How will Sandy affect the race for POTUS?

1. 92

   habeeposted 11 years ago

   I think it's going to help Obama. It will provide him with the chance to seem presidential, and some people tend to back the sitting prez in times of disaster.
   
   I feel for everyone in the storm's path. Living just "up the road" from the FL line, we've sure had our share of storms. When I lived just 40 miles from the coast, we endured a couple of hurricanes. It ain't fun, to say the least - and we didn't have to deal with heavy snow. Please keep these people in your thoughts and prayers.

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      Repairguy47posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Obama has shown what he is, we saw it in the debates in the continuous lies about Libya. A hurricane will not show him to be anything other than a political opportunist!

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      1. 92

         habeeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         But, RG, be fair. Obama usually visits areas that have experienced disasters - even when an election wasn't looming. You can't blame politics on his doing so during/after Sandy. I read that Mitt is already delivering emergency supplies. Is he doing that just to score political points? I'm just trying to be fair and see both sides. I'm voting for Romney, and so are all but 2 members of my very large extended family, but still...you can't claim Obama is just trying to make political points when Romney is doing the same thing. Perhaps I'm naive, but maybe BOTH men actually have empathy for those in dire straits.

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         1. 68

            Cody Hodge5posted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Actually, I read an article saying that the incumbent usually loses ground after a storm. This is because the electorate blames the current leader for any adversity/hardship that the people face.
            
            However, a lot of the east coast states are already decided. New Hampshire will probably still vote Obama and Virginia and Florida were probably going for Romney anyway.
            
            So maybe it will be neutral?

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            1. 92

               habeeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               They'll blame Obama for storms?? Wow. I didn't realize he had that much power.

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                  Uninvited Writerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  Someone already mentioned on Facebook that the Obama administration seeded the clouds

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                  1. 92

                     habeeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     All I can say is...OMG.

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                     1. 61

                        Waldo Numblyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                        I think all the hot air generated by the campaign caused the hurricane.

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                        1. 92

                           habeeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                           Good point!

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               2. 68

                  Cody Hodge5posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  Lol, while I wouldn't put it past some people, what happens is that a storm hits...
                  
                  People are unhappy because they are going through clean up, loss of power, lack of supplies potentially.
                  
                  In their frustration, they believe that the government should/could do more. When it is close to an election, they vote for the other guy because they somehow think he could do better.
                  
                  Essentially its just an reaction to their frustration.

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               3. 73

                  livewithrichardposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  Yea, don't you remember Bush's hurricane machine that caused Katrina?
                  
                  I hope all those in the path stay safe but I fear too many of them will just be curious and we know what that did to the cat. 
                  
                  I lived in Biloxi, MS for 7 years and Charleston, SC for another 7.  I seen a fair share of hurricanes but never once did I stick around to see it actually hit but seen plenty of aftermath.  I made it back to Biloxi, the day after Katrina, my sister and her family survived it 20 miles north of the coast. I was shocked to see how much destruction had taken place all along the coast line.  All those beautiful antebellum mansions destroyed or knocked off their foundations, one of the casinos lost at sea... it was a rough patch but the most amazing thing to see was how much compassion the community showed to each other.  We filled a U-Hall truck with supplies(water, canned goods, clothes,  MRE's) and when arrived, there were dozens of semi trucks full of the same.  It was the complete opposite in New Orleans where people were stranded for days at the Superdome.  Rape and violence around every corner, survivors waiting on the assistance of their government that didn't come for days.  After the fact, came all the finger pointing, was it the fault of the mayor, the governor, the head of FEMA, the President?  Somebody has to take the blame, right?

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                  1. 61

                     Waldo Numblyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     Katrina was a terrible tragedy, not so much from the weather, but from all the looting and the gun confiscation ordered by the government.  It was a tragedy of human dignity and freedom.

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                  2. 61

                     Waldo Numblyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     By the way, FEMA, mayor, governor, or president were not responsible for rapes, violence, or looting; it's the people.  When people are inherently bad, they're bad all the time, whether in tragedy or good times.  I believe in blaming people for their behavior.

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   2. 64

      Ralph Deedsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I think you're right. Romney is on record saying disaster relief should be left up to the states. He said FEMA is "immoral."

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   3. 0

      Justsilvieposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Chris Christie now does not seem so thrilled with Romney"s budget cut ideas
      
      New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie, whose state has been battered by super-storm Sandy, said President Obama has been “outstanding” in his response to the disaster that hit the East Coast.
      Christie on Tuesday morning emphasized the severity of the damage, saying 2.4 million people are without power in the Garden State, and that there have been three deaths and substantial flooding.
      “It's a major disaster,” Christie said on NBC’s Today, adding, “We have a battered, battered New Jersey shore that I hope to tour a little bit later on today, but I think the losses are going to be almost incalculable.”
      
      Christie called federal response “great,” and said that telephone conversations with the president and Federal Emergency Management Agency officials “have been excellent.” He said Obama called him at midnight to check in, the third time the two have spoken during the storm.
      “The president has been outstanding in this,” Christie said.
      Regarding funding for the disaster, Christie said he wasn't concerned with the budget process at the moment, touting the federal funding New Jersey will likely receive.
      “I think we'll get significant federal assistance on this, and the major disaster declaration last night by the president is incredibly helpful in that regard,” Christie said. “We'll work with our federal partners on this.”
      
      Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who Christie often represents on the trail and on morning shows, is considering a trip to New Jersey, the Associated Press is reporting. But Christie said on Tuesday he was unaware of any plans.
      “I have a job in New Jersey that is much bigger than presidential politics," Christie said on Fox & Friends. "I couldn't care less about that.”
      He echoed the sentiment on CNN's Starting Point, after mentioning his third conversation with Obama.
      (RELATED: Sandy Soaks Up Valuable Campaign Time)
      "(Obama) has been incredibly supportive and helpful to our state and not once did he bring up the election," Christie said on CNN. "If he's not bringing it up, you can be sure that people in New Jersey are not worried about that, primarily if one of the guys running isn't.”
      
      Source: By Matt Vasilogambros | National Journal – 4 hrs ago

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2. 60

   logic,commonsenseposted 11 years ago

   The only thing it might affect is the ability to get to the polling place.  If New York City is hit hard, then rural New York may have more influence in how the state goes.
   Same in Pennsylvania.

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3. 66

   Charles Jamesposted 11 years ago

   If Hurricane Sandy is God's comment on the USA election, then what is God saying?

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4. 45

   Ericdierkerposted 11 years ago

   If FEMA which is under BOH's control, responds well, and BOH acts presidential no one undecided will change that much. If POTUS acts with lack of decorum and FEMA fails as miserably as Katrina, he will lose the election. Not necessarily through those effected but those who see it on the big silver screen and care about the numbers, that will pop up as though they are truth. My eldest works for a legislature in New York that is democrat --- no matter what, her opinion won't change ;-)

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5. 60

   tirelesstravelerposted 11 years ago

   If NY doesn't have power does that mean they will have to use paper ballots instead of the machines they bought from PA?.  PA sold them because they were unreliable.

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      Charles Jamesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Unreliable?
      Forgets your vote or steals it for the other side?

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      1. 70

         Teddletonmrposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Vote early and often:D

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6. 85

   rebekahELLEposted 11 years ago

   ... He is the president so he's doing his job. I don't see this as his chance to seem presidential. 
   
   While it may affect some people getting to the polls, I doubt if there will be much of an effect.  By this point, I'm sure most people know who they're voting for, or have already voted.
   
   At least we still have FEMA, Romney wants to privatize disaster relief.
   http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/30/opini … l&_r=0
   
   I hope fast relief comes for those affected by the storm.

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   1. 61

      Waldo Numblyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      It seems like all these government agencies have become heavily laden bureaucracies.  I think it's time to streamline these burdensome wasteful tax guzzlers, like fema, epa, etc.

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      1. 0

         Justsilvieposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Always seems the thing to say until it is you and your state that need the assistance... But I guess we could leave this to the charity of the rich and see how far we get.

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         1. 61

            Waldo Numblyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Everyone is concerned about the national debt and the downgrade in our credit rating.  Yet, no one wants to cut spending; and no one wants to raise taxes.  Everyone wants to go to heaven; nobody wants to die.

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            1. 64

               Ralph Deedsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               The U.S. credit rating has not been downgraded. People are practically paying us to own our bonds. Interest rates on U.S. T-bonds are the lowest in the world. It's true that long term we need to come to grips with our deficit spending, BUT NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF A RECESSION. (Technically, we're not in a recession, but unemployment remains intolerably high, and dealing with that is tops on the agenda. Once we see light at the end of the tunnel there will be plenty of time to go to work on the deficit, if our representatives in Congress have the guts to actually do something about it.)

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7. 66

   Charles Jamesposted 11 years ago

   It looks like Obama is a good man in a storm.
   
   And Mitt wants to abolishe FEMA? Ouch!

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