Ava Romero
There were rumors circulating on Twitter that former US President Barack Obama was golfing during Hurricane Katrina. However, these claims are false. Obama was not the president at the time of Hurricane Katrina in 2005—he was sworn into office for the first time in 2009. Obama was the newly elected senator for Illinois at the time of the hurricane and traveled to meet Katrina evacuees in Houston, Texas.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of claim | August 29, 2017 |
| Hurricane | Katrina |
| Location | New Orleans |
| Obama's role | Senator for Illinois |
| Obama's actions | Met Katrina evacuees in Houston, Texas; toured the devastated areas with Bill Clinton; became an outspoken critic of Bush's response |
| Truth of claim | False |
| Source of claim | Twitter bots and real Twitter accounts |
| Purpose of claim | To deflect criticism from Trump's response to Hurricane Harvey |
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What You'll Learn
Obama was not president during Hurricane Katrina
It is a fact that Obama was not president during Hurricane Katrina. Katrina hit in 2005, and Obama was sworn into office for the first time in 2009. At the time of the hurricane, Obama was the newly-elected senator for Illinois. He travelled to meet Katrina evacuees in Houston, Texas, and toured the devastated areas with Bill Clinton.
Despite this, the claim that Obama was golfing during the hurricane has been spread on Twitter, with some users criticising him for his response to the crisis. However, Twitter bots and fake accounts have been blamed for spreading misinformation, and one source suggests that these rumours are often more widely spread than real news. Twitter Trails, a system that examines the spread and validity of stories on Twitter, found that the propagation of the story that Obama was golfing during Katrina was insignificant, and in general, people were hesitant about the information.
In response to the claims, one Twitter user pointed out that Obama was not president at the time of Katrina, and therefore could not have been responsible for the government response to the disaster. Another user expressed concern about the number of adults who believe this to be true.
The rumour that Obama was golfing during Katrina is not the only false story about the former president to have spread online. One Twitter user claimed to be disappointed in how Obama handled not just Katrina, but also the Civil War and the Great Depression. Another source points out that this kind of misinformation can be dangerous, as people make decisions based on the information available to them, and when enough people believe false information, it can affect everyone.
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Obama was golfing during the Louisiana floods
There were rumours circulating on Twitter that former US President Barack Obama was golfing during the Louisiana floods. The ex-Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) director criticized Obama for this, stating that the president needed to speak to the American people and get off the golf course during such a crisis.
However, it is important to note that these claims were not true. Obama was not the president during Hurricane Katrina, which occurred in 2005. He was elected president in 2008 and took office in 2009. During the hurricane, Obama was the senator for Illinois, and he travelled to meet Katrina evacuees and toured the devastated areas.
The rumours about Obama golfing during the hurricane were spread by Twitter bots and retweeted by real Twitter accounts. Despite the misinformation, many people believed the rumours, with some even criticising Obama for his response to the hurricane. This highlights the impact of fake news and how it can shape people's perceptions and decisions.
While it is understandable that people may want to hold the government accountable during crises, it is crucial to separate fact from fiction. In this case, the rumours about Obama's golfing activities during the Louisiana floods were simply not true.
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Trump supporters spread the rumour
The rumour was spread primarily by Twitter bots or fake accounts, but it was also repeated by real people, including Trump supporters. One tweet from @Lynchburged in 2017 read: "u guys are so quick to criticize Trump. Where was Obama when Hurricane Katrina hit… oh yeah, he was playing golf for 3 days!! … SAD!!". Another tweet from @timetoretire in the same year said: "Where was Obama during hurricane Katrina? Oh wait let me answer for you. He was golfing and vacationing. ... Where were you when Katrina hit? Oh that's right you were busy playing golf".
The propagation of this story was insignificant, and in general, people were hesitant about the information presented. However, the rumour is part of a broader pattern of misinformation spread by Trump supporters and right-wing media to deflect criticism from Trump's handling of disasters such as Hurricane Harvey.
It is also worth noting that Obama was criticised for golfing during the 2016 Louisiana floods, which killed at least 13 people and affected over 100,000 people. The ex-FEMA Chief Brown stated that Obama should have "get [ten] off the golf course" during the crisis, as it sent the wrong message to the American people.
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Obama's response to Katrina
It is a widely circulated claim that Barack Obama was golfing during Hurricane Katrina. However, this is misinformation, as Obama was not even president at the time of the hurricane in 2005. Instead, George W. Bush was the president during the hurricane, and Obama was the senator for Illinois.
In 2012, Obama sought to avoid comparisons between his response to Hurricane Sandy and the Bush administration's response to Katrina. While the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) response to Sandy was generally praised, there were still issues with fuel shortages and permanent housing for displaced people. Obama's administration dispatched FEMA workers to inform survivors about the help available to them.
When Obama visited New Orleans in 2015 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, he had kept many of his promises to the city. He had helped to secure nearly $71 billion in federal funds to help the region rebuild and boost the economy. However, the city's poorest residents still struggled to access housing assistance funds, public transportation, and healthcare.
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Fake news and misinformation
In 2017, Twitter users and news outlets reported that then-President Donald Trump was facing criticism for his response to Hurricane Harvey. In response, Twitter bots and real Twitter accounts began spreading misinformation that Barack Obama was playing golf during Hurricane Katrina. These tweets implied that Obama was president at the time and responsible for the government's response to the disaster. However, this is false, as Obama was not the president during Hurricane Katrina in 2005; George W. Bush was.
The propagation of this story was insignificant, and people were generally hesitant about the information. Nevertheless, it highlights the impact of fake news and misinformation on social media. Twitter bots and retweets from real accounts can spread unsubstantiated rumors, sometimes even further than real news. This particular rumor was deemed doubtful by Snopes, a fact-checking website. Despite the misinformation, some Trump supporters continued to spread the narrative that Obama was golfing during the hurricane, demonstrating the persistence of fake news even in the face of corrections.
The spread of misinformation is not limited to social media. A BuzzFeed analysis found that, during the 2016 election, the top 20 fake election stories on Facebook received more engagement than the top 20 real election news stories. This shows that people's decisions can be influenced by false information, affecting not just individuals but also the broader society.
The Obama golfing story also demonstrates the use of "what-about-ism," a tactic to distract, delay, and defuse criticism by changing the subject. In this case, Trump supporters used the false narrative about Obama to deflect criticism of Trump's response to Hurricane Harvey. Additionally, it shows how a lie can spread quickly, especially with the help of bots, which are web programs that can interact with computer systems and humans. While some bots may have mischievous intentions, it is important to note that not all bots are bad, and some can be useful, such as those used by TwitterTrails to examine the spread and validity of stories on Twitter.
To combat misinformation, individuals can act as human fact-checkers among their social media feeds, correcting misinformation where they find it. Additionally, fact-checking websites like Snopes play a crucial role in verifying information and providing accurate information to the public. By being vigilant and critical of the information we encounter, we can help reduce the impact of fake news and misinformation.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Obama was not golfing during Hurricane Katrina. When the hurricane hit in 2005, Obama was not yet president; he was the senator for Illinois and travelled to meet Katrina evacuees in Houston, Texas.
The misconception that Obama golfed during Hurricane Katrina is partly due to Twitter bots and retweets from real Twitter accounts spreading misinformation. Some Trump supporters also spread this false information to deflect criticism of Trump's response to Hurricane Harvey.
Yes, Obama was criticized by the former Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) director for golfing during flash flooding in Louisiana in 2016.
No, according to CBS White House correspondent Mark Knoller, who tracks presidential golfing days, Trump's golfing days outnumbered Obama's in the first year of their respective presidencies (21 to 11).
