Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Obama on Isaac: Don't "tempt fate"

Obama(Credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/GettyImages)

(CBS News) President Obama on Tuesday urged resident of the Gulf Coast to heed the directions of local officials as they prepare for the arrival of Isaac, the tropical storm that's expected to reach hurricane strength and hit ground later in the day.

"Now is not the time to tempt fate," Mr. Obama said from the White House. "You need to take this seriously."

Under the president's direction, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials have been on the ground in the Gulf region for over a week, but "the hardest work is still ahead," Mr. Obama said.

"I'll continue to make sure the federal government is doing everything possible to help the American people prepare and recover from this dangerous storm," the president said.

Mr. Obama gave this reassurance to Gulf Coast residents before departing on a two-day campaign swing through college towns in three key swing states. College students were a key part of Mr. Obama's 2008 base -- one he hopes to re-energize this year.

Mr. Obama's decision to stay on the trail even as the storm approaches shows how seriously his campaign is taking Mitt Romney's candidacy. A new CBS News poll released Tuesday morning shows Mr. Obama leads by just one point -- 46 percent to 45 percent -- among registered voters who lean towards a candidate. Just 6 percent of voters are undecided.

The president will attend a rally at Iowa State University this afternoon, followed by an evening rally at Colorado State University. On Wednesday, he travels to the University of Virginia at Charlottesville.