Obama to view New Jersey storm damage

Speaking at Red Cross National Headquarters in Washington D.C., President Obama explains the details of the federal relief effort in New Jersey, New York and other areas of the country that were hit hard by Hurricane Sandy.

/ Pool

Updated 3:45 p.m. ET

President Obama will head to New Jersey on Wednesday to meet up with Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., and tour areas affected by Sandy.

He will view the storm damage, talk with "citizens who are recovering from the storm" and thank "first responders who put their lives at risk to protect their communities," the White House announced today.

The announcement comes just hours after the president cancelled his campaign events in Ohio tomorrow.

Christie, who's an ardent supporter of the president's rival, Mitt Romney, was effusive about the federal government's response to the storm, telling "CBS This Morning": "The cooperation has been great with FEMA here on the ground and the cooperation from the president of the United States has been outstanding. He deserves great credit."

The president's storm tour with Christie won't be his first, incidentally; the two spent time together viewing storm damage after Hurricane Irene last year.

• Gov. Christie: Obama deserves "great credit" for storm response
• Obama cancels third day of campaigning to deal with Sandy

Mr. Obama also visited the headquarters of the American Red Cross today in Washington, D.C., stressing, "This storm is not yet over."

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Obama speaks at Red Cross on Sandy relief effort

Describing the extraordinary "hardship" felt by those affected by Sandy, the president added, "Obviously this is something that is heartbreaking for the entire nation," but said, "America is with you. We are standing behind you, and we are going to do everything we can to help you get back on your feet."

"My thoughts and prayers are with all the families who lost loved ones," he said. "It's not clear that we have counted up all of the fatalities at this point. Obviously this is something that is heartbreaking for the entire nation."

The president also praised the Red Cross saying it "knows what it's doing" when it comes to emergency response and this is the time to "show the kind of generosity that makes America the greatest nation on Earth."

For his part, Romney turned a campaign event in Kettering, Ohio, into a storm relief effort, helping load trucks with supplies destined for storm victims.

[mikesfilms]

LIE: I'll work with Dems, only Romney can't. He signed the Teapublican Tax Pledge: never raise the Rich Tax even if the nation sinks. Dems and the 99% will never accept his plan.

[AOCGUY]

While I know that he really has o choice (damned if he does damned if he doesn't) Presidents visiting disaster areas really don't help. When Ivan hammered my neighborhood having Bush do a low fly over in Marine One didn't do anything for me. I do however appreciate FEMA removing the massive amounts of debris and paying for my chain saw and generator. They came in real handy just 10 months later when Dennis came in to tear up what Ivan left behind.

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

President Obama wanted to update America's power grid (in part by burying power lines) and transportation systems including from New York to New Jersey but congressional republicans and Chris Christie blocked him on both counts. The irony of it all, further proof and reason not to vote for republicans.

[mmrosshotmail]

It is a good thing that New York and New Jaersy have CAPABLE and CARING Govenors...They have been on the "situation" from the start....While this...obama....has been sitting around like "PRINCESS FOZZIA" waiting for the coast to clear...SO now he makes his BIG entrance like KING TUT, so he can STRUTT in like John Wayne and take over...WHILE THE CAMERAS are "SHHOOTING"...HIM....

[AOCGUY]

You mean like Bush and Ivan, Dennis, Katrina, Rita etc?

[bluejacket2-2009]

The BIG story is two fold, Sandy has elected TWO Presidents.... 2012 Barack Obama.... 2016 Chris Christie....

Book it!

[logictoo]

But how can it be!! According to some news sources anyone who supports Mitt Romney is in a class with him and all Repubs are the same, push granny off the cliff etc and so on.

[bluejacket2-2009]

Christie is a Republican from freaking New Jorsey.... he is not a southern tea pot from Alabama.... basically, unless he swings to the tea nuts, he is a liberal Republican...

He could win the Presidency if stays away from the tea party.... democrats will vote for him...

[logictoo]

Why isn't he visiting New York? Word has it according to major news outlet he did contact Mayor Bloomburg(sp)and requested visit. According to source Mayor's responded "We would love to have you Mr. President but you would be better served to visit New Jersey". This was not on CBS or MSNBC but it will probably will be if and when they can figure a way to spin it. Likely some discussions taking place now so The President may end up visiting New York after all.

[nearl451]

Don't worry. He'll visit New York too in a day or two.

Jersey bore the brunt of the storm and they deserve highest level of attention.

[andie52]

Bloomberg told him not to visit. that is is what we can call a political maneuver by the mayor who made the new york police into its own rogue CIA. and wants to be mayor for life. at the end of the day, bloomberg supports the elite wealthy scions in ny and romney. it was disrespectful and politically motivated to diss the president, likely at the instructions of romney. whatever my personal opinion of gov christie in some ways, he showed real class here. cant say the same for the dictator of new york

[ohenry39]

Obama didn't give a Damn about Ike suffers No Red Cross on the Bolivar Peninsula

[ManOfSteel-Velvet]

After learning Gov. Christie's effusive praise for president Obama for his outstanding response to hurricane Sandy, the Romney Campaign told Gov. Christie to "Shut It!".