Joe Biden is certainly a petty little man.
Florida is under the gun with Hurricane Ian bearing down. If there was ever a time to put aside politics and pettiness it would be now when everyone should be pulling together to help out in a critical situation that could put the lives of people in Florida in danger.
But as the media inquired about what Biden and the White House were doing in regard to the hurricane, one thing stood out — that Biden had found time to call three of the mayors in the affected areas, yet he hadn’t personally called Gov. Ron DeSantis when you would normally talk with the governor and ask what he needed.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says President Biden has called the mayors of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater as Hurricane Ian approaches.
No mention of a call to Governor Ron DeSantis. pic.twitter.com/DNImEQebKw
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 27, 2022
FEMA Director Deanne Criswell indicated her team had been in contact with the governor’s team but that Biden had not called DeSantis personally.
Reporters tried to plumb the question as to why since that’s such normal procedure, but Criswell wasn’t for offering any explanation.
Washington Post's Matt Viser with DeSantis needling: "In the past…Biden has made calls to governors in…natural disasters, Kay Ivey…Asa Hutchinson….or [Greg Abbott]…Can you articulate…why it hasn't been made in this case to have the President call the governor?" pic.twitter.com/idKBm6qs7A
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) September 27, 2022
"But he's made conversations with the mayors, so is there any reason why not the governor?"
Biden has yet to call Governor Desantis ahead of hurricane Ian, but has found time to call the mayors. pic.twitter.com/ZzUwdpvG9C
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 27, 2022
Breitbart correspondent noted this was not normal, even for Biden, that in the past Biden has always spoken personally to the governors during hurricanes and natural disasters.
Weird that Biden won't call DeSantis
In 2021, Biden spoke w/ CT Gov. Lamont, MA Gov. Baker, Maine Gov. Mills, NJ Gov. Murphy, NY Gov. Cuomo, and RI Gov. McKee ahead of Hurricane Henri.
He spoke w/ AL Gov. Ivey, LA Gov. Bel Edwards and MS Gov. Reeves before Hurricane Ida
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) September 27, 2022
Indeed, during Biden’s remarks this afternoon speaking about the hurricane, he said that he spoke with the mayors of St. Petersburg, Tampa, and Clearwater, “I told each one of them, whatever they need contact me directly.” Again, seeming to go right around DeSantis.
So how juvenile is that? And these are the “adults back in charge”? They’re not even pretending to have a good excuse for Biden avoiding talking to him. If anything, DeSantis should not want to talk to Biden, given how Biden has demonized Republicans. But DeSantis is not a child and puts his state first.
Whether Joe Biden likes it or not, he can’t avoid that DeSantis would wipe the floor with him if they were opponents in 2024. Biden knows that and it looks like it’s getting to him. When you care more about your own personal ego than Americans and the job that you’re supposed to be doing, that’s shameful.
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