Joe Biden spent the afternoon of Saturday September 2 in Florida to view the damage caused by Hurricane Idalia. The destruction there is estimated at between 10 and 20 billion dollars, the biggest climate disaster of the year in the United States. The American president took the opportunity to meet disaster victims but also to show his bipartisan unity, despite Ron deSantis’ decision to finally shun the presidential visit.
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With our correspondent in Houston, Thomas Harms
In the small town of Live Oak in Florida, a few kilometers from the border with Georgia, Idalia caused serious damage. Joe Biden was able to see this during his visit: “ Can you imagine that tree running through your house and bedroom? If he had fallen a bit more to the right, he would have crossed a young woman’s room! he exclaims, to a house dented by an uprooted tree under the force of the hurricane
The American president flew over the area and spoke with first responders and federal agents in charge of emergency aid.
Today, Jill and I spent time with first responders and with families whose lives have been upended by Hurricane Idalia.
But through it all, we saw neighbors helping neighbors with determination and optimism.
That’s America. pic.twitter.com/vpmzewTpOg
— President Biden (@POTUS) September 2, 2023
Ron DeSantis, the state’s Republican governor, was ultimately not on his side, as originally expected. Joe Biden was accompanied by Republican Senator from Florida, Rick Scott, DeSantis’ predecessor as governor. This one had a kind word against the American president:
” The president did a good job by signing the declaration of natural disaster very quickly, it really helped the first responders. Second, how quickly you approved emergency assistance. These are not wealthy communities, many struggle to make ends meet. Thank you for doing all this very quickly. »
Actually, Ron DeSantis had announced late the day before that he did not intend to meet Joe Biden. The official reason: security preparations that would disrupt emergency efforts.
The governor of Florida, candidate for the Republican presidential primary, is opposed to Joe Biden on many points: immigration, abortion, LGBT rights, black American history… And while he appears far behind Donald Trump in the polls , a photo with Joe Biden might have done him a disservice.
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