Obama calls Rhode Island governor to offer help as state copes with aftermath of flooding

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Obama offers help to Rhode Island governor

BOSTON — President Barack Obama on Thursday promised Rhode Island’s governor that the federal government will help the state clean up the damage caused by devastating floods, the governor’s office said.

Obama called Gov. Don Carcieri during the president’s trip to New England, and the two spoke for about five minutes, said Amy Kempe, a spokeswoman for Carcieri.

Kempe said the governor appreciated the call and was not bothered that the president made an unannounced stop earlier in the day to Massachusetts without also visiting Rhode Island.

Flooding has caused havoc across much of New England but hit Rhode Island the hardest. Carcieri said the flooding is unprecedented in the state’s history.

During a daylong trip to New England built around a health care speech and two Democratic fundraisers, Obama stopped at the state emergency management headquarters in Framingham, Mass., for a briefing on recovery efforts in that state.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and a top FEMA official will be visiting Rhode Island on Friday on behalf of the administration.

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Associated Press writer Eric Tucker in Providence, R.I., contributed to this report.