President Obama views fire damage from aboard Air Force One as it flies over Colorado Springs, June 29 (Pete Souza)
….. greeting personnel at Fire Station No. 9 in Colorado Springs (Pete Souza)
More here
Posts Tagged ‘fires
30
Jun
12
Rise and Shine
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President Barack Obama visits with volunteers and evacuees at the YMCA serving as an evacuation center in Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs Gazette: After the Waldo Canyon fire exploded Tuesday night into a catastrophe that claimed two lives and destroyed 347 homes, a gloom descended on Colorado Springs … So I was pleasantly surprised to hear cheers and laughter Friday.
They erupted at the sight of President Obama at Fire Station 9 on Garden of the Gods Road …. most of the crowd was excited Obama was coming …. When a couple drunks stumbled up and started trash talking about Obama, several in the crowd quickly confronted them.
“Show some respect,” demanded Jack Martinez, who waited, camera in hand, to see the president of the United States …. “I’m glad he’s in town,” Martinez said as heads around him nodded agreement. “He should be here.”
….The doors of the black SUV with the presidential seal opened and Obama hopped inside. The crowd around me roared. Cheered. Hollered words of support …. I saw a soldier in camouflage on the curb snap to attention and salute as Obama drove past.
It was good to see the community smile again. No doubt, there will be more tears before this is over.
But I sensed the crowd was comforted to know we’re not alone. That our president cares. Our nation cares.
Full article here
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Denver Post: The mayor of this beleaguered city told reporters after President Barack Obama departed on Air Force One that he was thankful for the visit and described his two-and-a-half hours with the president during the tour of the Waldo Canyon Fire damage.
Air Force One was wheels up from Colorado Springs airport at 2:42 p.m. Afterward Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach said the firefighting effort “shows the power of federal, state and local governments working together.”
Bach was in the limo with Obama, Gov. John Hickenlooper and others for about 2 1/2 hours. He said the president was “very down to earth, very straightforward, smart, and wants to help.”
…. Bach said the mood in the limo was somber as they drove through Mountain Shadows. Obama was “very taken by what he saw.”
He described the president as “very engaging.” Bach said his most poignant memory of the visit will be that on several occasions Obama got out of car, came right up to engage the people and hugged them, thanking them.
“I think he was very sincere in that,” he said.
“It was more than a photo op for him. He clearly wanted to say to the people, the firefighters, ‘this matters and the country has your back.’ That means a lot.”
More here
Thanks LOL for links to both articles
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Morning everyone, chat away ;-)
29
Jun
12
This, That & The Other
President Barack Obama views fire damage with firefighters and elected officials in Colorado Springs, Colo., June 29, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
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Cagle
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… talking with Incident Commander Rich Harvey at Peterson Air Force Base
….. surveying fire damaged homes in the Mountain Shadow neighborhood
…. visiting volunteers and evacuees at an evacuation center at the YMCA’s Southeast Family Center in Colorado Springs
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Cagle
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OFA
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Nick Anderson
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Like any of those videos? Well, hint, hint, hint, hint, hint; nudge, nudge, nudge, nudge, nudge; wink, wink, wink, wink, wink; cough, cough, splutter, splutter:
TOD Fundraisers:
a4alice * Alycee * BWD * CollegeKay * Cookemom * DonnaDem4Obama
Hgerhard * HZ * Judith Fardig * Mae Who Love Our CIC
Marlz * Meta * Pamela *prettyfoot58 * proudmemberofglobalzero * Theo67 * The Obama Diary
29
Jun
12
Colorado
President Obama, Democratic Senator Michael Bennet and Republican Representative Doug Lamborn arrive at Colorado Springs Municipal Airport
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President Barack Obama welcomes Stephanie Decker, her husband Joe Decker, and children Reese and Dominic, to the Oval Office, June 29, 2012. Decker lost her legs while saving her two children during a tornado in southern Indiana in March. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
A Kentucky woman who lost both legs shielding her children from a tornado walked arm-in-arm with President Barack Obama into the Oval Office on Friday.
The visit by Stephanie Decker came just under four months after the twister wrecked her home in Henryville, Ky. She had tied a blanket around the children and thrown herself on top of them when falling debris crushed her legs.
… When not using a wheelchair, Decker, 37, is able to walk for extended periods using prosthetic limbs…. Decker was joined by her son Dominic, 9, daughter Reese, 6, and husband Joe, 42, for the Oval Office visit, which came just before Obama flew to Colorado to view damage from the state’s wildfires.
It followed a handwritten letter from Obama and a follow-up phone call from the President while she was in the hospital.
More here
White House.gov