Ari Fleischer, former President George W. Bush's press secretary, Wednesday said President Donald Trump's visit to Texas gave them hope at a difficult time, especially when he appeared before a crowd in Corpus Christi, praised Texans, and waved a state flag.
"By my account, there were three or four events yesterday, and that impromptu event was the most natural and comes from the heart," Fleischer, now a Fox News contributor, told the "Fox & Friends" program. "When the president comes to visit, they're tired, and he gives them a hope of inspiration. Texans love to be praised, and he did it."
His words were different than on Tuesday, he criticized the president for not offering words of empathy in his first appearance discussing the flood with other federal, state, and local officials.
"There was something missing from what President Trump said, I hope he will say it later [Tuesday]: That's the empathy for the people who suffer," Fleischer had commented.
On Wednesday, however, he said Trump's actions showed he was on top of the situation, and matters were organized ahead of the storm.
"This president, he's very in-control," said Fleischer. "He is very structured; he is organizational. There's another element, and it's a motive. His strength is to command, control, getting it done, and frankly, that helps the people on the ground."
Even if Trump doesn't immediately connect to victims, "you know it's in his heart," said Fleischer. "I think that's clear about this president. It strengthens him if he adds that element to it, and says it directly, and he says my heart is with you."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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