While the crowd of 1,000 booed opening marks by Michigan governor, Rick Snyder, they cheered Obama, whose administration previously gave $5 million to Flint to help solve the water crisis.
David Nakamura of the Washington Post reports that during the rally:
Obama announced modest additional resources — a $10 million allocation from Health and Human Services for new Medicare facilities, including $1 million to test and treat residents for lead poisoning or other complications from the water.
“I understand why you’re frustrated,” Obama said said during his speech. “You didn’t create the problem. Government failed you.”
Later, he added, “Our goal here is to use this moment in which everybody’s attention is focused to see if we can start rebuilding Flint in a better direction,” Obama told the crowd. “I’m confident we are going to do that if we are all working together.”
Top image via the AP, White House image via Pete Souza’s Instagram.
