TRUMP SHARES THE LOVE ON RETURN TO GULF COAST
An upbeat President Trump returned to the flood-ravaged Texas Gulf Coast yesterday, where he met face-to-face with victims of Hurricane Harvey, helped pass out meals and supplies to residents living in shelters and toured streets lined with soggy, discarded possessions.
The president, joined by first lady Melania Trump, visited the NRG Center in Houston, which has been turned into an emergency shelter for about 1,800 refugees, and walked along a Houston street that, until recently, had been completely underwater.
After spending time with displaced children inside the NRG Center, Trump told reporters that “as tough as this was,” the national response to the disaster was “a wonderful thing.” He also called the federal, state and local response to the flooding “fantastic” and said he saw “a lot of love” at the shelter.
“I think people appreciate what’s been done,” he said. “It’s been done very efficiently, very well. And that’s what we want.”
During a stop at the First Church in the Houston suburb of Pearland, Trump praised Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for his state’s response.
“I want to congratulate the governor,” he said. “I want to congratulate everybody that’s worked so hard. It’s been an incredible five days, six days.”
Then, in Louisiana, Trump spoke with first responders and members of the Cajun Navy, a volunteer group that went out on fan boats searching for people to rescue from the rising floodwaters in the height of the storm.
Republican consultant Charley Manning praised Trump’s performance during the visit, saying it sent a clear message that victims won’t soon forget.
“The fear (for victims) always is you’re in the headlines for a few days and then you’re forgotten,” Manning said. “The president, just by focusing on it, makes them feel better and keeps the country’s eyes on it.”
The trip came less than a week after the Trumps visited Texas but didn’t go to Houston or meet directly with victims, a move that his critics seized on.
Democratic strategist Jim Manley said Trump clearly did a better job the second time around.
“It’s important for a president to show that he’s empathetic and caring, and the last trip was a disaster,” Manley said. “He’s done better this time than the last — but the problem was the bar was so low.”
Manning disagreed, saying he felt both trips were part of a strategy aimed at not disrupting
the relief effort.
“It seems to me the first one was much more of a fact-finding mission,” he said. “This one was really to spend time with the people and let them know, as president of the United States, he’ll never forget them and the American people will never forget them.”
Also yesterday, Trump sent lawmakers an initial request for a $7.9 billion down payment toward Harvey relief and recovery efforts — a request expected to be swiftly approved by Congress, which returns to work Tuesday after its summer break.