Some Trump supporters apparently think Obama was president during Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and surrounding areas in 2005, and it is widely considered a low point of George W. Bush's presidency. Barack Obama was elected president three years later, in 2008, and served from 2009 until January 2017. Just so we're all working from the same facts.
This has apparently been a thing on social media since Hurricane Harvey hit Texas last Friday. For some reason.
There was also at least one dig at Condoleezza Rice, Bush's secretary of state during Katrina, or as Bikergirl4trump identifies her here, Michelle Obama — who, again, wouldn't be first lady for another three and a half years.
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Other than shaking their heads, people with a grasp of recent history had some clever retorts:
And explanations for why this easily debunked falsehood matters:
And, well, friendly advice?
None of this is helping Houston or other Harvey-hit areas of Texas and Louisiana. Surely, Obama's to blame.
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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
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