Should Obama cut short his vacation at Martha's Vineyard and survey the earthquake damage?

[Cali_Democrat]

[onehandle]

1. Sounds pretty limited, so no. nt

[muffin1]

2. Is this a joke?

[great white snark]

12. No.

And whatever he chooses to do people will find fault with. It's DU's very own "fault" line.

[muffin1]

19. Fail

I only see him being "faulted" when he does the same shit we hated under Bush. And that reminds me, the right was always saying things like, "I guess Katrina was BUSH'S fault!" Ummm...no. The response was Bush's fault.

No one here is going to blame Obama for the damn earthquake. And yes, if the damage had been as bad as the damage from Katrina, I WOULD expect him to cut short his vacation.

[vaberella]

23. I think someone implied this is similar to Bush...although I don't get the statement. n/t

[muffin1]

27. Apparently you didn't "get it".

This is the second thread that I've seen where implications were made that Obama would get blamed for the earthquake - since, you know, we blame him for everything else. That's utter bullshit. Obama gets blame from me and others when he does the same shit Bush did (endless wars, favoring the rich).

The right used to get indignant when they thought Bush took blame he didn't deserve - "I guess Katrina was Bush's fault", they used to opine. Nope...just his response to it. I merely said that NO ONE would blame Obama for a damn earthquake, BUT if the damage had been severe, then yes, I would expect him to deal with it. But there isn't much damage, so..who gives a fuck?

[vaberella]

33. Maybe I didn't get it.

What does this mean? http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x753464#753477

I'm trying to figure why Bush is even talked about in a mild earthquake.

[boppers]

56. "endless wars, favoring the rich"

Let me know when we leave Germany, and which president taxed all wealth over $1,000,000 at 100%.

Until then, its' pretty safe to argue "all presidents in the last 50 years favored endless war, and favoring the rich".

[JoePhilly]

29. Is there damage? Enough to even ask this question?

Down thread, the OP admits to not knowing.

Why ask a question about damage when you don't even know if there is any?

Also .. on the Bush and Katrina point ... one BIG difference, you can SEE a Hurricane coming ... when it is DAYS away. We are watching one NOW!!

Earthquakes can not be predicted in a similar fashion. Bush did not cause Katrina, but as it approached, he did very little. There was plenty of time to plan and get ready. He didn't do it.

And the thing I remember most of that was when Michael Chertoff was on CNN, and the CNN reporter is telling him about the damage and levy breeches, and Chertoff is clearing learning all this for the first time. CNN was better prepared than FEMA under Bush. Simply a fact.

[muffin1]

32. OMG...never mind.

[1StrongBlackMan]

54. Good decision ...

Bullshit tolerance level exceeded.

Edited to ask: How does one self-delete a post. I crossed a personal line.

[Tarheel_Dem]

57. "Why ask a question about damage when you don't even know if there is any? "

Agenda? ;)

[madmom]

38. I've already seen people on another news blog blaming Obama for being on vacation....

I shit you not. Everyone was/is asking why she thought Obama had physic powers to see it coming and shit like that, but they are blaming.:eyes:

[muffin1]

48. Well, then...

they're stoopid. :)

[madmom]

51. more like ignorant.....n/t

[JoePhilly]

20. You should make that point in your subject line ... its deadly accurate.

[Life Long Dem]

28. I don't find fault with the President taking a well earned vacation.

Maybe he should lengthen it.

[JoePhilly]

3. What Damage?

[Cali_Democrat]

5. I don't have CNN on

Co-worker told me there was damage because buildings aren't built to withstand magnitude 6 quakes on the east coast.

[vaberella]

7. I'm in NYC...no damage here---and while I slept through it---my mum was like the water bottle shook.

Aside from that---I heard of no damage and that's the only thing on local news. None even mentioned in Virginia. There's absolutely no damage. And we do have some earthquake security on the East Coast---you're co-worker is wrong. New York which almost has non-existent earthquakes has put in place protection against such things. So s/he is wrong.

[Cali_Democrat]

11. What about VA and the DC area?

No damage there?

[vaberella]

14. I just read---and this isn't even in our news in New York.

That a church claimed to have damage. Some of it's pillars. But it's old ass church that I'm sure needed repairs eons ago and was not fixed. This has happened before with the church.

However, no other damage aside from that one which I just read on here through the huffpo. It has not been reported else where or on ABC news.

I even did a search online---and there is nothing on damage. So---no...not in VA (aside from this church stuff), not in DC, or NY----I slept through it dude.

[lynne]

58. Uh - WRONG.

Older section of town of Culpeper got hit pretty good - 3 buildings have already been condemned. Several students and a teacher in Louisa school system received relatively minor injuries due to falling objects, believe it was part of the ceiling.

D.C. is a pretty good distance from the epicenter - about a 2 hour drive. The places that were damaged are the smaller towns closer to Mineral, VA that rarely make the news.

Do I think these spots need a presidential visit = NO.

http://www.nbc29.com/story/15318470/state-of-emergency-declared-in-culpeper

[JoePhilly]

18. You have the internet, right .... I mean you posted the question via the internet.

So I'd assume that you do have the ability to go to CNN, or MSNBC and check on "the damage" that Obama might need to come back to look over.

Or .... maybe we can wait until there are actual reports of serious damage before wondering if Obama needs to come back and review said damage??

Na.

[Cali_Democrat]

21. Looking now

There's some damage. Doesn't appear to be serious.

[JoePhilly]

24. So, back to your question ... should Obama come back? Yes or No?

[Cali_Democrat]

26. My opinion?

No. I don't think he should unless it's significant.

[JoePhilly]

31. Ok ... so you voted No ... gtk.

[Cali_Democrat]

34. I didn't vote

I don't usually vote in my own polls.

[JoePhilly]

36. why not? you asked the question.

[Cali_Democrat]

37. I create polls to gauge overall opinion.

I already know my own opinion.

[Dreamer Tatum]

4. He'd just be getting in the way of all the first responders.

I think he should wait until all the pictures on all the walls are straightened first.
Only then should he venture out to survey the unspeakable damage done to the order of
cans of soup at our grocery stores, houses of cards destroyed in rec rooms all over the
East Coast, and spilled cups of coffee soiling that part of the country.

We also need time to grieve.

[muffin1]

22. Wow. No need for liberals to mourn the passing of George Carlin,

not with Dreamer Tatum around. Are you going to be here all week? :eyes:

[vaberella]

30. ~sigh~ Coffee cups didn't even spill. n/t

[vaberella]

6. Earthquake damage? You're the only one reporting it from what I've read and watched. n/t

[Leontius]

40. So they shutdown the reactors at North Anna just to dust , right.

[1StrongBlackMan]

53. No ... According to CNN ...

They shut it down because the grid went down and it was running on generators.

That and because some guy was running around with his hair on fire.

[CakeGrrl]

8. Seriously?

From the MSM hyperventilation to DU in nothing flat.

:eyes:

What can he do that the first responders can't?

Is there a casualty/damage assessment?

WHY does he need to be there RIGHT NOW?

[Cali_Democrat]

9. You should vote 'no'

[ProSense]

10. Leave Roger Simon alone:

Kos: Scared DC hack desperate for daddy Obama

With devastation like this:



It's only natural that DC-based hacks are running scared, desperate for Big Daddy protection:



<...>

Though Simon was likely being sarcastic! Who knows?

[CakeGrrl]

15. ...

:rofl:

[Whisp]

41. *snort

hehe

[treestar]

13. No, not a big quake

No one was hurt.

[frazzled]

16. He should personally travel to the epicenter and ...

throw himself prone onto the ground across a major fault line, stepping in to breach the effects of any aftershock. Anything less would be unpresidential.

[Cali_Democrat]

17. LOL

[FrenchieCat]

25. Yes. He should find the nearest ruble with bullhorn in hand,

and tell us all to go shopping!

It worked for the prior President......
as this action alone kept his approval rating ranging from 91 to 71 percent
for a fucking 16 months after the unfortunate 9/11 event!

Although it is possible that natural disasters just don't carry the same
kind of weight on one's approval rating as does a man-made one of not reading
the intelligence briefings while vacationing! :shrug:

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

35. It doesn't matter. If he does, the 'baggers will criticize him

for using the situation to create a photo-op for political purposes. If he doesn't do it, they will criticize him for not wanting to interrupt his vacation, proof that he hates America.

[Whisp]

39. he's is a Surveyor too?

Man that guy must have a lot of papers and degrees.

smart one

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

42. No! I was at work in D.C. when this happened. We simply evacuated all federal buildings

and even the METRO is almost back to normal. There was little or no damage caused from the earthquake. Some broken glass in the Smithsonian; damage to the Cathedral that will be repaired. Other than that, absolutely nothing! It is a gorgeous day! People are out on the Mall, running and walking and enjoying Happy Hour. Even the Nationals will carry on tonight and play baseball.

You can't pin this one on Obama, no matter how much you try!!!


Unrec for the ODS-inspired flamebait! It's not working this time, Cali!

[Cali_Democrat]

43. What am I trying to pin on Obama?

Perhaps you misread my poll question.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

44. The tone of your OP. And from reading the responses, I'm not the only one who picked up on it.

Read what I wrote. There was minimal damage due to this earthquake. It is a GORGEOUS day.

The very fact that you started an OP with a poll having to do with Obama being on vacation is not slick. Why is that even an issue when there isn't major damage done?

[Cali_Democrat]

47. The tone of my poll question?

Personally, I thought my poll question was pretty straightforward.

I don't think he should have cut his vacation short either because of the minimal damage.

[onehandle]

45. I'd like to change my vote to yes. The National Cathedral was damaged.

I'd like to see more photos of him at a church, campaign-wise.

[Whisp]

46. I think the flusher in a pub around the corner from that church...

isn't working.

Obama should be there and fix these things. Who does he think he is?

[RamboLiberal]

49. No but I hope he & staffers take a lesson from Katrina

And cut short & head to DC if Irene looks like it will do serious damage to East Coast.

[Raven]

59. I suspect they'll get off the Vineyard on Saturday. Not the place

to be during a hurricane.

[RamboLiberal]

61. I wasn't sure of his schedule

But if I was him or his advisor I'd make sure I got back to WH at least a day ahead of Irene making landfall and be fully engaged in monitoring the damage situation. He's scheduled to leave Saturday?

And make sure not to get stranded away from WH.

Bush was clueless & didn't give a shit about NO and Gulf Coast during Katrina. Completely AWOL.

[woolldog]

50. for a 5.5 earthquake?

ah, no.

[1StrongBlackMan]

52. Not no ... HELL NO!!!! n/t

[iamthebandfanman]

55. lol. n/t

[Sheepshank]

60. typical PO mountain out of molehill premise

what to see a few brick on the sidewalk and some spilled coffee?

You know what would happen then...the cry and whine of tax payer expense incurred for travel and security etc for Obama to go see something that is nothing.

FAIL...again.

[Cali_Democrat]

64. You should vote 'no'

[Proud Liberal Dem]

62. Another "Obama's Katrina Moment"

Fail

[Cali_Democrat]

63. Why would you call this Obama's Katrina moment?

How is this even comparable to Katrina? :crazy:

[Proud Liberal Dem]

67. I was being sarcastic

I was making fun of the fact that the right-wing is obsessed with finding a "Katrina" or "9/11" moment to attack President Obama and I'm pretty sure that somebody on the right is criticizing President Obama over his response to this as we speak. I guess I should've used one of those sarcasm thingies but, heck no, this isn't comparable in ANY way, shape, or form.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

65. Of course he should ! It's all about appearances. IMHO, calling

from MV did not cut it.

[Ikonoklast]

66. Only if the new norm is for the sitting president to visit any area after a severe thunderstorm.

We get more physical damage from one of those in one little corner of NE Ohio than the entire Eastern Seaboard did after this last quake.


Just silliness.