White House homeland security adviser Tom Bossert has developed a sunny plan for a public relations push on the federal response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, even as less than half of the island has access to clean drinking water.
The plan, obtained by Axios, shows Bossert has targeted the coming week for a new push on communicating a rosy outlook on the response to a public that is becoming increasingly skeptical of the administration’s response to the devastation on the island.
“I hope to turn the corner on our public communications,” Bossert wrote in the Saturday memo.
“I recommend that today and tomorrow we use the general theme of supporting the governor and standing with the people of Puerto Rico to get them food, water, shelter and emergency medical care. Monday and Tuesday we can pivot hopefully to a theme of stabilizing as we address temporary housing and sustaining the flow of commodities and basic government services, including temporary power.”
“After that we focus on restoration of basic services throughout next week and next weekend. Then we start a theme of recovery planning for the bright future that lies ahead for Puerto Rico. Planned hits, tweets, tv bookings and other work will limit the need for reactionary efforts.”
According to Bossert’s memo, 59 of the country’s 69 hospitals are “partially operational” and just one hospital is fully operational. He wrote 45 percent of customers have access to clean drinking water, half of the grocery and big box stores are open and food is still being distributed by the federal government.
Bossert said it’s important during the public relations push for White House officials to remember it’s not their fault Puerto Rico is in dire straits.
“The storm caused these problems, not our response to it. We have pushed about as much stuff and people through a tiny hole in as short a timeframe as possible,” he wrote.
Hurricane Maria rolled through the island about a week-and-a-half ago and Bossert wrote “lack of power and the persistent commodity distribution problems on the island are major focuses right now.”
“This is still an urgent situation,” he wrote.
However, that doesn’t mean the administration will immediately press Congress for more funding and federal aid for the island.
Bossert said that effort could wait a couple weeks.
“In mid October, Mick (Mulvaney, White House budget director) and Marc (Short, White House legislative director) will lead the effort to the Hill for more funds for emergency work, recovery programs and other offsets, and to replenish and hopefully reform the flood insurance program,” he wrote. “In the meantime, we have plenty of ready money and another $6+ billion will be released to FEMA October 1st as part of our last supplemental deal.”
