President Obama is coming to personally look at conditions and talk with the people of Flint, Michigan, a city dealing with the devastating effects of lead poisoning in its water supply. With everything else that’s going on, he might not be making this trip were it not for a special invitation.
Mr. President,
Hello my name is Mari Copeny and I’m 8 years old, I live in Flint, Michigan… I am one of the children that is effected by this water, and I’ve been doing my best to march in protest and to speak out for all the kids that live here in Flint. … I know this is probably an odd request but I would love for a chance to meet you or your wife. My mom said chances are you will be too busy with more important things, but … just a meeting from you or your wife would really lift people’s spirits. ...
Thank You Mari Copeny
Dear Mari,
Thank you for writing to me. You’re right that presidents are often busy, but the truth is, in America, there is no more important title than citizen. And I am so proud of you for using your voice to speak out on behalf of the children of Flint.
That’s why I want you to be the first to know I’ll be coming to visit Flint on May 4th.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama
But you know what, Mari? Some people are too busy.
Republican Gov. Rick Snyder said Wednesday it’s unlikely he would join the outgoing Democratic president in Flint.
“I’ve got a pretty full schedule next week. That’s not currently a day I’m scheduled to be in Flint,” Snyder said in a telephone interview with The Detroit News from Zurich, Switzerland, one of his stops in a week-long European trade mission.
So Snyder is not too busy to go on a week-long trip to Switzerland. Just too busy to check in on Flint.