McCain, Palin change plans, tour Cedar Rapids

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and his wife Cindy, walk up the steps of his campaign plane in Miami, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008, en route to Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa—John McCain and running mate Sarah Palin decided to go the extra five miles after all Thursday when local leaders grew upset that they were flying in and out for an airport rally with no plans to see the flood-damaged city.

The Republican duo went downtown, to see an estimated $1.3 billion in destruction lingering from June floods that swamped hundreds of city blocks and damaged thousands of homes and businesses. Many in the city say federal help has been slow; McCain and Palin agreed.

"The role of government in America, I say as a fiscal conservative, is to help Americans in a time of disaster," McCain said. "They have experienced a disaster and our assistance is overdue." Behind him stood a house stripped bare of its siding with a tattered American flag hanging from a wallboard.

Nearby homes were similarly abandoned, as a cat ran through empty streets, and wrecked washing machines and brush piles stood at the curb.

"Obviously there needs to be a more coordinated and expedited effort on government's part," Palin said. "Three months is too long for the people to have their lives put on hold, not knowing what will happen next."

Earlier, city officials and Republican leaders complained that McCain and Palin planned to stick to the airport rally on their way to Green Bay, Wis., where McCain had an interview scheduled with "60 Minutes" on CBS.

"I don't know if his advance team is making him aware that there are significant needs here," said Lee Clancey, a Republican and a former mayor coordinating flood recovery efforts.

"My preference would be for every member of Congress, every member of the U.S. Senate and every member of the Legislature to come over and visit," said state Rep. Kraig Paulsen, a Republican from nearby Hiawatha.

Both McCain and Democratic rival Barack Obama had been scheduled to campaign in Iowa just as flooding washed over much of the state. Gov. Chet Culver asked both candidates to cancel their plans to ensure police could focus on the flooding rather than be diverted to candidate security.

Obama canceled his trip to the Cedar Rapids area but McCain toured Columbus Junction, a severely flooded community in southeast Iowa. Later in the summer, Obama made stops in Cedar Rapids and met flood victims and local officials at the devastated Czech and Slovak Museum.

Most polls have given Obama an edge in the race for Iowa's seven electoral votes, although the state has been competitive in the last two presidential elections. Iowa backed Democrat Al Gore in 2000 and Republican President Bush in 2004.

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Associated Press Writer Nigel Duara contributed to this report from in Iowa City; Mike Glover reported from Des Moines.