Democrat presidential nominee Kamala Harris’s team is reportedly angry with President Joe Biden for praising Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s handling of the Hurricane Milton response instead of trying to score political points for the campaign.
As Slay News reported, Biden was asked about the public back-and-forth between DeSantis and Harris regarding preparation for the storm.
Harris was accused of playing political games as Florida braced for the devastating impact of Hurricane Milton.
As DeSantis battled to keep the inevitable death toll and destruction in his state as low as possible, Democrats and their corporate media allies tried to politicize the issue.
Outlets pushed claims that DeSantis allegedly refused to meet with Harris.
Harris was reportedly trying to meet with the governor before the hurricane made landfall on Wednesday.
A DeSantis aide told NBC News that “Kamala was trying to reach out, and we didn’t answer” because it “seemed political.”
DeSantis himself, however, denied refusing the call in the way the media characterized it.
“I didn’t know that she had called,” he said in a Monday press conference.
DeSantis said that he is “leveraging all resources available, including from the federal government” to prepare for Hurricane Milton’s expected landfall and he had been in touch with both Biden and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials in preparation.
The governor noted that he has been dealing with Biden regarding the storm and added that Harris “has no role” in the storm response.
Harris was accused of using the storm to boost her failing election campaign.
While dancing around the controversy, a reporter asked Biden if DeSantis should “take Vice President Harris’s calls.”
“Mr. President, does Gov. DeSantis need to take Vice President Harris’s calls?” RealClearPolitics White House correspondent Phil Wegmann asked.
“All I can tell you is I’ve talked to Gov. DeSantis,” Biden responded.
“He’s been very gracious.
“He’s thanked me for all we’ve done.
“He knows what we are doing, and I think that’s important.”
After Harris attacked DeSantis as “utterly irresponsible” and “selfish,” even though disaster had just struck Florida and the vice president had no role in disaster relief, Biden’s handlers issued a statement.
“Tonight, I spoke with Florida Governor DeSantis and Tampa Mayor Castor for firsthand reports on Hurricane Helene recovery and preparations for Hurricane Milton,” Biden’s social media team said in a post on X said.
“My Administration is ready to support both leaders and the people of Florida with any further resources they may need.”
Tonight, I spoke with Florida Governor DeSantis and Tampa Mayor Castor for firsthand reports on Hurricane Helene recovery and preparations for Hurricane Milton.
My Administration is ready to support both leaders and the people of Florida with any further resources they may need. pic.twitter.com/imXXVXQnoD
— President Biden (@POTUS) October 8, 2024
However, Biden’s willingness to work with DeSantis instead of attacking him in the media provoked outrage among Harris campaign officials, Axios reported.
A Harris campaign staffer told the outlet that the “White House is lacking someone in the room thinking first and foremost about how things would affect the campaign.”
The tensions between the president and his VP emerged after top Democrats pushed Biden to drop out of his re-election bid and crowned Harris as his replacement.
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