The week after devastating floods, Obama tours Louisiana damage

WASHINGTON — Wearing khakis and hiking boots, President Obama toured a flood-damaged Baton Rouge suburb Tuesday, assessing damage from what's being described as the worst natural disaster in the United States since Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

Obama brushed off criticism that he was late in coming to the flood-ravaged region, and instead devoted much of his time praising the initial response by state and federal officials.

But he said the work of rebuilding will continue for months. "Let me just remind folks. Sometimes once the floodwaters pass, people's attention spans pass. This is not a one-off. This is not a photo-op issue," he told reporters after the tour. "I need all Americans to stay focused on this."

Arriving on schedule at the Baton Rouge airport, Obama paused to speak with Louisiana's governor and lieutenant governor and then departed for what was scheduled to be a 40-minute tour of flood-affected homes in Zachary, La.

The destination: Castle Place, a middle-class subdivision outside Baton Rouge where mounds of drywall, mattresses toys — even a water-damaged violin — were piled high on the curb.

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Visibly sweating in the humid 92-degree weather, Obama hugged residents as he went from door to door asking about flood levels and relief efforts. "I know it's tough now," he told one resident.

The three-hour Air Force One fly-in came four days after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump visited the state, suggesting that Obama should have canceled his Martha's Vineyard vacation to do the same. Trump stepped up that attack Tuesday, tweeting that "President Obama should have gone to Louisiana days ago, instead of golfing. Too little, too late!"

The Baton Rouge Advocate also editorialized last week that Obama was "late to this crisis," criticizing him for playing golf and raising money for Democratic candidates instead of coming to Louisiana. The debate over Obama's visit began to take on overtones of the criticism President George W. Bush took for belatedly flying over New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

But Obama dismissed those critics, saying the only thing that mattered was the professionalism of the Federal Emergency Management Agency response.

Obama visit could focus needed attention on Louisiana flood damage

"One of the benefits of being five months short of leaving here is that I don’t worry too much about politics," Obama said. "When disasters strike, that's one of the few times that Washington tends not to get political," he said. "I guarantee you, nobody on this block, none of these first responders, nobody gives a hoot about whether you're a Democrat or Republican."

At least 13 people have died since the flooding began Aug. 11, and Obama declared a disaster area on Aug. 14. The initial four-parish disaster area has since been expanded by FEMA to include 20 counties.

More than 116,000 people have registered for federal assistance, and FEMA has already distributed $107 million, FEMA said. The agency is also processing 26,000 flood insurance claims, and has approved advance payments more than $20 million.

Obama said there was no immediate need for congressional action.

"We've been lucky so far," Obama said, knocking on the wooden lectern set up in a suburban driveway. "FEMA has enough money for now to cover the costs that can be absorbed." But he said Congress may need to consider the costs of "medium-term and long-term rebuilding."

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., toured the neighborhood with Obama and said both Trump and Obama helped raise awareness about the extent of the damage — both nationally and on Capitol Hill.

"Trump focused national attention, which had been lacking. It doesn't take a cynic to suggest that it may have triggered some other visits, and that is the sort of second aspect to the federal response," he said. "We're going to talking to our colleagues in the Senate and the House to make the case that the disaster is so massive, something must be done. That's what this visit is about. That's what Trump's visit was about."

Before leaving Baton Rouge, Obama met for more than 20 minutes with the family of Alton Sterling — a 37-year-old black man killed by Baton Rouge police in July — as well as families of the police officers killed later that month by a gunman apparently retaliating for police violence.

Follow Gregory Korte on Twitter: @gregorykorte