Standing amid the rubble in Joplin, Mo., a week after a devastating tornado killed at least 130 people, President Obama vowed a "national response" to help the town get back on its feet.
Obama spent the afternoon touring the storm-ravaged town, viewing the destruction and speaking with survivors, before speaking at a memorial service for the victims.
"We'll be with you every step of the way," Obama told the crowd, who treated the president to multiple standing ovations, at the memorial service being held at Missouri Southern State University. "We're not going anywhere.... That's not just my promise. That's America's promise."
According to White House pool reports, Obama said the damage was as devastating as what he witnessed in Tuscaloosa, Ala., which was also pounded by a tornado in late April.
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