KOKOMO, Ind. (AP) – In a dramatic, made-for-camera arrival, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence stepped off a Blackhawk helicopter to tour tornado-damaged neighborhoods Thursday, giving out hugs and promising swift assistance a day after several twisters touched down.
The people of this city about an hour north of Indianapolis, where a tornado toppled a Starbucks coffee shop and tore apart homes, were grateful for the attention.
“It means a lot that they are taking time out of their schedules,” said Heidi Otiker, who was clearing debris from her yard when Pence stopped by with TV crews and reporters. If he stayed away, she said, it would have cost him votes: “If you can’t come out and support us in our time of need, why should we support you in your time of need?”
The Republican vice presidential candidate’s decision to quickly leave the campaign trail came just days after he and running mate Donald Trump harshly criticized Obama for delaying a tour of devastating Louisiana flooding until after his vacation, and it underscores the political perils of not showing up for disasters.
Politicians who don’t make an appearance risk angering voters or giving opponents a line of attack.