Biden and Harris increase their public discourse on the perils of Hurricane Milton
The initiative to deal with this recent hurricane indicates the seriousness of the situation, the myths about the federal handling of Hurricane Helene that the administration is striving to rectify — and a forthcoming election that boosts the significance of a successful government reaction.
Both leaders participated in a live broadcast discussion with officials from the National Weather Service and Federal Emergency Management Agency. Biden attended in person at the White House, and Harris participated remotely from New York, having spent the night there following a series of interviews. Harris later made contact with CNN and the Weather Channel for more interviews about the storm, stating that it's "inhumane" for leaders to disseminate hurricane myths.
The public has been updated on Biden's administration's hurricane response by him on multiple occasions on Wednesday, including the broadcast, a call with rabbis, and later remarks from the Roosevelt Room of the White House.
Harris' prominent role in the storm response has become a factor in the 2024 election campaign, with less than four weeks remaining before Election Day.
She has made statements on issues usually beyond her official responsibilities as vice president. For instance, a statement issued by her office on Wednesday threatened legal action against individuals involved in price gouging during the storm while reminding the public of her past efforts to combat price gouging as California's attorney general and a senator.
"It's detrimental – it's deplorable, really, for anyone who claims to be a leader to mislead people in a desperate situation to the extent that those people are denied the aid they are entitled to. That's why I consider it detrimental," Harris told Bash about allegations of federal assistance exhaustion by former President Trump and his allies. "And we all know it's detrimental, and the political games must stop at some point, the politics must end, particularly in a critical situation."
She went on to praise local officials. "I'm referring to sheriffs, mayors, local officials – I don't even care about their political affiliation – but leaders on the ground who understand that it is not in the best interest of the people living in those areas not to know their rights, not to know what they are entitled to, and to be afraid of seeking help," Harris said.
Earlier in the week, she told ABC's "The View" that Trump "lacks empathy" and her campaign debuted a digital ad criticizing Trump for his own disaster relief efforts.
Recently, her campaign has been preoccupied with the latest hurricane, organizing the evacuation of staff, postponing voter outreach across Florida, and monitoring potential early voting consequences following Hurricane Helene in a crucial state like North Carolina. The campaign has established a hotline with numerous operators capable of addressing voters' questions about registering to vote or voting by mail in light of alterations to polling locations in western North Carolina following the storm, officials reported.
During the hurricane briefing, Biden also took advantage of the opportunity to denounce Trump for what he described as "a torrent of lies" and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia for spreading false information.
"Claims have been made of property seizures. That's simply not true. They're saying individuals affected by these storms will receive $750 in cash, and no more. That's simply not true. Claims that the money needed for this crisis is being diverted to migrants – what an absurd notion – it's false," Biden said, adding that Greene's claim that the government can control the weather is "absurd beyond belief."
The administration is preparing for what could be an unprecedented scale of destruction, all while still assisting communities in recovering from the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene on the Southeast only a few days earlier.
"Wind speeds will be extreme, exceeding 100 miles per hour, with storm surges reaching up to 15 feet and up to 18 inches of rain. It seems like the storm of the century," Biden said during the briefing.
"Many communities in Hurricane Milton's path have no respite between Helene and Milton, two historic storms in just two weeks," Biden said before urging residents to heed evacuation warnings.
"I understand it's truly difficult to leave your home, your belongings, everything you own, but I implore everyone in the hurricane's path to comply with all safety instructions as we move towards the next 24 hours. It's a matter of, quite literally, life and death."
CNN's MJ Lee and Donald Judd contributed to this report.
The ongoing hurricane response by Biden's administration underscores the importance of politics in dealing with such crises, as the administration aims to counter myths and ensure a successful reaction to inspire voter confidence in the upcoming election. Harris' involvement in the hurricane response and her criticism of misleading information have become significant topics in the 2024 election discourse.
