Rick Perry pushes Katrina comparison
Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday likened the burgeoning crisis on the border to Hurricane Katrina as he urged President Barack Obama to bolster security there and visit the area, comments that followed a meeting the Republican had with the president.
“I think about the criticism that George W. Bush received when he didn’t go to New Orleans [during] Katrina, this is no different,” he said on Fox News’ “Hannity.”
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Perry, a possible presidential contender, met with Obama before the two attended a roundtable with faith leaders and elected officials in Dallas to discuss the influx of unaccompanied minors on the Texas-Mexico border, many of whom are languishing in detention facilities. The governor has been sharply critical of Obama’s decision so far to not visit the border during a swing through Texas, which includes a fundraiser and party events, and the administrations in Washington and Austin had several days of back-and-forth that culminated in the meetings Wednesday.
“He needs to understand instinctively and intuitively and with his own two eyes what’s going on on the border,” Perry said of Obama.
“I’m pretty sure if George Bush had said, ‘Well, I sent my FEMA director down multiple times,’ he would have still been criticized greatly because, you need to go. That’s what governors do, that’s what presidents do when there are [national] disasters, when there’s crises like this, a president needs to be there, to show the American people, No. 1, that he understands.”
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), who was once a Perry appointee in the Lone Star State, has also raised the specter of Katrina, a natural disaster that also became a major political headache for former President George W. Bush.
(Also on POLITICO: Perry grabs mic on border crisis)
In the interview, Perry reiterated his call for securing the border as he repeatedly characterized the situation as a “humanitarian crisis.” Earlier, Obama said there weren’t major philosophical differences with his view and what Perry is asking for, but went on to use the conversation to badger congressional Republicans to approve the $3.7 billion supplemental measure he is asking for in emergency funds for the border.
On Fox, Perry raised questions about whether that measure would address the problem at hand and expressed doubt that Obama fully grasps what’s happening along the border.
“I think the president was engaged,” he said. “As I was discussing with him, I did a lot of listening, he let me know what the feeling is about these things, what the fixes were, I [interjected] where I could. The fact is, I don’t know whether he heard what I said. Because a leader acts, and what I haven’t seen out of this president are actions that make me think he understands what’s going on. It’s one of the reasons I want him to come to the border.”
Still, he said he believes Obama thinks it’s “important” to talk to governors — or at least, “I certainly hope he does,” Perry added.
“I think about the criticism that George W. Bush received when he didn’t go to New Orleans [during] Katrina, this is no different,” he said on Fox News’ “Hannity.”
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After getting on Marine One with Obama earlier Wednesday, “I said Mr. President, I said, ‘I really want you to come and see this because this is important for you to absorb as a father, but more importantly as president of the United States.’”
(Also on POLITICO: Obama and immigration expectations)Perry, a possible presidential contender, met with Obama before the two attended a roundtable with faith leaders and elected officials in Dallas to discuss the influx of unaccompanied minors on the Texas-Mexico border, many of whom are languishing in detention facilities. The governor has been sharply critical of Obama’s decision so far to not visit the border during a swing through Texas, which includes a fundraiser and party events, and the administrations in Washington and Austin had several days of back-and-forth that culminated in the meetings Wednesday.
“He needs to understand instinctively and intuitively and with his own two eyes what’s going on on the border,” Perry said of Obama.
“I’m pretty sure if George Bush had said, ‘Well, I sent my FEMA director down multiple times,’ he would have still been criticized greatly because, you need to go. That’s what governors do, that’s what presidents do when there are [national] disasters, when there’s crises like this, a president needs to be there, to show the American people, No. 1, that he understands.”
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), who was once a Perry appointee in the Lone Star State, has also raised the specter of Katrina, a natural disaster that also became a major political headache for former President George W. Bush.
(Also on POLITICO: Perry grabs mic on border crisis)
In the interview, Perry reiterated his call for securing the border as he repeatedly characterized the situation as a “humanitarian crisis.” Earlier, Obama said there weren’t major philosophical differences with his view and what Perry is asking for, but went on to use the conversation to badger congressional Republicans to approve the $3.7 billion supplemental measure he is asking for in emergency funds for the border.
On Fox, Perry raised questions about whether that measure would address the problem at hand and expressed doubt that Obama fully grasps what’s happening along the border.
“I think the president was engaged,” he said. “As I was discussing with him, I did a lot of listening, he let me know what the feeling is about these things, what the fixes were, I [interjected] where I could. The fact is, I don’t know whether he heard what I said. Because a leader acts, and what I haven’t seen out of this president are actions that make me think he understands what’s going on. It’s one of the reasons I want him to come to the border.”
Still, he said he believes Obama thinks it’s “important” to talk to governors — or at least, “I certainly hope he does,” Perry added.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/07/rick-perry-immigration-hurricane-katrina-108749.html#ixzz375D32H8n
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