Hurricane Helene has made its way into the 2024 presidential election.
Top News Today :
Over the weekend, Hurricane Helene left what is being called a path of “biblical devastation” across the Southeastern United States. At least 90 people were killed after the storm pulverized communities across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas. Hundreds of roads have been washed away, cellular service for over 250,000 people is out, cities such as Asheville (North Carolina) and portions of Atlanta (Georgia) are underwater, and many communities across the region are still without electricity, food, and clean drinking water.
“I know there are a lot of people who are concerned about relatives and friends they cannot get in touch with,’’ North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said. “It’s one of the reasons we’re pushing so hard to get communications back up because we know a lot of these people are just simply out of communication and are OK.”
On Sunday, Donald Trump turned Hurricane Helene into a political weapon by accusing President Joe Biden of “sleeping” at his beach house in Delaware and chastizing Vice President Kamala Harris for holding fundraising events in California “when big parts of our country have been devastated by that massive hurricane.”
However, The White House instantly pushed back on that narrative.
According to an official press release, President Biden immediately dispatched FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell “to visit Florida over the weekend to assess damage alongside local and state officials.” She surveyed damage in parts of Georgia on Sunday and will move into North Carolina on Monday.
Additionally, Mr. Biden announced that he and Vice President Harris will visit “impacted communities” this week “as soon as it will not disrupt emergency response operations.” He also approved disaster declarations for multiple states and major disaster declarations for hard-hit counties to help provide temporary housing assistance, as well as grants and low-interest loans to aid residents with home repairs.
In a statement, President Biden cautioned that “the road to recovery will be long” but vowed to “be with you every step of the way” and to “make certain that no resource is spared” in rebuilding.
For her part, Vice President Harris acknowledged the impact of Hurricane Helene during campaign stops in Arizona and Nevada.
“I know that everyone here sends their thoughts and prayers for the folks who have been so devastated by that hurricane and the ensuing events, in Florida, in Georgia, the Carolinas, and other impacted states,” Ms. Harris said. She also released a statement expressing her condolences to all who have been impacted and said she and the president “remain committed to ensuring that no community or state has to respond to this disaster alone.”
She reiterated that she and the president intend to visit the affected states to assess damage and meet with residents once their presence (and huge Secret Service detail) is not disruptive to the emergency efforts.
The late Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill, who served during the 1980s, once said “All politics is local.” Truer words have never been spoken.
America is watching how Vice President Harris and Donald Trump each respond to the catastrophic events of Hurricane Helene. However, residents of the battleground (and hardest hit) State of North Carolina will be paying special attention to Ms. Harris and how she handles the federal response for residents in their time of need.
OK WASSUP! discusses the Top News Today:
Harris and Trump respond to Hurricane Helene
I’ve been participating on this site for so long, I’m sure I made mention, at least once, that I have deep family roots in the South, especially the Southeast (GA, AL, FL) and even the Delta state of Louisiana. I also have several dear friends in the states of GA and Louisiana (especially my Ex). But I digress.
Thankfully everyone of them who was in the path of Helene are safe! 🙏 They did lose power for awhile but their power has now been restored.
My heart goes out to All those who were/are impacted directly or indirectly by Helene. ❤️