Picture the media reaction if a Republican president refused to talk to a Democratic governor who was facing a major hurricane. Actually, you don’t have to imagine it. When Donald Trump was president, he called Puerto Rico governor Ricardo Rosselló about Hurricane Maria in 2017 and visited the island in October. But two years later, Rosselló blasted Trump for not visiting the island to discuss its recovery. NBC News blared: “Trump refuses meeting over hurricane relief, Puerto Rico governor says. Rosselló said the White House declined his requests to meet with the president directly without giving a reason.” Vanity Fair was harsher: ” Trump Blames Puerto Rico for Inconveniencing Him with Another Potential Hurricane.”
Now, with Florida under threat from Hurricane Ian, the director of FEMA has spoken with Florida governor Ron DeSantis but confirms that Joe Biden hasn’t — even though Biden has spoken to two Democratic mayors (as well as a Republican mayor who has done appearances with Charlie Crist, DeSantis’s Democratic opponent). Biden was planning to do an event of his own this week to help Crist’s campaign. As Business Insider notes, the silence is unusual: “Presidents and governors typically hold a phone call at a time of natural disasters so presidents can offer federal support and bipartisanship,” and Biden last year was willing to meet with DeSantis following the Surfside building collapse. So, this makes Biden look petty and small. Then again, perhaps this is really just an implicit concession that Biden isn’t up to the call or is incapable of being of assistance.