COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa, June 19, 2008
McCain Tours Flood-Damaged Iowa
Presumptive GOP Nominee Flew to State Same Day As President Bush; They Do Not Cross Paths
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Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, accompanied by Louisa County, Iowa Sheriff Curt Brady, tours the flooded area in Columbus Junction, Iowa, Thursday, June 19, 2008. (AP)
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Play CBS Video Video On The Scene: Midwest Floods Along the rising Mississippi river it's a race to protect homes and businesses. CBS News correspondents report from Iowa and Missouri, and Maggie Rodriguez talks to an Iowa family.
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Video Mississippi Rising The swollen Mississippi River is moving the floodwaters that ravaged Iowa downstream into Illinois and Missouri, where residents are bracing for the worst. Cynthia Bowers reports.
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Video Flood Takes Toll On Businesses As residents along the Mississippi rush to save homes and businesses, the rest of Iowa has moved on to recovering whatever didn't wash away. Drew Levinson has the latest.
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Photo Essay Rivers Overwhelm Midwest String of towns along the Mississippi feel mighty river's wrath; Cedar and Iowa rivers also torment.
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Photo Essay Rising Rivers, Rising Concern Sandbagged levee protects Iowa town, but others fail, more rain in forecast.
"I know I speak for all of America. We'll do everything necessary to try to rebuild their lives," the Republican presidential candidate said of residents of a town of 1,900 at the confluence of the Cedar and Iowa Rivers.
The town experienced record flooding in recent days, and although the waters have begun to recede, National Guard trucks blocked access to washed-out roads and the municipal water system had not yet been returned to operation.
McCain peppered Mayor Dan Wilson with questions as they walked through town looking at the damage. Wilson said tens of thousands of sandbags had been filled to create makeshift levees that prevented flooding from being worse.
"So you lost the battle but you won the war," said the Arizona senator, looking out at a department store, day care center and motel partly under water.
In another section of town, a shed lay on its top in muddy floodwaters in a store parking lot. Although the water is receding, what is left will have to be pumped out because its return to the river is blocked by permanent levees built after floods struck the area in 1993.
McCain flew to Iowa the same day as President Bush — although the two did not cross paths — and as the White House and key House leaders agreed on $2.7 billion as a down payment for federal flood relief.
Sen. Barack Obama, who will be McCain's rival in the fall campaign for the White House, went to Quincy, Ill., last week, where he helped fill sandbags before the flooding there.
Flooding was visible from McCain's plane as he flew into Burlington, astride the Mississippi River and about an hour's drive from Columbus Junction.
His first stop was at a town hall, where a sign cautioned volunteers about avoiding heat-related illnesses.
The senator also chatted briefly with local health care professionals whose offices have been flooded. "I hope we can get you back in business right away, right away. Whatever assistance you need I'm sure you will get," he said.
McCain also praised the work of volunteers who had filled the sandbags and taken other measures to protect the town.
"Thank you for your courage. Thank you for your service," he said.
He said the town would need long-term and short-term help. "There's a lot of cleanup that needs to be done. There's a lot of water that needs to be pumped out. They've conquered and recovered from the immediate effects but there are long-term effects," he said, adding that state, local and federal assistance would be needed.
For all the damage, though, Sheriff Curt Braby told McCain another town in Louisa County had taken a worse blow. "Oakville is still under water. We have a lot of roads that need to be rebuilt," he said.
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- "I know I speak for all of America. We''ll do everything necessary to try to rebuild their lives," the Republican presidential candidate said of residents of a town of 1,900 at the confluence of the Cedar and Iowa Rivers.,,,,,
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Sounds like he is using Bush''s speech writers and Karl Rove''s advice as well. How familiar does the above sound? Anyone remember the empty Bush promises and Katrina? - Reply to this comment
- Posted by TiredoftheBS: And you losers making jokes about depends can only dream of accomplishing what he has (and having a trophy wife). Get you some business, stop playa hatin, and show some respect!
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Do you mean accomplishments like crashing 5 of our planes or accomplishments like not going to jail and understanding how to take advantage and game the system (using taxpayers money) to bail him out and keep himself out of jail after the Keating 5 fiasco? - Reply to this comment
- "article doesnt mention anyone named mcbushes...what planet are you on? "
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Posted by jamesm12341
"make up your mind...is it mcsame or mcbush? either way it just proves how juvenile you are."
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Posted by jamesm12341
Are you "fairand"''s post editor?
Mccain is getting tutored on how to be president from george bush. Show up five days late and make a photo-op, make a promise , leave and forget about it. Lets hear it for the third term of mcbush! - Reply to this comment
- nice of the McBushes to show up for their photo shoot 5 days after Obama rolled up his sleeves and helped with sandbags.
- Reply to this comment
- Iowa Govenor asked McCain to not come at this time and he showed up for the photo op anyway. Iowa is too strained for resources now.
Iowa governor did the same for Obama who obliged.
McSame voted AGAINST funding on the projects for the Des Moines river which would have helped against these floods. calling them pork.
McBush is at it again! what an exploitive opportunist. no way should he be allowed anywhere near the Presidency. it would truly be a disaster for this country! - Reply to this comment
- Well that''''s a good way to look at things. But what if McCain croaks before the election? Posted by dragonwagon5
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What if Obama is assassinated? We can play what ifs, but either way it will be funny hearing you LIBs whine. - Reply to this comment
- I will get a laugh no matter what, because -
1. If Obama wins - all the Liberal whiners on here will complain about all the taxes
2. McCain wins and all the Liberal whiners come out in force for a collective crying session.
Either way - it will be funny. - Reply to this comment
- n interesting note on this, is that both Obama and McCain had Iowa campaign stops planned prior to the flooding. The governor of Iowa made requests to both candidates to cancel their planned visit because he didn''''t want to divert any resources away from victims in order to provide security and transportation for them. Obama complied, but as you can see, McCain just showed up anyway. He is so much like Bush. Bull headed and going to do whatever he wants, no one is going to tell him anything, come h ell, or in this case "high water." Points to Obama on this one.
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If the above is true, then it should be featured in the media.
Question - What possible tangible good did McCain''s visit do? - Reply to this comment
- Pointing his finger like that is probably really helping.
- Reply to this comment
- -Look at McCane''s picture in top of page. Is he not ugly? Ouch! Mamma!
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-Posted by SgtRDS-E4 at 09:58 PM : Jun 19, 2008,
Yer post was so funny! - Reply to this comment
- And you losers making jokes about depends can only dream of accomplishing what he has (and having a trophy wife). Get you some business, stop playa hatin, and show some respect!
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Posted by TiredoftheBS at 09:45 PM : Jun 19, 2008
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I agree with you completely, tired. I am tired of it too. I will not vote for McCain, but these goofy comments about his age, his wife, etc., are so juvinile. He had to endure that from the Republicans in 2000 and now from bloggers in 2008. At least the Democratic party proper have not stooped to the tactics that his own party used on him in 2000. I will vote for Obama, I think he is the better candidate, but I would never disrespect John McCain. Disagree with him on issues, raise cain about his flip-flopping and his positions, yes. It is unfortunate that a lot of juvenile delinquents hang around the message board! :o) - Reply to this comment
- An interesting note on this, is that both Obama and McCain had Iowa campaign stops planned prior to the flooding. The governor of Iowa made requests to both candidates to cancel their planned visit because he didn''t want to divert any resources away from victims in order to provide security and transportation for them. Obama complied, but as you can see, McCain just showed up anyway. He is so much like Bush. Bull headed and going to do whatever he wants, no one is going to tell him anything, come h ell, or in this case "high water." Points to Obama on this one.
- Reply to this comment
- Male, Ages Between 45-59 and thats it !!!
No Senior Citizens...No Senior Citizens, at all.
McCain is Too Old an We All Know it.
Noone knows when Reagan was Truly Effected with Alzheimers and You just don`t all of a sudden aquire this disease.
Alzheimers & Dementia is a Gradual Declining of the Mind.
A Career Flip Flopping, Elitist Senator, who left his 1st Wife, when he Tripped, Slipped & Fell Deep into some Rich Young, Drug Addicted...Pu$$y !!
Does`nt take much Experience to do what he did !!!
Presidents should be ages 45-59 (Only)
OK You Mccain Lovers, Volunteer to have Nuclear Power Plants in or around your Neighborhoods, or live with the knowledge, that your Neighborhood`s will be a ..
(Nuclear War Target, if World War 3 Occurs) !!!
Not to mention your Offspring being born with 2 Heads and Your Families being Plagued with Brain Cancer or Various forms of Cancer !!
Oh, an the Sweet yet Slightly Nuclear Tainted Water, you`ll be Drinking for Generations, as well as the Fish & Wildlife we`ll all be Consuming...Hmmm Hmmm Good Eating & Drinking.
By all means.....Vote McCain - Reply to this comment
- These poor people! First the awful flood, then Bush and now McCain! Haven''t they suffered enough?!? How can they be expected to have to deal with three disasters in a row?
- Reply to this comment
- Posted by TiredoftheBS: And you losers making jokes about depends can only dream of accomplishing what he has (and having a trophy wife). Get you some business, stop playa hatin, and show some respect!
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That Pasty Pale Bleach Blond, Drug Addict is a Trophy Wife !!!
Man get some Bi-Focals...Quick !!!
That Heffa looks like a Stepford Wife, all you have to do is inplement the chip and she`ll do anything you say.
Hahahaha !!!
And McCain looks like the Dirty Ole man that looks at underage teens and frequents Teenage Websites.
We`ll probably find a tape of him, with Chris Hansen, on NBC`s `To Catch a Predator` !! - Reply to this comment
- Posted by TiredoftheBS: And you losers making jokes about depends can only dream of accomplishing what he has (and having a trophy wife). Get you some business, stop playa hatin, and show some respect!
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That Pasty Pale Bleach Blond, Drug Addict is a Trophy Wife !!!
Man get some Bi-Focals...Quick !!!
That Heffa looks like a Stepford Wife, all you have yo do is inplement the chip and she`ll do anything you say.
Hahahaha !!!
And McCain looks like the Dirty Ole man that looks at underage teens and frequents Teenage Websites.
We`ll probably find a tape of him, with Chris Hansen, on NBC`s `To Catch a Predator` !! - Reply to this comment
- A Career Flip Flopping, Elitist Senator, who left his 1st Wife, when he Tripped, Slipped & Fell Deep into some Rich Young, Drug Addicted...Pu$$y !!
Does`nt take much Experience to do what he did !!!
Presidents should be ages 45-59 (Only)
OK You Mccain Lovers, Volunteer to have Nuclear Power Plants in or around your Neighborhoods, or live with the knowledge, that your Neighborhood`s will be a ..
(Nuclear War Target, if World War 3 Occurs) !!!
Not to mention your Offspring being born with 2 Heads and Your Families being Plagued with Brain Cancer or Various forms of Cancer !!
Oh, an the Sweet yet Slightly Nuclear Tainted Water, you`ll be Drinking for Generations, as well as the Fish & Wildlife we`ll all be Consuming...Hmmm Hmmm Good Eating & Drinking.
By all means.....Vote McCain - Reply to this comment
- A salesman once told me "no one EVER went broke under-estimating the STUPIDITY of the American public". After seeing some of the posts in these forums, I can see why he had that opinion! The next president has a monumental task before him. I would HOPE that people are not STUPID enough to believe that AGE really is a factor. After all, most people (NOT ME!) think REAGAN did a good job, and he was senile! John McCain has an excellent record as a US SENATOR. And you losers making jokes about depends can only dream of accomplishing what he has (and having a trophy wife). Get you some business, stop playa hatin, and show some respect!
- Reply to this comment
- Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, accompanied by Louisa County, Iowa Sheriff Curt Brady, tours the flooded area in Columbus Junction, Iowa, Thursday, June 19, 2008. (AP)
What the pic didn''t say
As John M pointed and said
Da Plane
I like John just joking - Reply to this comment
- Well, with those "depends", McCain does know a lot about leaking and water control. Maybe he CAN help.
- Reply to this comment
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
