Two hours before Hurricane Milton made landfall, President Joe Biden had only kind words for Ron DeSantis—even though his vice president, Kamala Harris, accused Florida’s Republican governor of being “utterly irresponsible.” At issue: a phone call.
The day before, Biden even gave DeSantis his personal cellphone number, urging him “to contact me directly, if that’s necessary.” Harris, meanwhile, can’t get through to the governor.
After NBC News broke the story that DeSantis was sending Harris to voicemail, she told reporters that the governor was being “selfish” and “playing political games.” Biden does not see it that way.
“All I can tell you is I’ve talked to Gov. DeSantis,” the president told reporters after being asked by RealClearPolitics whether DeSantis should take Harris’ calls. “He has been very gracious,” Biden added. “He has thanked me for all we’ve done. He knows what we are doing, and I think that’s important.”
It was a subtle but significant split as hurricane season threatens to complicate the coming presidential election. Conservative commentators such as Tiana Lowe of the Washington Examiner likened it to a “reverse Chris Christie.”
Acts of God often become political: Former New Jersey Gov. Christie, a Republican, helped former President Barack Obama, a Democrat, across the finish line in 2012 when he effusively praised the White House response to Hurricane Sandy. Christie did not hug Obama as many incorrectly remember. He did warmly greet that president in view of the cameras when Air Force One touched down in Atlantic City, and Obama took the win.
“Moments of crisis, if nothing else, should really be the moment that anyone who calls themselves a leader says they’re going to put politics aside and put the people first,” Harris said of DeSantis Monday when asked about reports that DeSantis was dodging her calls.
The governor rejected that characterization, and he told Fox News Monday that the vice president was irrelevant. During an interview with Sean Hannity, DeSantis said, “She’s the first one who is trying to politicize the storm. And she’s doing that just because of her campaign.”
Isn’t the most important thing that DeSantis is in touch with the president and the Federal Emergency Management Agency?
“Yeah, and the vice president is engaged in this process, too,” replied Harris campaign spokesman Ian Sams during a Tuesday interview with Bret Baier of Fox News. The next morning, the vice president joined a White House emergency briefing by telecast. DeSantis was not mentioned. Instead, the current Republican nominee was, and Biden accused former President Donald Trump of leading an “onslaught of lies.”
“Assertions have been made that property is being confiscated. That’s simply not true,” he said. “They’re saying people impacted by these storms will receive $750 in cash and no more. That’s simply not true,” he added. Claims that FEMA money had been diverted to migrants rather than storm victims, he concluded, were not just untrue but “a ridiculous thing to say.”
Harris slammed Trump for those claims during an appearance with Stephen Colbert on “The Late Show.”
“Have you no empathy, man!?” she asked. “You know, for the suffering of other people. Have you no sense of purpose? If you purport to be a leader, you understand that being a leader means lifting people up in a time of need. And not manipulating them, you know.”
As it did ahead of Hurricane Helene, the White House repeatedly warned communities in the path of Hurricane Milton to seek shelter. Republicans, led by Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, have meanwhile likened the administration’s response to “the DMV on an industrial scale.”
Ahead of Hurricane Milton, the Biden administration has preemptively approved a Florida emergency declaration as well as surging emergency personnel, including search and rescue teams, and supplies such as food and water, in the state.
During a Wednesday interview with Fox News, DeSantis said that Florida had what was needed. Those needs apparently did not include a conversation with Harris.
“If I honestly thought that there was something to be gained, I would pick up the phone and call her,” the governor told Baier. He added that the vice president “has no role in this process. She’s not part of the chain of command. I am working with the president and FEMA and our state and local partners, and we’re getting the job done.”
Originally published by RealClearWire.com.
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