AFPBiden addresses the press on his visit
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 01:21
US President Biden visited the part of the state of Florida that was hit by a hurricane last week. Although the White House had previously reported that he would also meet with Republican Governor DeSantis, he declined to attend.
“So soon after these rural communities are affected, the security operation would hamper relief efforts,” the governor’s office said in a press release. According to DeSantis, the focus should first be on helping victims, clearing roads and restoring power.
Another factor no doubt will be the fact that DeSantis hopes to become the Republican nominee in next year’s presidential election. He would then compete against incumbent President Biden. While Donald Trump has the best shot in the primary, DeSantis is one of his few rivals to stand out above the rest of the field.
An overly friendly reception from a political opponent earned Republican Chris Christie a lot of criticism from party members in 2012: when he received President Obama at election time after his state of New Jersey was hit by Hurricane Sandy, it was seen as an opportunity for the Democrat to adopt a presidential and impartial attitude.
Talked to emergency responders
Biden did not want to spend much time talking about DeSantis’ absence during his visit. Asked if he had another message for the governor, Biden replied only: “We’ll take good care of Florida.”
In the state, Biden visited the town of Live Oak, where he viewed damage to homes and spoke with the mayor and rescue workers. He promised that his government would do everything it could to provide the needed aid. The president was joined by state Republican Senator Scott on the visit.
The head of the federal disaster response FEMA told the traveling press that the president’s visit did not cause any disruption in the area. The roads had already been cleared and the restoration of electricity could continue.
Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida last Wednesday, causing extensive damage from wind gusts and flooding. At least three people were killed, hundreds of thousands were without power.
2023-09-02 23:21:55
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