As President Obama has come under fire for refusing to cut short his vacation to travel to Louisiana to support victims of a historic flood there, a 2007 Hillary Clinton campaign ad has resurfaced in which the then-New York senator criticized President Bush for his response to Hurricane Katrina.
“And if you’re stuck on a rooftop or stranded in the Superdome during a hurricane, you’re invisible to this president even when you’re on CNN,” Clinton said in the ad, which ran in South Carolina in Sept. 2007.
According to a CNN article published at the time, Clinton targeted black voters with the ad. It aired after then-Illinois Sen. Obama aired a similar spot.
The ad resurfaces as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump visits Louisiana, where 13 people have died and thousands have been displaced due to heavy flooding in the state. (RELATED: Trump Visits Louisiana, Clinton Says State Needs ‘No Distractions’)
Neither Clinton nor Obama plan to visit the region. Obama is vacationing in Martha’s Vineyard, where he has golfed several times.
Clinton issue a statement on Friday, just as Trump was arriving to survey the flood damage. She did not, however, criticize Obama for continuing his vacation.
“My heart breaks for Louisiana, and right now, the relief effort can’t afford any distractions. The very best way this team can help is to make sure Louisianans have the resources they need,” she said in a statement.
In addition to Clinton and Obama, many Democrats criticized Bush for what they said was a tepid response to Hurricane Katrina and subsequent flooding. More than 1,200 died during the natural disaster. As the Clinton radio ad suggested, Bush’s Democratic critics portrayed him as racist for his allegedly slow response.
[h/t Morgenr]