampa. Afterwards, the right-wing lawmaker offered a rather unique perspective on the weekend’s weather developments:

“I don’t know how much God has to do to get the attention of the politicians. We’ve had an earthquake; we’ve had a hurricane. He said, ‘Are you going to start listening to me here?’ Listen to the American people because the American people are roaring right now. They know government is on a morbid obesity diet and we’ve got to rein in the spending.”

…. under sensible political norms, this should probably be a career-killer for a national political figure …. anyone who thinks the federal budget prompted God to send a hurricane that killed 20 Americans has issues that far exceed flakiness …. Bachmann’s reported remarks should effectively ruin her political ambitions.

Full post here

obamaquake

Steve Benen: By the close of business yesterday, several conservative voices were pretty worked up about President Obama’s response to the mid-Atlantic earthquake….

…. So, there was an earthquake. The president was made aware of it. There was no serious damage, no casualties, nothing for emergency response teams to do, and nothing for Obama to do. He was kept apprised and went about his afternoon. I don’t know why this is supposed to be interesting.

…. if there’d been an actual disaster, and Obama sat around reading a children’s book while Americans were dying, I could see conservatives getting upset. If Obama had been told a month ago that a serious disaster was poised to happen, and he told the geologists, “All right, you’ve covered your ass now” before ignoring the warnings, the right would have plenty of room for criticism.

…. if we’re going to have a substantive discussion about politics, policy, and natural disasters, perhaps the better place to start would be with Republican efforts to cut funding for the U.S. Geological Survey, which monitors earthquakes, and mocking investments in studying seismic activities…..

Full post here

wow….

mark knoller: 44 plays 9 rounds of golf after causing 5.9 earthquake

Okay, Knoller didn’t tweet that …. yet.

President Barack Obama plays golf with Vernon Jordan, Marvin Nicholson and Eric Whitaker, Aug. 23, at Farm Neck Golf Club in Oak Bluffs

President Obama speaks on the phone after the earthquake that was felt in many areas along the country’s east coast

President Obama on Tuesday was updated on the earthquake that occurred in Virginia via a conference call with officials. Here’s the statement from White House spokesman Josh Earnest:

At 2:50 p.m. EDT this afternoon, the President led a conference call with DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano, White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley, National Security Advisor Tom Donilon, Homeland Security Advisor John Brennan, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, Senior Science Advisor for Earthquake and Geologic Hazards with the Department of Interior Dr. David Applegate, Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Greg Jaczko, Deputy Homeland Security Advisor Heidi Avery, and Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough to discuss the earthquake and status of critical infrastructure.

The President was told that there are no initial reports of major infrastructure damage, including at airports and nuclear facilities and that there were currently no requests for assistance. The President asked for regular updates on the situation. The President also was provided an update on preparations for Hurricane Irene by Secretary Napolitano and Administrator Fugate.

condolence

“My heart goes out to the people of Japan during this enormous tragedy. Please know that America will always stand by one of its greatest allies during their time of need.

Because of the strength and wisdom of its people, we know that Japan will recover and indeed will emerge stronger than ever. And as it recovers, the memory of those who have been lost will remain in our hearts and will serve only to strengthen the friendship between our two countries.

May God Bless the people of Japan.”

President Barack Obama walks out with Japanese Ambassador to US Ichiro Fujisaki after signing the condolence book during his visit the Japanese Embassy in Washington, March 17

President Obama will deliver a statement on Japan at 3:30 PM EDT today – live here

crisis

President Barack Obama is briefed by John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, on the situation in Japan following yesterday’s earthquake and its aftermath, in the Oval Office, Saturday, March 12. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)