From the AP:

Returning to Washington ahead of schedule also could insulate the president from criticism that he was on vacation during the crisis, and the return could be seen as a symbolic gesture to hurricane victims.

Are you kidding me? He was on vacation during the brunt of the crisis, when he wasn't out politicking.

And I'm sure symbolic gestures are exactly what the survivors are looking for. Sure there are likely hundreds dead, massive starvation, a public health nightmare and economic devastation, but they have a symbolic gesture from arguably the one man who could do the most to alleviate some of their suffering.

And these are states that overwhelmingly support the guy. Imagine his response if a tsunami hit the California coast.

We'd be seeing pictures of him singing duets with Kenny Chesney and giving his Social Security privatization stump speech to residents of a nursing home in Cheyenne.