Donald Trump and his running mate Mike Pence traveled to Baton Rouge on Friday to visit flood victims and relief crews and survey damage from the catastrophic flooding that has killed 13 people and displaced thousands across South Louisiana. 
 
 In a speech in Michigan Friday evening, Trump talked about his "tour of the suffering and devastation in Louisiana." 
 
 "We mourn for the lives lost, and we pledge our help, comfort and support to every last person in need. To the people of Louisiana: We are with you, and we will always be with you," he said. "In my visit, I saw not only the suffering of our people, but also their strength, courage and unbeatable spirit. Their spirit will overcome." 
 
 The GOP presidential nominee's campaign was largely mum on Trump's rather spontaneous visit -- with word only circulating late Thursday night and no formal acknowledgement. 
 
 President Barack Obama has faced criticism for not traveling to Louisiana since the flood to view the damage first-hand. He later announced that he will travel to Baton Rouge on Tuesday. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign has not announced plans to visit Louisiana. 
 
 In a post on Facebook, Clinton said she had been in touch with Edwards and she urged people to donate to flood relief efforts. But her campaign has not announced plans to travel to Louisiana. 
 
 "My heart breaks for Louisiana, and right now, the relief effort can't afford any distractions," she wrote. "The very best way this team can help is to make sure Louisianans have the resources they need. 
 
 "These are our friends, our family members, our community — and they’re counting on us to reach out with open arms right now," she added. 
 
 Trump was greeted by several Louisiana Republicans when his "Trump"-emblazoned private jet landed at the Baton Rouge Airport shortly after 9 a.m., including Congressmen Steve Scalise and Garret Graves, Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser and Attorney General Jeff Landry. 
 
 +2 Louisiana's Republican delegation casts votes at GOP Convention Louisiana status as the "sportsman's paradise" was touted during the roll call at the GOP Co… 
 
 Gov. John bel Edwards, a Democrat, said Thursday night that he had not been notified of Trump's plans to visit. 
 
 "Donald Trump hasn't called the governor to inform him of his visit. We welcome him to LA, but not for a photo-op," the governors office said in a statement. "Instead we hope he'll consider volunteering or making a sizable donation to the LA Flood Relief Fund to help the victims of this storm." 
 
 Edwards has also defended Obama's decision not to travel here yet, saying that it would be a drain on resources. 
 
 Trump traveled across flood-ravaged areas through East Baton Rouge, Livingston and Ascension parishes, where piles of debris -- water-logged couches, mattresses, baby cribs, televisions and other items -- line the roadway. 
 
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 Outside Greenwell Springs Baptist Church, Trump supporters wearing T-shirts and hats with his name emblazoned on them, waited for his arrival and cheered as he walked around surveying flood relief efforts there. 
 
 "We knew you would be here for us," people in the crowd shouted, winning his attention. 
 
 Trump waved and then went into the crowd to sign autographs and shake hands. 
 
 "I came here to help," he said. 
 
 Jeff Nolan of Denham Springs said he lost his home in the flood. As Trump approached the crowd, Nolan had the real estate mogul sign the back of his shirt. 
 
 "The only thing I've got left is my truck," Nolan said. "But material things can be replaced." 
 
 Already a Trump supporter, Nolan said it meant "everything" to him that the presidential candidate was there to see the damage and relief efforts first-hand. 
 
 "Trump is the man," he said. "He's the real deal." 
 
 Nolan said he supports Trump because he's a straight shooter who isn't worried about being politically correct. 
 
 "America needs to wake up," he said. "And don't let the Hispanic votes take the election." 
 
 Rae Anne Antoone of Central said she lost everything in the flood. Her home took on four feet of water and she estimated that 85 percent of her family has been affected. 
 
 "When we heard Donald Trump was coming, no one could keep us away," Antoone said. 
 
 She said she hasn't watched TV in several days but she was confident that Trump would visit Louisiana if he knew about the damage here. She was among the group yelling for Trump to come over to the crowd, and she was proud that she got a chance to shake his hand. 
 
 +2 Hillary Clinton 'closely monitoring' flooding in Louisiana Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Tuesday said via social media that she's … 
 
 "I knew he would come," she said. "I feel like I know him, and now I feel like he knows me." 
 
 Her husband, Eric, got Trump's autograph on his hat. A small business owner, Eric Antoone said he wants to start a new business to help with the clean-up from the flood. He had hoped to speak to Trump directly about his plan and pitch a potential reality TV show based around it, but he didn't get a chance in the brief exchange. 
 
 "It's just so much more than they realize," he said. 
 
 Later in St. Amant, Trump thanked first responders and others at an emergency operations center in hard-hit Ascension Parish. 
 
 "Great job, great job fellas," Trump told national guardsmen, shaking hands in a brief stop. 
 
 James LeBlanc, chief of the St. Amant Volunteer Fire Department, said he lost everything in the flood. 
 
 "My heart is completely shattered, but my faith is strong," he said. "This is Day 8 and the St. Amant community still has 30 percent of its residents underwater." 
 
 He said visits by Trump and other high-profile officials "means more to people than anything." 
 
 "It means so much to the people living here that the word is out that we were heavily impacted." 
 
 Nungesser said he also appreciated the attention from Trump. 
 
 "This is a red state," Nungesser said. "He didn't need to come here to win the presidency. He came here because he cares. 
 
 "And I think that speaks volumes for the people of Louisiana, and you can see it in their eyes as we walk through the neighborhoods. It truly makes a difference that someone cares enough to come." 
 
 The fact that Trump planned to stop at this seemingly out-of-the-way strip mall in Ascension Parish was kept under wraps before the candidate's noon arrival. 
 
 Even amid ongoing emergencies and the visit by the GOP presidential nominee, LeBlanc and his lieutenants rolled out the red carpet for the lone reporter in the office that Trump visited, offering food, drinks and a work station, WiFi included. 
 
 Landry said Trump's visit benefits the state amid criticism that record flooding was sparking little interest in the national news media. 
 
 "Trump's presence here brings that media back into focus," he said. "I think it is huge, huge. I think it is great for Louisiana." 
 
 Appearing on CNN, former U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, a Democrat, also praised Trump's trip. 
 
 "I want to thank Mr. Trump for coming to Louisiana," she said. "He brought attention to our state and we need that now." 
 
 Landrieu said she hopes that Clinton and Obama will make similar trips to Louisiana in the coming days. 
 
 "It's really a serious disaster," she said. "We need all the attention and help we can get." 
 
 Scalise, the House Majority Whip who represents Louisiana's 1st District, said he thought Trump's visit was helpful to the state and to flood victims. 
 
 "You can see how he really lifted the spirits of a lot of people who need that right now," Scalise said after Trump left. "One of the most important jobs of a president as it relates to national disasters is to show up and show people you care." 
 
 Scalise said he witnessed Trump serve as an "inspiration" for people who are struggling to recover. 
 
 "It shows that he really cares, and he's got our backs," Scalise said. "It was really uplifting for people to see him." 
 
 Trump spent about three hours touring flood damage and meeting with people who have been affected by the storms. 
 
 U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy and David Vitter did not join Trump. Representatives for each of them said they were busy with flood recovery efforts -- Cassidy volunteering in the Lafayette area and Vitter meeting with local and federal officials, and organizing a trip for the administrator of the Small Business Administration to come to Louisiana to see flood damage. 
 
 Both released statements saying they supported Trump's decision to visit Louisiana. 
 
 “Seeing the damage in person helps bring much-needed attention to the ongoing struggles of those displaced and impacted by the historic, disastrous flooding,” Vitter said. “Full recovery will take time which is why it’s important for the presidential candidates to be here and fully understand the massive devastation.” 
 
 Graves, who represents Louisiana's 6th District, said he was impressed by Pence. 
 
 "I was really impressed with the questions and interest that Gov. Pence had today," he said after meeting the duo at the airport. "You can tell he's really looking at it as a federal administration and what needs to be done going forward." 
 
 Graves, who has been in regular briefings on the flood, also praised Fugate and Johnson's willingness to see the flood effects for themselves. 
 
 "It's really good to have all of these high-profile folks coming here," Graves said. "This disaster is not getting the national attention that quite frankly it warrants." ||||| Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, followed by running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, emerges from his plane as he arrives to tour the flood damaged city of Baton Rouge, La., Friday, Aug.... (Associated Press) 
 
 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, followed by running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, emerges from his plane as he arrives to tour the flood damaged city of Baton Rouge, La., Friday, Aug. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Max Becherer) (Associated Press) 
 
 BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Donald Trump and his running mate Mike Pence were in Louisiana Friday to survey the flood damage that killed at least 13 people and displaced thousands more. 
 
 The visit comes amid an ongoing staff shakeup. Trump's campaign chairman Paul Manafort resigned Friday following revelations about his work for a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine. In a statement, Trump praised Manafort's work on the campaign and called him a "true professional." 
 
 The Associated Press reported Thursday that Manafort's firm orchestrated a covert Washington lobbying operation on behalf of Ukraine's then-ruling political party. Manafort and his deputy, Rick Gates, never disclosed their work as foreign agents as required under federal law. 
 
 In East Baton Rouge Parish, Friday, Trump's motorcade drove through hard-hit communities, where ripped up carpet and flooring, furniture and the entire contents of homes were piled on the curb. People who were still mucking out their homes, in some instances, came out to wave at the motorcade with gloved hands dirty from their house-gutting work. He and Pence then met a group of volunteers at a Baptist church who have been cooking meals for flood victims and helping the elderly gut their homes. 
 
 "Thank you for coming, Mr. Trump," one woman screamed. 
 
 "We knew you would be here for us!" another shouted. 
 
 A torrent of about 2 feet of rain inundated the southern part of the state, devastating areas hit hard by Hurricane Katrina over a decade ago. 
 
 Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, says he won't be involved in Trump's visit, saying Thursday that Trump is welcome, "but not for a photo-op." Edwards' spokesman Richard Carbo said in a statement that "we hope he'll consider volunteering or making a sizable donation to the LA Flood Relief Fund to help the victims of this storm. " 
 
 Trump said this week he's overhauling his campaign operation, bringing in a new chief executive and appointing a new campaign manager. Trump's decision to tap Stephen Bannon, a combative conservative media executive, as his new campaign chief suggested to some that he might continue the divisive rhetoric that has angered minorities and alienated large swaths of the general election electorate. 
 
 In an interview with Fox News Friday, Trump's son Eric said that Manafort "was amazing," but his father didn't want to be "distracted by whatever things Paul was dealing with." 
 
 Trump's trip to Louisiana, a rare departure for the candidate whose campaign so far has consisted largely of mass rallies and television phone-ins, comes a day after he made a rare expression of remorse for making comments that "may have caused personal pain." 
 
 In a highly uncharacteristic move at a rally in North Carolina on Thursday night, Trump said for the first time that he regrets some of the caustic comments he's made in "the heat of debate." 
 
 "Sometimes in the heat of debate and speaking on a multitude of issues, you don't choose the right words or you say the wrong thing. I have done that," the GOP nominee, reading from prepared text, said at a rally in Charlotte, N.C. Thursday night. "And believe it or not, I regret it — and I do regret it — particularly where it may have caused personal pain." 
 
 It was a rare admission for a man who has said that he prefers "not to regret anything" and it underscored the dire situation Trump finds himself in. With just 80 days left until the election, Trump is trailing Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in preference polls of most key battleground states. 
 
 Earlier Thursday, Trump moved to invest nearly $5 million in battleground state advertising — the first ad airing Friday, accusing Clinton of rigging the election. Clinton, by contrast, has spent more than $75 million on advertising in 10 states since locking up her party's nomination, Trump's new investment marks his first of the general election season. 
 
 Trump's decision to visit Louisiana came after the White House said President Barack Obama was unlikely to break from a New England vacation to survey the damage, despite calls for him to visit and meet with responders and victims. 
 
 In an editorial published Wednesday, The Advocate newspaper in Baton Rouge called on Obama to visit "the most anguished state in the union." The newspaper noted that Obama interrupted his two-week vacation on Martha's Vineyard earlier this week to attend a fundraiser for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on the Massachusetts island. 
 
 Louisiana's Democratic governor defended the administration's response Thursday, saying he has spoken daily with the White House and would prefer Obama hold off on visiting because such stops pull local police and first responders into providing security. 
 
 Trump's new campaign manager Kellyanne Conway suggested that the visit was part of a larger effort, like his speech on Thursday, to pivot to a more presidential phase. 
 
 "It's also presidential today to have him and Governor Pence going to Louisiana in a decidedly nonpolitical event," she told ABC's Good Morning America Friday," adding that they would be "going to help people on the ground who are in need." 
 
 ___ 
 
 AP writers Steve Peoples, Julie Bykowicz and Lisa Lerer in Washington contributed to this report. ||||| BATON ROUGE, La. (Reuters) - U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump toured flood-battered Louisiana on Friday, shrugging off the Democratic state governor’s plea for politicians not to stop in areas affected by deadly rains. 
 
 President Barack Obama said he was also eager for a firsthand look at the damage done by floods that damaged more than 40,000 homes and killed at least 13 people, announcing plans to visit Baton Rouge on Tuesday. 
 
 Obama’s travel requires a massive retinue of Secret Service agents and assistance from local and state law enforcement officials, so the White House usually waits to visit disaster zones to avoid tying up police and emergency resources needed elsewhere. 
 
 On Friday, Trump’s motorcade drove past piles of possessions and building materials that had been ripped out of flooded homes en route to Greenwell Springs Baptist Church in a hard-hit portion of East Baton Rouge Parish. 
 
 “You’re going to be fine,” Trump told several dozen supporters gathered outside, many asking for autographs and selfies. 
 
 The deluge that dumped more than 2-1/2 feet (0.76 meter) on parts of Louisiana has been described as the worst U.S. disaster since Superstorm Sandy in 2012. 
 
 Trump told reporters he came to help out, joined by vice presidential running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, in a visit to a state that is typically a Republican stronghold in presidential elections. 
 
 Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards’ office, however, had said Trump did not call to discuss plans. 
 
 “We welcome him to (Louisiana), but not for a photo op,” the governor’s office said in a statement, urging Trump to volunteer or make “a sizable donation.” 
 
 Trump told reporters he believed Obama should have cut short a vacation on Martha’s Vineyard in New England to visit the area of flood devastation. 
 
 Trump told reporters he believed Obama should have cut short a vacation on Martha’s Vineyard in New England to visit the area of flood devastation. 
 
 Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Republican U.S. vice presidential candidate Mike Pence speak with flood victims outside Greenwell Springs Baptist Church in Central, Louisiana, U.S. August 19, 2016. REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman 
 
 Some Louisianans and others, using the hashtag #wheresobama and #laflood on Twitter, had urged Obama to visit, and Baton Rouge's newspaper, The Advocate, voiced a similar view in an editorial published on Wednesday. (bit.ly/2bDpiiP) 
 
 Obama’s vacation is due to end on Sunday. The White House said the president’s advisers had determined, in consultation with state officials, that Tuesday was an appropriate time to visit. 
 
 “The president is mindful of the impact that his travel has on first responders and wants to ensure that his presence does not interfere with ongoing recovery efforts,” the White House said in a statement. 
 
 Obama planned to visit Baton Rouge, the state’s capital city, which saw wide flooding. The White House said he would talk to local officials about what more the federal government can do to assist in the recovery. 
 
 The president has declared much of the state a federal disaster, freeing up emergency resources. 
 
 He has been receiving updates from U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate, who both have visited Louisiana. 
 
 In 2005, then-President George W. Bush, a Republican, drew criticism for flying over extensively damaged New Orleans, Louisiana, and then giving a speech in the still-flooded city following Hurricane Katrina. 
 
 Some 86,500 people have already filed for federal aid following the historic levels of rainfall. The state expected 4,000 would still need refuge in shelters on Friday night. Entire neighborhoods must now contend with flood-hit homes. 
 
 “We’re talking about an awful lot of people, which is why we are trying to turn on the assistance as soon as possible,” Edwards said at a news conference on Friday afternoon, offering details on temporary housing. 
 
 He spoke earlier in the day with Trump’s Democratic rival in the Nov. 8 election, Hillary Clinton, she said on social media. 
 
 “My heart breaks for Louisiana, and right now, the relief effort can’t afford any distractions,” she said on Facebook, directing people to support organizations providing assistance. 
 
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 Yet Kellie Michelli, who lost her home in the flood and was also at the church to pick up food with her family, beamed as she showed off an autograph on a Trump hat from an earlier rally in Baton Rouge. 
 
 “He took time out of his busy schedule to come here,” Michelli said. “I don’t care if he gives a nickel, he showed he cared by coming here.”
– As part of his most recent effort to be more presidential, Donald Trump visited Louisiana Friday with Mike Pence, the AP reports. Flooding in Louisiana has killed at least 13 people and displaced thousands more. According to Reuters, 40,000 homes were damaged. Trump's campaign manager says Trump was there "to help people on the ground who are in need." His motorcade drove through debris-strewn streets, and Trump stopped to meet with supporters and volunteers. "You're all going to be fine, you're going to be fine," Trump told one group. He also signed autographs, the Advocate reports. "We knew you would be here for us," one supporter shouted. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, who says he wasn't informed of Trump's visit, welcomed the candidate as long as he wasn't just there for a "photo-op." "We hope he'll consider volunteering or making a sizable donation," a spokesperson for the governor says. Despite calls for President Obama to visit the state, Edwards says he'd prefer Obama stay away for a few weeks, as his visit would pull police and others away from where they're needed. Hillary Clinton, who has no plans to visit Louisiana, says the "relief effort can't afford any distractions." Louisiana attorney general Jeff Landry disagrees, saying Trump's visit brings important media attention to the disaster. "I think it is huge," he tells the Advocate.