(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stressed joint efforts to respond to damage wrought by Hurricane Ian, largely ignoring their past political squabbles.
“Today we have one job and only one job -- and that’s to make sure that the people of Florida get everything that they need to fully thoroughly recover,” Biden, standing at a podium next to DeSantis, said Wednesday following a helicopter tour of a swath of Southwest Florida devastated by Ian.
Biden’s joint appearance with DeSantis -- a potential 2024 rival -- came as part of a briefing on recovery efforts from the governor, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, and other state and local officials. Biden, accompanied by first lady Jill Biden, also met with local residents affected by the storm.
“I think he’s done a good job,” Biden said of DeSantis’s efforts in regards to Ian, noting that he and the governor have different political philosophies “but we’ve worked hand in glove.”
But the president did sneak in a jab at climate-denying Republicans: “I think the one thing this is finally ended is a discussion about whether or not there’s climate change, and we should do something about it,” he said.
Biden on Wednesday granted a request from DeSantis to extend to 60 days the period for which the federal government will cover the full cost of clearing debris, distributing food and water and supporting shelters.
DeSantis thanked Biden for approving the request and for the federal assistance provided so far, telling the president that power had been restored to about 97% of the state and that the Sanibel Causeway bridge had been repaired.
“We have 100% reimbursement, just got extended,” the governor told one resident.
Florida’s two Republican senators -- Rick Scott, who chairs the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, and Marco Rubio -- shook hands with Biden as he met with affected residents. Biden has frequently name checked Scott at campaign events, citing him as an example of the “ultra-MAGA” faction of the Republican Party, a reference to former President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan.
Both Biden and DeSantis have taken pains since the hurricane to set aside past tensions on a range of issues --- including migrants -- to coordinate on assistance for Floridians hit by a hurricane Biden’s called “among the worst in the nation’s history.”
It’s a dramatic shift in tone for both leaders.
DeSantis has used his perch as governor of the nation’s third most populous state to boost his national profile, picking fights with Democrats on abortion and other culture-war issues that play well with the Republican base. As a congressman in 2013, he opposed legislation providing flood insurance aid to Hurricane Sandy victims, saying that while he sympathized with the plight, the aid wasn’t fiscally responsible.
DeSantis has toned down his rhetoric in the wake of the storm, complimenting the president for quickly lining up disaster relief and expressing gratitude to Democratically-led states like New York and New Jersey for sending assistance.
The governor, who is running for re-election this year, drew Biden’s criticism last month for using taxpayer dollars to fly dozens of Venezuelan migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, a stunt intended to embarrass the president for his handling of immigration. Other Republican governors from Texas and Arizona have also sent migrants to cities, including New York and Washington, that are run by Democrats.
Read more: DeSantis Tones Down Rhetoric as Ian Throws Spotlight on Florida
Hurricanes are often viewed as events that can make-or-break politicians, particularly in Florida, a state prone to tropical storms. Governor Jeb Bush’s popularity rose dramatically on the back of his response to more than a half-dozen major hurricanes, including Ivan, in two years. Democrat Lawton Chiles plummeted in the polls over discontent about his handling of Hurricane Andrew, which slammed greater Miami in 1992.
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie met President Barack Obama in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Christie hugged Obama, praised him for his response and flew on Marine One. That meeting came shortly before the 2012 election. GOP rivals criticized Christie for the embrace during his failed 2016 presidential bid.
The Bidens on Monday also visited Puerto Rico, which is recovering from Hurricane Fiona.
©2022 Bloomberg L.P.
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