Today, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) visited areas of Iowa hit hard by recent flooding. His press secretary said the trip was “practical” for McCain because he happened to be “on his way to Minnesota for a town hall meeting.” Iowa Gov. Chet Culver (D), however, disagreed with the practicality of the trip as his state undergoes a massive flood recovery effort, noting that McCain ignored his request to cancel the visit. The AP reports:
[Culver chief of staff Patrick] Dillon said the issue was not about the election but about recovering from flooding.
“At the end of the day, it’s not about politics but about what’s best for Iowa,” Dillon said. […]
While these high-profile politicians bring attention to the disaster, they cause headaches for hard-pressed law enforcement.
For President Bush’s visit to the state today, “hundreds of law enforcement officers were diverted from flood recovery to provide security for him.” Last week, Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) canceled a visit at the request of state officials.