Reid J. Epstein
Politico
8/30/2011
Where in the world was Chuck Schumer?
Hurrican Irene was a natural disaster aimed at the nation’s largest media market with days of warning, the perfect opportunity for politicians from jurisdictions large and small to appear on TV to issue safety warnings and, later, reassure constituents government is there to help.
But while Irene slammed New York, the state’s senior senator – well known for his love of the camera – could be found only on paper through the stream of press releases emanating from his indefatigable staff.
Schumer is vacationing in Europe.
“It is absolutely fascinating that he’s been gone,” said an aide to a Democratic member of the New York congressional delegation.
While the Catskills town of Prattsville was virtually wiped off the map and more than 500,000 people lost power on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley and Catskills regions upstate, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Gov. Andrew Cuomo conducted separate helicopter tours of damaged areas across New York, garnering glowing reviews in local papers. Gillibrand and Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) toured the flooded city of Troy Tuesday afternoon…
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