From KCRW in Santa Monica and PRI, Public Radio International, this is To the Point.

Superstorm Sandy and FEMA.

Hello again, I'm Armin Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International.

A daily look at the issues Americans call about most.

After major

disasters, the Federal Emergency Management Agency becomes a household word. It gave George W. Bush a black

eye after Katrina. Now President Obama is deploying FEMA with less than a week till election day.

GOP Governor Chris Christie has welcomed him to New Jersey. What is FEMA's relationship to the states who's really in charge?

What has Mitt Romney had to say about the agency and its future?

We'll talk with a former leader of FEMA and others about federal assistance in times of trouble and in the presidential campaign.

On reporter's notebook later on, a major Hollywood moment, Disney acquires Star Wars.

First, here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from the members of KCRW and from the Public Radio International Program Fund.

Hello again, Warren Alney, back with To the Point.

Superstorm Sandy has FEMA back in the headlines with

potential consequences for the presidential campaign. What does FEMA really do? What are the

benefits and the risks for the Obama campaign? Is Mitt Romney being pushed under the bus by the

Republican governor of devastated New Jersey? On reporter's notebook, while Americans ever get tired of Star Wars,

Disney is promising new Star Wars films every two or three years after buying the franchise from

George Lucas for $4 billion. First, this news update. The sun rose today over devastation

as New York, New Jersey, and other states began the monumental task of recovery.

Daniel Trotta is a reporter for Reuters News Service. He has surveyed the situation and has joined us now. Daniel Trotter, good to have you on our program.

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