Press jabs surround Obama’s first visit to Flint

It was a leak that didn’t involve water.

Word of President Barack Obama’s decision to visit Flint, Michigan, on Wednesday first surfaced last week. The Washington Post reported that partisan lines were drawn in the sand between the administration and Republican Gov. Rick Snyder’s reps:

The White House’s announcement of the visit last week, citing a written request from an 8-year-old girl , prompted renewed partisan finger-pointing among…Snyder, state Democrats and the Obama administration…Obama told a group of college reporters that his aim in Flint is to “shine a spotlight” on the threats to public health from aging infrastructure, including lead water pipes, across the country. He criticized “the people who were responsible for the health and safety” of Flint residents for “not carrying out their duties.” Snyder has apologized for the state-level missteps, but he has also faulted federal oversight agencies and expressed frustration at the Obama administration for not providing more federal funding.