President Obama flying to CO

[lvhorses]

He's flying to Colorado on Friday to see damage from the Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado Springs.

I honestly think a overhead flight will be the safest way to get an idea at the destruction. Hope no one will judge :-(

So bummed out about this. The houses in the Springs are filling up with smoke an two of my friends just had babies. I really hope things get better. :-(

[pixy0stix]

I'm not going to lie, I'm sort of pissed that he didn't come out earlier for the High Park fire, which is still only 65% contained.

[escrow]

Jun 27, 2012 15:07:36 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

I'm not going to lie, I'm sort of pissed that he didn't come out earlier for the High Park fire, which is still only 65% contained.

Agree. I just snuck over here to see if anyone had posted about this yet. I am wondering how the board feels about him coming...

[ttt]

What exactly is he going to do? "Hey look, there's a fire! Have you guys seen this???"

[pixy0stix]

Jun 27, 2012 16:48:44 GMT -5 ttt said:

What exactly is he going to do? "Hey look, there's a fire! Have you guys seen this???"

Pretty much.

However, it does add gravity and weight to the situation. A focusing of the nation's energies if you will.

[dev22]

Jun 27, 2012 16:50:10 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Jun 27, 2012 16:48:44 GMT -5 ttt said:

What exactly is he going to do? "Hey look, there's a fire! Have you guys seen this???"

Pretty much.

However, it does add gravity and weight to the situation. A focusing of the nation's energies if you will.

Is it normal for a president to come out for wild fires though? I am trying to remember if any sitting president has come out for any of our wildfires - I am pretty sure Bush never did in 2007 - and those were REALLY bad. Thousands of homes were lost. (not that Bush is the best bar lol)

[pixy0stix]

CO is a swing state.

President's do visit scenes of destruction. I've never actually understood how they choose where to go, though.

[dev22]

Jun 27, 2012 16:56:34 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

CO is a swing state.

President's do visit scenes of destruction. I've never actually understood how they choose where to go, though.

Heh, didn't think about the swing state part.

I remember them visiting hurricanes/tornados/earthquakes, but just wasn't sure about wildfires. But I could just totally not remember it too.

I actually like that he is going, and hope taht it does help CO to somehow get more coverage and/or resources.

[KateAggie]

Jun 27, 2012 15:07:36 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

I'm not going to lie, I'm sort of pissed that he didn't come out earlier for the High Park fire, which is still only 65% contained.

Hey, at least he's coming to Colorado. When Texas was burning, he phoned it in, literally.

Guess it's not worth visiting if you're not getting the votes.

[MrsAxilla]

These fires are historic so I guess POTUS worthy?

I can see the campaign ad now: Mitt Romney wants to slash funding for firefighters (clips of various Romney statements; flash to Obama in a helicopter looking at fires with concern). Is that really what you want, Colorado?

[dev22]

Jun 27, 2012 17:14:04 GMT -5 MrsAxilla said:

These fires are historic so I guess POTUS worthy?

Probably. So Cal burns up on the regular, so they probably just roll their eyes and move on lol

[KateAggie]

www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-10-26-2439710439_x.htm

[2vermont]

Jun 27, 2012 17:09:10 GMT -5 KateAggie said:

Jun 27, 2012 15:07:36 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

I'm not going to lie, I'm sort of pissed that he didn't come out earlier for the High Park fire, which is still only 65% contained.

Hey, at least he's coming to Colorado. When Texas was burning, he phoned it in, literally.

Guess it's not worth visiting if you're not getting the votes.

Would people really change their vote because he flew over in a helicopter? Even if you;re an Independent voter, I just don't see this being that huge of a deal.

[pixy0stix]

Jun 27, 2012 17:26:35 GMT -5 2vermont said:

Would people really change their vote because he flew over in a helicopter? Even if you;re an Independent voter, I just don't see this being that huge of a deal.

If it's spun the way that mrsA is saying, I would think it would have a pretty big impact. Especially in the areas that are being hit.

[laurenpetro]

Jun 27, 2012 17:19:44 GMT -5 KateAggie said:

www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-10-26-2439710439_x.htm

It seems like those fires were out when he showed up.

[dev22]

Jun 27, 2012 17:19:44 GMT -5 KateAggie said:

www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-10-26-2439710439_x.htm

See, I said I just might not remember! haha

I was pretty scared at that point, so I must have blocked it out.

[KateAggie]

Jun 27, 2012 17:40:54 GMT -5 laurenpetro said:

Jun 27, 2012 17:19:44 GMT -5 KateAggie said:

www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-10-26-2439710439_x.htm

It seems like those fires were out when he showed up.

But he showed.

Obama came to Texas during our wildfires, but fundraising kept him too busy.

www.gosanangelo.com/news/2011/may/19/dave-mcneely-obamas-texas-visit-wildfires-and/

I find it eye-roll worthy, but expected. It's no secret that Perry and Obama have a contentious relationship.

[y4m]

Jun 27, 2012 17:40:54 GMT -5 laurenpetro said:

Jun 27, 2012 17:19:44 GMT -5 KateAggie said:

www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-10-26-2439710439_x.htm

It seems like those fires were out when he showed up.

So?

To the extent that the president can be useful at all in these situations, it isn't for putting out the fires.

[laurenpetro]

Sorry, I thought this was about Colorado.

[druidp]

Sounds like he came under fire a bit today (sorry, really no pun intended there) for prior lack of air resources for firefighters.

www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_20955042/colorado-gov-hickenlooper-defends-obama-over-reduced-air?source=rss&utm_medium=twitter&cref=twitter

Excerpt:
Speaking to reporters about the fires Wednesday, Hickenlooper, a Democrat, was asked about charges leveled by conservatives online that the Obama administration helped fuel the wildfires by cancelling a contract last year with a private company that provided air tankers to the U.S. Forest Service.
Obama earlier this month signed a bill increasing the number of tankers to the Forest Service's fleet, which conservatives have said was a political nod to a swing state.

I find this interesting, since my ex-Forest-Service dad (the Banjo-Wielding-Forest-Ranger) wrote a letter to the local paper about this very topic and how the USFS is entirely subject to federal line item budgeting for exactly how much they are allowed to spend on that very resource.

[foundmylazybum]

To me--and maybe this is weird but it makes sense that he would come to visit the Springs b/c of the military installations there vs. Ft. Collins (where there is a small post but not like the Springs)

No offense but if by some horrible chance the Air Force Academy burns...I mean that shit's going to be crazy. If NORAD goes down..yeah, I think that's POTUS worthy.

[pixy0stix]

Jun 27, 2012 20:21:43 GMT -5 druidp said:

Sounds like he came under fire a bit today (sorry, really no pun intended there) for prior lack of air resources for firefighters.

www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_20955042/colorado-gov-hickenlooper-defends-obama-over-reduced-air?source=rss&utm_medium=twitter&cref=twitter

Excerpt:
Speaking to reporters about the fires Wednesday, Hickenlooper, a Democrat, was asked about charges leveled by conservatives online that the Obama administration helped fuel the wildfires by cancelling a contract last year with a private company that provided air tankers to the U.S. Forest Service.
Obama earlier this month signed a bill increasing the number of tankers to the Forest Service's fleet, which conservatives have said was a political nod to a swing state.

I find this interesting, since my ex-Forest-Service dad (the Banjo-Wielding-Forest-Ranger) wrote a letter to the local paper about this very topic and how the USFS is entirely subject to federal line item budgeting for exactly how much they are allowed to spend on that very resource.

But weren't the Republicans clamoring to slash and burn (pun intended) most budget items? They're sure quick to point the fingers when the resources they WANTED cut actually turn out to be a bad idea.

[2vermont]

Jun 27, 2012 21:26:20 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Jun 27, 2012 20:21:43 GMT -5 druidp said:

Sounds like he came under fire a bit today (sorry, really no pun intended there) for prior lack of air resources for firefighters.

www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_20955042/colorado-gov-hickenlooper-defends-obama-over-reduced-air?source=rss&utm_medium=twitter&cref=twitter

Excerpt:
Speaking to reporters about the fires Wednesday, Hickenlooper, a Democrat, was asked about charges leveled by conservatives online that the Obama administration helped fuel the wildfires by cancelling a contract last year with a private company that provided air tankers to the U.S. Forest Service.
Obama earlier this month signed a bill increasing the number of tankers to the Forest Service's fleet, which conservatives have said was a political nod to a swing state.

I find this interesting, since my ex-Forest-Service dad (the Banjo-Wielding-Forest-Ranger) wrote a letter to the local paper about this very topic and how the USFS is entirely subject to federal line item budgeting for exactly how much they are allowed to spend on that very resource.

But weren't the Republicans clamoring to slash and burn (pun intended) most budget items? They're sure quick to point the fingers when the resources they WANTED cut actually turn out to be a bad idea.

Wait, politicians pick and choose when to point fingers? Like Whoa.

[pixy0stix]

Jun 28, 2012 6:53:52 GMT -5 2vermont said:

Wait, politicians pick and choose when to point fingers? Like Whoa.

IKR? Totally mind blowing.

[racegrrl714]

Jun 27, 2012 16:52:39 GMT -5 dev22 said:

Jun 27, 2012 16:50:10 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Pretty much.

However, it does add gravity and weight to the situation. A focusing of the nation's energies if you will.

Is it normal for a president to come out for wild fires though? I am trying to remember if any sitting president has come out for any of our wildfires - I am pretty sure Bush never did in 2007 - and those were REALLY bad. Thousands of homes were lost. (not that Bush is the best bar lol)

I don't know about wildfires, but he did tour Joplin, MO after the tornado there last year. I don't see a whole lot of difference in the situations, other than maybe the safety factor (fires still burning vs. tornado long past gone)