Actually, to be fair, these sorts of disasters are "damned if you do, damned if you don't" sort of situations for Governors or Presidents; if you go into the disaster area, some critics will say the visit is a political grandstanding photo-op and the visitor is in the way of rescue efforts, etc.; if you don't go, then you are uncaring and insensitive, a viewpoint which is magnified if the area in question happens to be under the administration of an opposing party. Personally, given the advances in communication and audio/visual technology, I don't think it is entirely necessary for a Governor or President to actually go into a disaster area unless there is some sort of pressing need that can only be addressed personally, and those are few and rare. Not going does require some stringent oversight of the individuals or agencies overseeing the disaster relief efforts; we all remember how Dubbya was left with a red face when "Brownie" was found not to be doing such "a good job" after all...
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