By: Audrey Hudson
8/31/2012 12:12 PM
UPDATE 1:10 p.m. EST: The White House has announced that Obama plans to visit hurricane-ravaged Louisiana Monday to observe recovery efforts.
Mitt Romney scrambled his schedule Friday to visit Louisiana and examine first-hand the damage caused by Hurricane Isaac and to meet with Gov. Bobby Jindal whose request for full financial assistance was snubbed by President Barack Obama.
Obama has not traveled to either Louisiana or Mississippi to view the storm’s damage.
The Category 1 hurricane killed four people in Louisiana and Mississippi and stranded 500 residents who were rescued by first responders in boats. Nearly one million homes and businesses have lost power, almost half the state of Louisiana, the Associated Press reported.
Jindal and Republican Sen. David Vitter asked Obama to fully reimburse the state for its cost to handle and clean up after the storm, but federal assistance will only supplement state and local efforts to prepare and respond.
The president was kept informed of the hurricane during a campaign swing this week across college campuses, while First Lady Michelle Obama made television appearances on the “Late Show with David Letterman,” “Dr. Oz,” and “Rachael Ray.”
Wednesday marked the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which nearly devastated the City of New Orleans in 2005.
While Romney is touring Louisiana, Obama will travel to Fort Bliss Texas to mark the two-year anniversary of the end of combat in Iraq. Obama will hold a roundtable discussion with military members and their families to discuss how to responsibly end wars.
Former President George W. Bush was heavily criticized for not touring the Gulf area immediately after it was struck by Katrina.
In response to the storm, Republicans cancelled the first day of their national convention in Tampa. Jindal was scheduled to speak at the convention, but also cancelled his appearance to tend to the disaster.
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