Media

The Hill - Niall Stanage

President Obama visited tornado-hit Oklahoma on Sunday, telling residents that “we’ve got your back,” and vowing to help rebuild battered towns.

“I promise you, we keep our word,” said the president.

Obama toured the Oklahoma City area six days after a tornado killed 24 people, including 10 children, and wreaked massive destruction.

The Oklahoman - Phillip O'Connor

President Barack Obama came to Oklahoma on Sunday to comfort grieving families, laud the work of emergency responders and offer assurances that the nation stands ready to assist with recovery from last week's deadly tornadoes.

“I want to make sure everybody understands I'm speaking on behalf of the entire country,” Obama said during a brief stop at Plaza Towers Elementary School, where seven children died when a wall collapsed on top of them during the May 20 tornado.

The Oklahoman - Chris Casteel

President Barack Obama is heading to central Oklahoma on Sunday for a firsthand look at the devastation wrought by last week's tornadoes, and he plans to meet with victims and first responders.

The president will return to Washington on Sunday afternoon and is not scheduled to attend the memorial service in Moore being held that evening. The schedule released by the White House shows no public speaking event during his time in Oklahoma.

Tulsa World - Michael Overall

Forty-eight hours after the tornado, at precisely 3 p.m. Wednesday, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol officer cupped his hands over his mouth and yelled as loud as he could.

"OK, everybody. Let's go!"

Hundreds of people surged forward as officials reopened the devastated neighborhoods for the first time.

With everybody accounted for and President Barack Obama planning to visit on Sunday, the focus shifted from searching the rubble for bodies and survivors to sorting through it and cleaning it up.

The Oklahoman - Chris Casteel

The Republican-controlled U.S. House voted 241-175 on Wednesday to require the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to Nebraska. The vote was symbolic since the U.S. Senate, controlled by Democrats, is not likely going to consider the House bill. The U.S. State Department is currently analyzing TransCanada’s proposal to build the pipeline, and it’s not known when a decision will be announced.

Washington Times - David Sherfinski

Rep. Tom Cole, Oklahoma Republican, said Wednesday that he was confident Oklahoma will get the help it needs in the wake of the deadly tornado that swept through the state, adding that “these are awfully tough people, and we’ve done this before, sadly, so we’re pretty good at dealing with it.”

Mr. Cole, who for some time served as a groundskeeper at Plaza Towers Elementary School, which was destroyed by the disaster, said his family and neighbors were “very lucky.”