[h=3]By JARED A. FAVOLE[/h]President Barack Obama is joining New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Wednesday to survey the damage left by superstorm Sandy along the casino-dotted coast of Atlantic City.
Mr. Christie, a longtime supporter of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, previously had been a critic of Mr. Obama's policies but has been effusive in his praise of the president's handling of Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey. The state is facing widespread power outages and likely billions of dollars in losses along its popular coastline.
REUTERSPresident Obama arrived in Atlantic City, N.J., to begin a tour of hard-hit areas with Gov. Chris Christie and FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate.
The trip, just days ahead of the presidential election, has handed Mr. Obama an opportunity to act presidential in a setting that rises above politics, even as it has kept him off the campaign trail for a third straight day.
The president plans to return to campaigning Thursday with visits to Wisconsin, Nevada and Colorado. Mr. Romney was campaigning Wednesday in Virginia.
Ahead of the New Jersey visit, Mr. Obama made a brief stop in Washington at the headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has been helping to coordinate response efforts throughout the Northeast.
FEMA Director Craig Fugate and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano briefed Mr. Obama and cabinet officials.
Vice President Joe Biden joined the conference via video. Mr. Biden, speaking in Sarasota, Fla., said the worst of Sandy has passed. He said rebuilding is sometimes the hardest part but everyone is pulling together to help. Still, in Mr. Obama's absence from politics, Mr. Biden has continued to deliver attacks on the GOP ticket.
Mr. Christie, who has given speeches on Mr. Romney's behalf and is considered a potential presidential candidate in 2016 if Mr. Romney loses, has lauded the Obama response to Sandy. "The president has been great," he said on MSNBC Tuesday. "The president has been all over this, and he deserves great credit."
New Jersey was hit particularly hard by the storm, which left millions of residents without power. Much of the Garden State's shore, popular not only among locals but also vacationers from the region, has been destroyed. Whole towns are flooded, homes are off their foundations and boats have floated onto front lawns. Mr. Christie called the damage "unthinkable" in an interview with Fox News Tuesday and said at a press conference that the destruction's toll would be in the billions of dollars.
Mr. Obama signed "major disaster" declarations for New Jersey and New York, which frees up federal resources to help assist in rebuilding efforts.
Mr. Christie, a longtime supporter of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, previously had been a critic of Mr. Obama's policies but has been effusive in his praise of the president's handling of Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey. The state is facing widespread power outages and likely billions of dollars in losses along its popular coastline.
REUTERSPresident Obama arrived in Atlantic City, N.J., to begin a tour of hard-hit areas with Gov. Chris Christie and FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate.
The trip, just days ahead of the presidential election, has handed Mr. Obama an opportunity to act presidential in a setting that rises above politics, even as it has kept him off the campaign trail for a third straight day.
The president plans to return to campaigning Thursday with visits to Wisconsin, Nevada and Colorado. Mr. Romney was campaigning Wednesday in Virginia.
Ahead of the New Jersey visit, Mr. Obama made a brief stop in Washington at the headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has been helping to coordinate response efforts throughout the Northeast.
FEMA Director Craig Fugate and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano briefed Mr. Obama and cabinet officials.
Vice President Joe Biden joined the conference via video. Mr. Biden, speaking in Sarasota, Fla., said the worst of Sandy has passed. He said rebuilding is sometimes the hardest part but everyone is pulling together to help. Still, in Mr. Obama's absence from politics, Mr. Biden has continued to deliver attacks on the GOP ticket.
Mr. Christie, who has given speeches on Mr. Romney's behalf and is considered a potential presidential candidate in 2016 if Mr. Romney loses, has lauded the Obama response to Sandy. "The president has been great," he said on MSNBC Tuesday. "The president has been all over this, and he deserves great credit."
New Jersey was hit particularly hard by the storm, which left millions of residents without power. Much of the Garden State's shore, popular not only among locals but also vacationers from the region, has been destroyed. Whole towns are flooded, homes are off their foundations and boats have floated onto front lawns. Mr. Christie called the damage "unthinkable" in an interview with Fox News Tuesday and said at a press conference that the destruction's toll would be in the billions of dollars.
Mr. Obama signed "major disaster" declarations for New Jersey and New York, which frees up federal resources to help assist in rebuilding efforts.