Problem is that his bluntness wouldn’t fly in much of the US. As they say “in NYC (NJ is much the same), they say ‘f-u’ when they mean ‘howdy, have a nice day.'” “In L.A., they say ‘have a nice day’ when they really mean ‘f-u.'”
His actions after the hurricane spoke to the fact that he really cared for his constituents, despite the pigheaded bluntness he displays.