I think you are foolish to suggest that the workers need someone who can do nothing for them but pat them on the back to show up to make things miraculously better. It is better that those who can make decisions on the ground be there than a figure head who can only hold their hands and console them.
You know what made a difference today, not the President landing his helicopter to view the destruction, it was the NG showing up with relief supplies and guns. The President didn't make that happen by showing up, it has been in the works for days. Some of the NG drove from CA to bring supplies; they have been on the road for days.
The reality is, in a disaster, things take time. Everything has to be moved out or you won't have a response at all. After that assessments have to happen. I think it is miraculous the number of coast guard and other rescues that have happened as quickly as they have.
If you want to lay blame at the feet of anyone, it needs to be at the feet of those in charge that did not provide a complete evacuation of the city for those that wanted it. Once a local government forces a population to rely on it for everything from food to transportation, it then has an overwhelming responsibility to provide for that same population support during a disaster.
The President is finnally getting engaged, showing leadership and that's good. You need the NG on the ground but the country also needs to see leadership which is important to morale. And that's finally occuring.