ICYMI: President Biden's Leadership During Hurricane Helene Response Leads to "Praise from Republican Governors"

President Biden and Vice President Harris continue to mobilize an intensive Federal response to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. The Administration is prioritizing life-saving and life-sustaining response efforts in impacted communities, as well as ensuring people displaced from the storm have prompt access to Federal resources that will enable them to both purchase essential items and begin their road to recovery and rebuilding.

President Biden has "received praise from Republican governors" as a result of his leadership throughout the response – including speaking to several Republican leaders across the country.

As the President said today during his visit to North Carolina, "In moments like this – we put politics aside in America. There are no Democrats or Republicans. Only Americans."

Read more below:

Washington Examiner: Helene makes unlikely friends of Republican swing-state governors and Biden
[Annabella Rosciglione, 10/1/24]

President Joe Biden has made phone calls to all governors of the states affected by Hurricane Helene in a bipartisan approach that is typical of most presidents during times of national disaster.

He has spoken with Govs. Brian Kemp (R-GA), Roy Cooper (D-NC), Henry McMaster (R-SC), and Glenn Youngkin (R-VA), and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) said he missed Biden's call. He has received praise from Republican governors about the federal government's handling of the hurricane.

"I'm incredibly appreciative of the rapid response and the cooperation from the federal team at FEMA. I've been on the phone over the weekend with the senior FEMA administrator. The team has been deployed," Youngkin said.

DeSantis said he missed the call from the White House as he was in a plane surveying the damage. He said federal efforts should be directed to western North Carolina as Florida has "it handled."

Biden plans to do an aerial tour of the damage in North Carolina on Wednesday. The death toll of Hurricane Helene has topped 100, with the most deaths occurring in North Carolina.