Hurricane Sandy devastated a wide area of the East Coast only days before Election Day in 2012. President Obama suspended his campaign to travel through the affected states

It has been suggested that, far from losing momentum as a result, Obama actually gained support during this time. Why do you think this might be true? What impact do you think New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's support of Obama during this period might have had on undecided voters?

Answer: An ideal response will:
1. Discuss how the incumbent president has the ability to take action during times of crisis. President Obama was able to marshal governmental resources to deal with the crisis. The challenger does not have the same opportunities to take the same actions.
2. Discuss how Republican Governor Chris Christie's support of Obama demonstrated that President Obama could work with the opposing party, something that might have appealed to undecided voters. It also suggested that the president effectively handled the crisis. With a Republican commending his actions, it was difficult to dismiss the president's handling of the hurricane as something only Democrats would approve.