Obama on Isaac: "Now is not the time to tempt fate"

Updated at 10:55 a.m. ET

(CBS News) President Obama on Tuesday urged residents of the Gulf Coast to heed the directions of local officials as they prepare for the arrival of Isaac, the tropical storm that's expected to reach hurricane strength and hit land later in the day.

"Now is not the time to tempt fate," Mr. Obama said from the White House. "You need to take this seriously."

Under the president's direction, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials have been on the ground in the Gulf region for over a week, but "the hardest work is still ahead," Mr. Obama said.

"I'll continue to make sure the federal government is doing everything possible to help the American people prepare and recover from this dangerous storm," the president said.

Mr. Obama gave this reassurance to Gulf Coast residents before departing on a two-day campaign swing through college towns in three key swing states. College students were a key part of Mr. Obama's 2008 base -- one he hopes to re-energize this year.

Mr. Obama's decision to stay on the trail even as the storm approaches shows how seriously his campaign is taking Mitt Romney's candidacy. A new CBS News poll released Tuesday morning shows Mr. Obama leads by just one point -- 46 percent to 45 percent -- among registered voters who lean towards a candidate. Just 6 percent of voters are undecided.

Isaac on verge of becoming hurricane
Isaac could still wreck GOP convention

The president will attend a rally at Iowa State University this afternoon, followed by an evening rally at Colorado State University. On Wednesday, he travels to the University of Virginia at Charlottesville.

Seven years ago this week, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, and once again, a storm threatens to flood the area. Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle could also see flooding.

Mr. Obama on Monday approved a disaster declaration for the state of Louisiana so it can get the resources it needs, particularly for evacuations under way. Additionally, Mr. Obama noted Tuesday that there are response teams on the ground with supplies, ready to help communities expected to fall in the path of the storm. He said that he received updates on the situation Tuesday morning from Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, FEMA head Craig Fugate and National Hurricane Center Director Dr. Rick Knabb.

While the president says the federal government is prepared to respond to the storm, he runs the risk of appearing unsympathetic or unresponsive to the storm by campaigning as it makes landfall. Even though Isaac is bypassing Tampa, Fla., where the Republican National Convention is under way, Republican officials have left open the option of curtailing convention events because of the storm.

Though Mr. Obama will stay on the trail, Vice President Joe Biden canceled planned appearances in Florida because of Isaac.

115 Photos

Hurricane Isaac and its aftermath

[FLHRC-12]

Obama on Isaac: "Now is not the time to tempt fate"
Then he runs off to campaign.
Like he couldn't wait a couple of days and see what happens with this hurricane.
What a fake he truly is pretending like he cares.

[Jesus_to_ground_control]

Those bloody pumps and levies better work!

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

I really hope the Corps of Engineers did its job right this time.

[TimeToEvolve]

Isn't it a pleasure to have a real President with a brain like Obama after the complete and utter disaster of the last Republicon administration? Obama has done so many good things for America even with a do nothing Congress controlled by the Republicons who hate the government but want to run it. Does that sound suspicious to you?

[FLHRC-12]

Who is TimeToEvolve talking about???
Thanks for the moment of humor.

[Augy-Doggie]

djames1277




MORE Bad NEWS for Obama:

U.S. consumer confidence unexpectedly weakened in August to its lowest in nine months as Americans turned more pessimistic about the short-term outlook, according to a private sector report released on Tuesday. The Conference Board, an industry group, said its index of consumer attitudes fell to 60.6 from a downwardly revised 65.4 the month before. Economists had expected an increase to 66, according to a Reuters poll.


Gallup is also predicting a very bleak jobs report for August...


ONE and DONE!!!

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

OBAMA/BIDEN 2012 - typed with total confidence! : )

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

So why did you RINOs nominate the biggest liberal you could find, when you had Ron Paul within reach??

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

by EmpireGeorge______-- August 28, 2012 4:55 PM EDT
but yet, eating dog as a kid, not Obama's fault

-------------

He was 6, Empire. Good lord, you're reaching.

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

This is a post I copied about Romney: Publicly. First chance we saw that heart was when he was a young lad in a Michigan school for the rich, leading a bunch of bullies, tackled and pinned down this "odd' looking boy and cut his odd looking hair in front of schoolmates. Second time was when he held the door shut so a vision impaired teacher would slam into it....
------------------

: / People Please do not elect this Bully as our President! : (

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

It was actually the thought of someone holding a door shut so a blind person would slam into it........I can't get past that. That's cruelty. Cruel people are just plain cruel people. We don't need a person like that representing our country, or holding power over us.

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

Its nice to see our President on top of things before the disaster happens! Thank goodness he won't be waiting as long as Bush did after Katrina!

OBAMA/BIDEN 2012 : )

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

If it were OBAMA/CLINTON would you vote for it? ; )

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

Either way, we're getting a liberal president and a nutcase VP, no matter which of the two major parties win.

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

by Bad_Ranger August 28, 2012 1:30 PM EDT
Well I Damn sure ain't voting for Obama, fish --

Guess I ain't "evolved" yet!

HAR!
--------------------------
I thought you were voting for ZANN/RANGER ? ; )

Mornin Ranger! : )

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

Hey Ranger! : )

[scottpatrick1234]

Obama can't speak an intelligent word to save his life: "Don't tempt fate." What in the hell does that even mean?

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

Here ya go:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tempt+fate

..and...its not his fault you don't know what that means! ; )

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

Wow, scott. Seriously? You have never, ever, heard of "tempting fate"? Ahh, the dumbing down of America...

[creeper00]

Oh, isn't that great? He gives lip service to a looming disaster and then hits the campaign trail. Obama has found his real calling...money-grubber.