Even President Obama Plans to Hunker Down as Massive Snowstorm Targets East Coast
— -- President Obama once mocked Washington, D.C., for its inability to handle snowstorms, but even he is planning to stay inside as a potentially historic blizzard bears down on the town this weekend.
That's according to White House press secretary Josh Earnest, who was asked by ABC News' Jonathan Karl today how the president plans to weather the storm.
“My guess is the president will stay warm and toasty here inside the White House," Earnest said.
Despite the gridlock that crippled Washington on Wednesday night over less than two inches of snow, Earnest expressed confidence in the city's ability to manage this weekend's storm, despite some predictions calling for as much as two feet of snow.
“What seems to be the case is that local officials were a little surprised by the amount of snow that the region received last night,” Earnest responded. “I feel confident based on all of the reporting that all of you are doing that they will not be surprised about the amount of snow that will be hitting the region starting tomorrow.”
President Obama's return home Wednesday evening from a trip to Detroit was significantly delayed when it was decided he would take the motorcade home instead of his helicopter Marine One as a result of snowfall.
While a print reporter inside the motorcade reported the press van bumping into curbs and passing several accidents as it moved through a traffic jam, Earnest insisted the option to drive was safer.
“Obviously, the president was being driven in a heavy SUV with a highly trained professional driver at the wheel and surrounded by a number of other vehicles as well,” Earnest said. “The assessment that was made by the president’s team, including the military and the Secret Service, is that driving home from Andrews would be much safer than flying home from Andrews on a helicopter.”
