Did You Know...

**Written by Doug Powers

This just in from the “How many nightly newscasts would lead with this story if Bush were president” department:

I was fortunate enough to be in the pool of news photographers who accompanied the president on his tour of the devastation along the Jersey Shore, and among those who got to photograph [Donna] Vanzant’s presidential encounter.

I returned to Brigantine last week to see how she was doing.
[...]
Vanzant has been moved by the many kindnesses she received from friends, family and customers. She heard from countless people after the photograph of her hug with the president was published, including from strangers as far away as Vietnam who wished her well.

She said she was honored to meet Obama, but she is also frustrated that she has yet to receive help from either her insurance companies or the government. “The president told me I would get immediate help,” she said.

“Looking back on it, it wasted a lot of people’s time,” she said of the visit.

It’s getting so you can’t take a politician who shows up at the site of a natural disaster and makes promises shortly before a national election completely at his word anymore. In spite of what Ms. Vanzant might think, the president’s visit certainly wasn’t a “waste of people’s time” from the perspective of Team Obama. No word yet on if Jamie Foxx plans to accuse Vanzant of blasphemy over this bit of criticism.

Take note of who Vanzant says has been there for her so far, and who hasn’t, and then give another read to the New York Times’ post-Sandy editorial “Big storm requires big government.”

The original story and a photograph are still featured on the White House website.

(h/t Weasel Zippers)

**Written by Doug Powers

Twitter @ThePowersThatBe