Vice President Kamala Harris has been criticized for her handling of the recent hurricane season, with some accusing her of trying to usurp the authority of President Joe Biden and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. The criticism comes as Harris has taken a more prominent role in addressing the crisis, with some questioning her motives.
In the midst of the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene and the impending landfall of Hurricane Milton, Harris took time out from her busy schedule to criticize DeSantis for not responding to her phone calls. Harris accused DeSantis of being “selfish” and “playing political games” in a time of crisis.
However, DeSantis pushed back against Harris’s criticism, saying that he had been working tirelessly to prepare for and respond to the hurricanes, including the creation of the Florida State Guard, which has been instrumental in rescue and recovery efforts. DeSantis emphasized that his focus has been on helping the people of Florida, not engaging with Harris.
“I’ve been on an emergency footing for two weeks straight,” DeSantis said. “We’ve been working around the clock, 24/7, to help people prepare for Hurricane Helene, effectuate rescues, and pick up the pieces of their lives after Helene. And then, we’ve had to turn around and prepare for major impacts from Hurricane Milton.”
DeSantis also questioned Harris’s timing, pointing out that she had never shown any interest in the hurricane victims of Florida until now. “I’ve worked on these hurricanes with President Trump and President Biden, and neither of them ever tried to politicize it,” DeSantis said. “She has never called me on any of the storms we’ve had since she’s been vice president until apparently now. Why, all of a sudden, is she trying to parachute in and inject herself when she’s never shown any interest in the past?”
President Biden has taken DeSantis’s side in the dispute, praising the governor for his efforts and saying that he had been “cooperative” and “very gracious” in accepting the administration’s assistance. Biden also revealed that he had given DeSantis his personal phone number to facilitate communication.
The criticism of Harris’s handling of the hurricane season has raised questions about her presidential ambitions, with some arguing that she is trying to position herself for a potential run in 2024. However, Harris has yet to prove herself as a credible candidate, having dropped out of the 2020 Democratic primary before a single vote was cast.
As Harris continues to try to assert her authority, she has only highlighted her inauthenticity, with some voters questioning her commitment to the issues and her willingness to engage in political posturing. Whether or not Harris will be able to overcome these criticisms and establish herself as a credible leader remains to be seen.
