Politicians risk ire if they don’t visit disasters

Donald Trump harshly criticized President Barack Obama for delaying a tour of devastating Louisiana flooding until after his vacation, and it underscores the political perils of not showing up for disasters.

Politicians who don’t make an appearance risk angering voters or giving opponents a line of attack.

President George W. Bush was harshly panned for his handling of Hurricane Katrina, which was exacerbated by his decision to fly over the Louisiana disaster instead of visiting.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie drew the ire of critics in 2010, when he decided to go to Disney World after his state was hit by a blizzard. Two years later, he was widely praised for his handling of Hurricane Sandy.

Trump and Pence toured the flooding in Baton Rouge several days before Obama and blasted the president for golfing instead of cutting short his vacation.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said Obama was better off waiting until after the cleanup was underway, so as not to pull resources away from the effort — though his decision might have been different if he were running for office.

Trump’s Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, said she has not visited Louisiana yet because “the relief effort can’t afford any distractions.”

That’s a real concern with high-profile visits, said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

“It’s a logistical nightmare on top of the disaster itself,” Sabato said, noting that visits require coordination with busy police and emergency personnel.

Sabato said Pence had no choice but to go back to Indiana after his criticism of Obama, though Pence denied any political calculation.

“I really don’t think in those terms,” he told reporters Thursday. “I’m an eyes-on leader. I like to lead from the front.”