Where was Mayor Bill "AWOL" de Blasio?

From the July 15, 2019 edition of the New York Daily News.

In an emergency like this one, why was New York mayor Bill de Blasio still in Iowa? It seems like he forgot about his responsibilities to the city's residents, many of whom voted for him. He could have rushed back to New York to assure that the situation is under control.

By remaining on the campaign trail, de Blasio has shown that New York is not his top priority and that he is neglecting his responsibilities.

If he cannot be there for New York, how can he be there for the United States?