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President Joe Biden meets with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to assess damage in the state after Hurricane Ian.
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The two put aside their political rivalry as they promised to help the Floridians heal.
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Biden joked that the “biggest thing” DeSantis did was acknowledge climate change.
President Joe Biden and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis met on Wednesday to assess the extensive damage in the Fort Meyers area. The recent death toll from Hurricane Ian left more than 70 dead, devastated entire communities, and organized massive search and rescue efforts underway.
The two political opponents put their differences aside during the visit, sharing a cordial handshake in which they vowed to help the Floridians recover from the loss, which Biden said would take “years”.
“We have very different political philosophies, but we worked together,” Biden told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday. “To face this crisis, we are in perfect harmony”.
However, their rivalry was evident for some time during the visit. Biden gave DeSantis a brief dig, saying the governor did something “remarkable” in acknowledging that climate change is real, as opposed to the GOP’s lack of support for tackling the climate crisis.
“The greatest thing the Governor has done … [is] Recognize that there is something called global warming, “Biden said.” The world changes. “
It’s unclear when DeSantis publicly attributed climate change to Hurricane Ian, but the Florida governor was careful to avoid using the phrase, saying it happens frequently. “Forgive me for doing many things.” in August, DeSantis also banned the idea of climate change while making investment decisions for the State Pension Fund.
DeSantis spokesperson Jeremy Redfern told Insider he wasn’t sure what comment Biden was referring to. He pointed to a statement from the governor referencing a state program, Resilient Florida, that allowed residents to improve their infrastructure and how he was able to save communities from widespread hurricane damage. , but the spokesman said it was “not about global warming.”
DeSantis praised the Biden administration early in his remarks on Wednesday, before giving it a quick political blow by pointing out the limitations of government aid and the flexibility of private aid.
The Governor of Florida said, “While we appreciate all state agencies that offer assistance, the assistance FEMA can offer is based on regulations and laws and some people don’t fit into those windows. . ” box.”
“Well, now we’ve raised a lot of money from private charities – and we’re increasing – so we can help people in really tough situations,” DeSantis told local and state agencies as well as the administration. Biden. Thanks to the “team”. Effort.”
A Biden spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Biden said search and rescue teams have so far knocked on 70,000 doors and saved more than 3,800 people. More than 24,000 facilities have been surveyed in Lee County, with approximately 4,000 field workers.
About 310,000 homes and businesses were still without electricity on Wednesday, a week after Hurricane Ian first landed on Florida’s west coast. according to Reuters,
The White House on Wednesday approved Florida’s request. Provide federal assistance for debris removal and emergency protective measures,
“Today we have jobs and jobs,” Biden said, “and that’s making sure the people of Florida get everything they need to make a full recovery.”
read the original article on Business Insider