* Obama promises to cut through red tape in storm relief
* Christie keeps up praise for Obama's response to storm
* Obama set to resume campaigning on Thursday
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., Oct 31 (Reuters) - Putting aside
partisan differences, President Barack Obama and Republican
Governor Chris Christie toured storm-stricken parts of New
Jersey on Wednesday, taking in scenes of flooded roads and
praising each other for their response to superstorm Sandy.
Riding in the Marine One presidential helicopter, Obama and
Christie got an aerial view of some of the hardest-hit areas of
the New Jersey shoreline, and afterward the president promised
to cut through red tape to help storm victims.
Despite being a top surrogate for Obama's rival Mitt Romney
in the Nov. 6 election, Christie kept up his compliments about
Obama for guiding federal support during and after the
devastating storm, which also crippled New York City and other
parts of the eastern seaboard.
"I cannot thank the president enough for his personal
concern and his compassion," said Christie, known for his blunt,
in-your-face political style, after the two men completed their
tour.
He said the affected areas needed clean drinking water,
restored power, and children back in school. "I discussed all of
those issues today with the president and I'm pleased to report
that he has sprung into action immediately to help get us those
things while we were in the car riding together," Christie said.
Obama has suspended campaign events since Sunday while
overseeing federal relief efforts and holding public events to
show Americans he is focused on handling a major natural
disaster instead of pressing his quest for a second term.
He returned the praise from Christie, seen by some
Republicans as a potential presidential candidate in 2016.
"Governor Christie, throughout this process, has been
responsive, he has been aggressive in making sure that the state
got out in front of this incredible storm," Obama said, calling
the Republican's leadership "extraordinary."
Obama said restoring electricity was a top priority.
"We are here for you and we will not forget, we will follow
up to make sure you get all the help you need until you
rebuild," he said.
U-TURN BY CHRISTIE
The storm and the government's relief efforts have prompted
a U-turn in the tone of Christie's rhetoric about Obama. The New
Jersey governor leveled harsh criticism at Obama during a
keynote speech at the Republican convention in August.
But all that has changed with the damage wrought by Sandy,
which bashed the mid-Atlantic coast on Monday and Tuesday.
On Tuesday, Christie said Obama's response to the storm
damage in New Jersey was "outstanding."
With an extremely close election looming on Tuesday, Obama
has remained in the public spotlight, while Romney has had to
suspend campaign appearances to avoid coming across as overly
political while millions of people were affected by the storm.
Romney was back campaigning on Wednesday, but his campaign
seemed at a loss about how to deal with Christie's praise of
Obama.
Romney senior adviser Kevin Madden, asked by reporters
whether he agreed with Christie that Obama was doing a good job
handling the hurricane response, said: "I believe the response
is still going on so I'm not in a position to qualify the
response by the federal government. I believe it's still
ongoing."
Obama is set to resume campaigning on Thursday with visits
to Nevada and Colorado, followed by stops on Friday in Ohio -
considered the most critical election swing state.
From the air in and around the gambling resort of Atlantic
City, Obama saw whole streets underwater, beachfront homes
swamped by flooding and piers partially blown away.
He also saw the still-burning remnants of about eight homes
set afire during the 1,000-mile (1,600-km) -wide storm, the
biggest to hit the U.S. mainland in generations.
"If your homes aren't too badly damaged we can hopefully get
you back in," Obama told residents at an evacuation shelter in
the town of Brigantine. "The entire country's been watching.
Everyone knows how hard Jersey has been hit."