Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
President Barack Obama and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie look at Hurricane Sandy storm damage along the coast of New Jersey, from Marine One on Oct. 31, 2012.
President Barack Obama and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie have a lot in common:
Hurricane Sandy.
The devastation left by a hurricane-turned-“superstorm” along the coasts of New Jersey and New York placed two of the most visible leaders of two opposing political parties in synch just before an election: Imbuing Obama with a needed air of nonpartisan statesmanship.
Who got congratulations over the phone after re-election? Obama (he and Christie were talking about Sandy then, too.) Republican Mitt Romney got an e-mail of consolation from the New Jersey Republican who served as keynote speaker at the party’s convention.
Post-election, they’re still rowing the same boat:
The House has adjourned without approving a federal relief bill for the victims of Sandy, and Obama, who went to New Jersey after the storm to tour the wreckage with the Republican governor, was on the telephone with him today about the delayed relief funding.
Obama, who left Washington for Hawaii at midnight EST and arrived in Honolulu just before the light of day, HAST, went straight to a gym at the Marines Corps base for a 6:15 am workout after stopping at the rental home where he and is family are vacationing. He was back home by 7:45 am local time.
The president spoke with Christie today — as well as staffers for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo — according to the White House. They discussed the supplemental spending request that has passed the Senate and stalled in the House.
“It has only been two months since Hurricane Sandy devastated communities across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut as well as other eastern states,” Obama said in a statement issued by the White House. “Our citizens are still trying to put their lives back together.”
“When tragedy strikes, Americans come together to support those in need,” Obama said. “I urge Republicans in the House of Representatives to do the same, bring this important request to a vote today, and pass it without delay for our fellow Americans.”
The House recessed without taking that vote.
A new Congress will be sworn in tomorrow.
