This weekend, while doing IRIS, there was an article about Republicans being angry about Obama not visiting the Siouxland area during last year’s floods. This anger, a year late, took form in a protest a day or two before the President’s schedules arrival last Saturday.
However, MSNBC posted an article yesterday about Obama’s detour to Louisiana before continuing to Charlotte for the Democratic National Convention, which takes place today until Thursday. Louisiana is enduring flooding form Hurricane Isaac, while came ashore on the seventh year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
I imagine that these Republicans who protested Obama last week were not happy about Obama visiting Louisiana and not visiting Siouxland when they were in need of help and support.
During his speech in Louisiana, Obama talked about the support of the communities he’s witnessing in Louisiana and about the effort to recovery. The article also states that it wans’t just a Democratic event for Obama- he was joined by Bobby Jindal, the Republican governor of Louisiana.
“When disasters like this happen we set aside whatever petty disagreements we might have,” Obama said. “Nobody’s a Democrat or a Republican” (MSNBC).
After hearing these stories, I don’t think that the Siouxland story is considered news, because of how delayed the protests are. However, because Obama’s visit to Louisiana is current, will help his campaign to reelection, and because he is the President right now, it is news.
I think the article included an unbiased view of the President’s visit and provided enough information for the reader to understand what went on. However, I would have included quotes from the President’s speech to make it more informational to the reader.
I could not find the article that I mentioned from the Sioux City Journal. However, this is the link to the main article that I focused on from MSNBC: http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/03/13643974-obama-detours-to-louisiana-to-discuss-hurricane-recovery?lite
Jianna, rather than including the whole url for your story, just type “Read the story here” and make that the link.
A good discussion. You’re right, the Iowa protesters are late. Bringing it up now is a reminder to local voters that he wasn’t here when we needed him. So it’s kind of timely.