President Biden and Governor Ron DeSantis (R) put politics aside on Tuesday night and spoke about Hurricane Ian hitting Florida, a shift after Biden did not speak directly with his potential 2024 political rival before storm.
Ahead of the call, the White House was pressed to find out why Biden hadn’t called DeSantis, a political foe who has leaned into culture wars and challenged the administration over the influx of migrants at the border. .
News of the discussion silenced any criticism that the policy could interfere with the government’s response to the Category 4 storm, at least for now.
“Voters expect politicians of all stripes to lay down their swords when disaster strikes, and it always pays to be able to cite high-level bipartisan action when asked about your bipartisan good faith,” said Stewart Verdery, former assistant secretary to the Department of Homeland Security under former President George W. Bush.
Former Rep. Chris Carney (D-Pa.), a Biden ally, said it was beneficial for Biden and DeSantis to be in talks.
“I think it’s no surprise that there’s the speculation game in Washington, ‘will they, won’t they,'” Carney said. “But I think at the end of the day, when it comes to something as potentially catastrophic and devastating as a hurricane as strong as Ian, then the best policy is not policy.”
On Wednesday, the White House, when asked about the call, stressed there should be no politics involved in the response to Hurricane Ian, which could bring more than 10 feet of potentially deadly storm surge to the coast. west of Florida and has maximum sustained winds of over 150 miles per hour.
“It’s about the people of Florida,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters. “It’s about two people who wanted to have a conversation about how we can be partners with the governor and his constituents and make sure we deliver for the people of Florida.”
Florida is a swing state in presidential contests and will help decide a Senate majority this fall. DeSantis is also a candidate for re-election.
“Once you win the election, you’re the governor or you’re the president for everyone,” GOP strategist Doug Heye said. “That’s definitely what Biden won on. Anyone breaking that would look bad, especially to voters in Florida and Florida is a big state.
Carney, now a senior policy adviser at Nossaman LLP, added that “Democrats understand that this is a life-threatening catastrophic event and you kind of check your policy at the door in such a case.” .
Biden will be briefed Thursday at FEMA headquarters on the federal response to the hurricane and will continue to receive regular briefings. The White House has yet to say whether Biden will travel to Florida following Ian’s death.
The storm is a key test for both men.
Presidents are still judged on their ability to handle natural disasters, while DeSantis must manage a crisis in his home state as speculation swirls whether he will mount a bid for the White House.
After speaking to Biden, the governor went on the air with Fox News’ Sean Hannity and praised the administration’s response to the hurricane so far.
“When people’s lives and their property are threatened in this way, we must all work together, regardless of party lines,” DeSantis said. “I feel like the administration wants to help.”
This isn’t the first disaster the Sunshine State has faced that brought Biden and DeSantis together.
The two appeared together in person last year as they toured the damage and spoke about the response to a condo building collapse in Surfside, Florida that killed nearly 100 people.
But the relationship has been strained more recently. Administration officials have condemned the governor’s support for the so-called Don’t Say Gay Act that restricts discussion of sexual orientation in the classroom, and more recently called out DeSantis for transporting migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., accusing him of using human beings as political props.
The Biden-DeSantis call was solely focused on the hurricane response and no other topics, Jean-Pierre said Wednesday when asked if the Martha’s Vineyard controversy had erupted.
White House and Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell on Tuesday dodged questions about why the president did not call DeSantis directly. Criswell said the lack of a call at the time didn’t stop planning for the storm, and Biden personally spoke to the mayors of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater.
A Florida-based GOP operative argued there was nothing to be gained politically for DeSantis or Biden by giving the other the cold shoulder or appearing to consider politics with a major storm brewing. down on the state.
The agent noted that for DeSantis, being able to work with the feds to show he is weathering the storm well is important to his re-election prospects and beyond.
Biden has recently been selective in his direct conversations with governors.
He did not contact Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves (right) directly about the water crisis in Jackson, but when Hurricane Fiona hit Puerto Rico, Biden immediately reached out to the Democratic governor of the territory, Pedro Pierluisi.
The political situation caused by the hurricane this week is reminiscent of Hurricane Sandy, which hit New Jersey in 2012.
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (right) felt the wrath of Republicans after photographers took pictures of him shaking hands with President Obama, who put his hand on the governor’s shoulder.
Christie was repeatedly put on the defensive during the 2016 GOP presidential primary for kissing Obama.
Democratic strategists say Biden’s interaction with DeSantis, however, won’t be a bad story for the Florida governor.
And the call highlights Biden’s favorite brand.
“One thing we know for sure is that President Biden’s mark is to rise above politics and he has the skins on the wall to prove it,” said Democratic strategist Joel Payne.
Payne agreed that getting together right now should be the priority.
“I am not charged with advising Ron DeSantis, but I believe it would be incumbent on any elected official to put the best interests and well-being of their constituents above politics, especially when lives are literally at stake. game,” he said.
Amie Parnes contributed to this report.