A monstrous hurricane blasted ashore today in the Florida Panhandle. It then stormed into Alabama and Georgia, heading for the still-suffering Carolinas, where it will do even more damage.

So, what did the president of the United States do? Donald Trump decided to rev up his political base at a rally in Pennsylvania.

I get that the president is always “on top of things” by virtue of his staff that is supposed to keep him briefed.

Isn’t there an “optics” problem, though, with the president blasting Democrats and assorted political foes while millions of Americans are enduring the wrath that Hurricane Michael has brought? I kind of believe there is an image problem.

Donald Trump, it should be stated yet again, clearly lacks an empathy gene. He doesn’t appear to feel anyone’s pain, or understand fully the suffering that others endure. His entire focus always is centered on how matters affect his poll standing, his political stature.

So he fires up the rally crowd. He gets lots of laughs and cheers when blasts Democrats who he calls the “Dims.” The crowd launches into a “Lock her up!” as it regards Sen. Dianne Feinstein and her role in keeping secret a complaint brought by a woman who accused Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her in 1982.

All this happened today while Americans are fighting for their lives trying to fend off the overpowering savagery brought to them by Hurricane Michael.

Sickening.