Trump has responded to people nagging at him about Puerto Rico by agreeing to visit it next Tuesday. That’s a week from today, right? I know he’s really busy bitching about the NFL and Republicans in Congress, but one would think he could have scheduled something a bit sooner.
After Hurricane Maria knocked out electricity to all of Puerto Rico, residents of the U.S. territory are “gasping for air” in the relenting heat, says the mayor of the island’s capital city of San Juan.
“What’s out there is total devastation. Total annihilation. People literally gasping for air. I personally have taken people out and put them in ambulances because their generator has run out,” Mayor Carmen YulÃn Cruz told ABC News.
Cruz said Puerto Rico has been prepared for major storms since the end of August, when Hurricane Irma was approaching. Irma slammed into the island and caused deaths and devastation, and was soon followed by the catastrophic hit of Maria. Parts of the island have now gone several weeks without running water and electricity.
Hospitals in particular are struggling without power, supplies, and even food and water. Before this is over we’re probably going to learn that a lot of people died after the storm who could have been saved by a quicker response. They are probably dying right now.
But Trump, who was so pleased with himself because he managed to visit Texas after Harvey, seems to feel no sense of urgency about Puerto Rico. In fact, he thinks he’s doing a good job.
President Donald Trump said he plans to travel to Puerto Rico next Tuesday to survey the wreckage left behind by Hurricane Maria, and boasted that his administration is getting “really good marks†for its response to the devastating storm.
“I mean I think we’re really getting really good marks for the work we’re doing,†Trump told reporters at the White House, also saying, “I grew up in New York so I know many people from Puerto Rico. I know many Puerto Ricans, and these are great people. And we have to help them.â€
He added, “We’ve gotten A-pluses on Texas and on Florida. And we will also on Puerto Rico.â€
So far, Trump has managed to figure out that Puerto Rico is an island. At least, he actually said this:
He also said, “This is a thing called the Atlantic Ocean, this is tough stuff.” Yes, but there is also a thing called the “Navy.” They have boats.
Earlier today it was announced that the hospital ship the USNS Comfort would be heading to Puerto Rico, but the Miami Herald just reported that the Comfort wouldn’t be going yet.
On Tuesday, Nathan Potter, of the Naval public affairs office told The Miami Herald that the vessel was currently docked in Norfolk and had “no plans to deploy.â€
Possibly the White House hasn’t yet figured out that the military doesn’t respond to rumors on the Internet. You have to send them orders.
The BBC asks, “Does Trump care about Puerto Rico’s hurricane victims?” Judging by his tweets, he has more important things on his mind, such as pro sports:
Number of Trump tweets about pro sports since Friday: 20
Number of Trump tweets about Puerto Rico since Friday: 0 pic.twitter.com/8QyLaf8lI5
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) September 25, 2017
When he did finally tweet about Puerto Rico, it was to complain that Puerto Rico owed millions to Wall Street and the banks.
With all the hurricane there was bound to be a Katrina in there, somewhere, and I think we found it.
“I grew up in New York so I know many people from Puerto Rico.
Me too! I also watched West Side Story. Some of my best friends are Puerto Ricans.
Dear ABC News, Puerto Ricans would probably love it if the heat were “relenting”. Unfortunately it is unrelenting. Amazing to see this from a supposedly major news organization.
As for trump ignoring PR that’s par for the course. His lack of compassion combined with his ignorance of what government actually does likely let him to fail to even ask what resources were available for an island nation, you know, like the USNS Comfort.
t-RUMPLE-THIN-sKKKin better make sure to send a lot of food and water down to OUR FELLOW AMERICANS in PR, or else by the time Air Force One lands his lazy, stupid/ignorant/bigoted AND evil, fat orange-colored ass there, the people will rush the plane – NOT to lovingly greet him, BUT to hungrily EAT HIM!!!
Make to thoroughly cook him until he’s well-done!
That large orange skin-bag of vermin is sure to be chock-full of vermin!
Maybe when Trump realizes that landing in a helicopter on the deck of a ship on a rescue mission would make a great “codpiece” photo-op. help will be on the way.
Does he have properties on the island? No? Well if he doesn’t have any skin in the game…maybe a girlfriend or three?
I don’t give a rat’s fuzzy behind if Trump does disaster photo-op in PR. If he’s sent a helo carrier (a week ago) loaded with emergency supplies to get what they need where they need it with organization to make sure the supplies aren’t hoarded or appropriated for sale, I’d be thrilled and right in there giving him an A+.
Somebody show me that this happened because what I’ve heard so far (until the announcement of a photo-op) is a huge silence. I hope Purto Rico grades Trump very publicly on his response. IMO holding Trump to account for his apathy n the face of disaster will get more supplies faster than sucking up to Trump when he wants the publicity of what a great leader he is.
As Doug wrote above, “I hope Puerto Rico grades Trump very publicly on his response.” The video of the mayor of San Juan at the end of this is a pretty good start.
https://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-new-brownie.html
Many years ago, I worked with a program specifically for people from Central America, my Spanish was a lot better then, since none of the participants in the program spoke English. If you talk to people from Central America in an informal setting, you will hear things about each country. Cubans have a reputation for being “orgulloso” for example, Mexicans are sometimes accused of “singing” when they talk, but, the word I heard often to describe Puerto Ricans, was “tierno” or tender, which is a pretty nice attribute to be known for. They can also be a hell of a lot of fun to hang out with, but sometimes a little risky. I hate to think of what they are going through.
Anyway, i have work to do.