Just a day after his speech at the Republican National Convention, Mitt Romney set off to New Orleans, Louisiana to survey the damage done by Hurricane Isaac. The GOP presidential nominee expressed that he "obviously [wanted] to draw attention [to New Orleans] so that people around the country know that people down here need help."
"I'm here to learn," Romney said plainly.
Romney met with Governor Bobby Jindal in the flooded Lafitte area of Jefferson Parish when the heat index almost hit 100 degrees and 500,000 homes were still without power and air conditioning, reports NBC News.
Isaac is thought to have inflicted between $700 million to $2 billion in damage, which failed to break any records. The storm produced up to 16 inches of rain in some areas, and prompted 500 boat rescues. So far, reports indicate that 5 people were killed in Louisiana and Mississippi, 24 in Haiti, and five in the Dominican Republic.
Harry Reid (D-Nev), Senate Majority Leader, questioned Romney's visit, stating that it was "at the height of hypocrisy" because Paul Ryan's budget plan would cut funding for disaster relief.
Ryan's spokesman Brendan Buck responded, expressing: "It's sad that some see these heartbreaking events as opportunities to distort [Ryan's] record and play politics."
"A Romney-Ryan administration will always ensure that disaster aid is there for those in need. Period."
On Monday, President Obama is expected to visit Louisiana as well.
Gov. Jindal was careful to not politicize the candidates' visits, stating: "We're thrilled to have both these leaders here...We are not talking politics."
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