Not even a year ago, President Biden and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis presented a united front when the former went to visit the latter's home state following the destruction caused by Hurricane Ian. Don't expect such a joint appearance on Saturday, when the president is set to tour the Sunshine State's Big Bend region to survey the damage from Hurricane Idalia. Even though the two men running for the Oval Office in 2024 had spoken before the hurricane hit, "we don't have any plans for the governor to meet with the president tomorrow," DeSantis' press secretary, Jeremy Redfern, said in a Friday night statement, per NPR. "In these rural communities, and so soon after impact, the security preparations alone that would go into setting up such a meeting would shut down ongoing recovery efforts."
The AP notes that the response from DeSantis' team contradicts what Biden himself had indicated earlier that day: When asked after a White House event if he would be meeting up with DeSantis over the weekend, Biden simply said, "Yes." A White House rep also noted that the president's visit to the community of Live Oak with first lady Jill Biden wouldn't hamper recovery efforts, despite what DeSantis' team is now insisting. "Their visit to Florida has been planned in close coordination with [FEMA], as well as state and local leaders, to ensure there is no impact on response operation," spokesperson Emilie Simons said in a statement.
When asked why Biden had originally indicated he'd meet with DeSantis, a White House official told NBC News, "The president informed the governor yesterday before his visit to FEMA. The governor did not express concerns at that time." The outlet notes the tricky politics behind such a meeting. First, there's the "risk of tagging along with a Democrat," especially one seeking reelection, for DeSantis if he does meet with Biden.
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The New York Times notes the flak that Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie received in 2012 when he warmly greeted President Obama in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, days before the presidential election. But there's also the risk of appearing partisan at a time of crisis if he doesn't. "Nothing will kill [Ron DeSantis] faster than [him] standing up and being anything but supportive of a president coming to survey his state," a GOP strategist tells NBC. (More Ron DeSantis stories.)
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