This episode is a stark reminder about how partisan politics can impair basic government responses to disasters. It also serves as an example of how partisan politics may be used to influence even the most basic government responses.Thursday will see Joe Biden, Democrat, make his first visit to Florida as President to meet with families of the deceased and missing. He is likely to appear alongside Florida's Republican Governor. Ron DeSantis is a potential presidential candidate of top quality who could challenge Biden's reelection bid in three years. Both administrations are focusing on Surfside's crisis and not on scoring political points, according to insiders.However, regardless of how the president, governor and staff behave, there are still political pitfalls and consequences. This was evident in the 2012 relationship between Christie, Obama, and others. While the scale and scope of both disasters is vastly different, Sandy left fewer victims than Surfside. However, the storm caused more damage that required federal aid. The partisan political considerations are the same: Should DeSantis be accompanied by Biden? They should hug or shake hands. How should one respond if the other uses this opportunity to engage in a political argument?Ironically, people were calling for [Christie] to put politics first, not his constituents. DuHaime recalled, "Put politics first. Don't appear with the president. Ask for help."The White House and the Florida governors office are currently in negotiations to determine each man's schedule. They also discuss how and when each man will appear on camera together. This is what political professionals refer to as the optics of such visits. According to people familiar with DeSantis' thinking, DeSantis won't be greeting the president at the airport as Christie did in 2012.According to one source, Washington and Tallahassee discussed the most likely scenario.We can't escape politics. The truth is that we can't escape the fact that politics is a constant.The vastly different personalities of DeSantis and Biden are another factor in the discussion.DeSantis quickly rose to power in Florida politics, and has established a reputation as a sharp-elbowed partisan fighter. Republicans and Democrats have praised him for his handling the Surfside tragedy, even though he only briefly visited Pensacola in the Panhandle to announce the deployment of state law enforcement officers at the border with Mexico. Biden, who made bipartisanship a cornerstone of his administration's success, will primarily be retiring as the Consoler in Chief. He is an individual who has lost a wife and a daughter over the years, and has an instinctual empathy that connects deeply to grieving people.He is able to connect with people and sympathize with their grief and loss. According to a White House senior adviser, Biden knows that families need to be comforted during these difficult times. Hell brings compassion and leadership. He is going because of that.Because presidential visits can be a time-consuming and costly affair that can take resources away from first responders and cause delays in search-and rescue operations, the White House decided to delay announcing Biden's trip. It is a stark reminder that many of those who are missing are now presumed dead due to the collapse. Officials from the state claim it is the third-largest structural defect in American history, after the terrorist attacks on World Trade Center in 2001, and the Oklahoma City federal Building in 1995.Unauthorized to speak on the record, a DeSantis advisor said that the governor was waiting to hear more information from the White House about the schedule. He also stated that it is no problem to visit the site with President Obama. We are here daily and we welcome him.DeSantis has, however, cancelled his appearance at Trump's rally in Sarasota on Saturday, the other coast. However, the governor denied a Washington Examiner report that DeSantis was in a dispute with Trump over the event.According to DeSantis, that is not true. He said it after speaking with an adviser. The account was also refuted by two sources who were close to Trump and are familiar with the event’s planning.In a hurricane-prone state, the politics of disaster is well-known. Former Governor After eight severe storms in 2005 and 2004, Jeb Bush's poll numbers rose significantly. Former Governor Rick Scott was also a regular presence in the area before and after hurricanes. He wore a blue U.S. Navy cap while surveying the damage. Scott and Senator Marco Rubio (who lives in Miami) were present in Surfside with a number of officials.Despite the disaster, there is little trust between Washington and Tallahassee.These details are usually worked out between the governor's office and White House. However, the White House is not involved in any of these matters. Zero. Zero.DeSantis had already spoken to President Biden by phone. This was their first conversation since Obama became president. Moskowitz stated that he thanked Biden, for the federal disaster declaration, at one of his first press conferences. DeSantis' first acknowledgement of Obama was this hug. This could be the Republican nominee and the president, both running for reelection in the next three years. They are putting politics aside. They are ignoring the political pressure from the inside, and the people on social media who want to make politics about them.Moskowitz, in his role as a bipartisan disaster response expert, also played a behind the scenes shuttle-diplomacy role with the DeSantis administration, state and local Democrats. He advised them to ignore criticisms from the governor for not declaring an emergency immediately after the building's collapse around 1:30 a.m. a week ago.Hours after the collapse, political chatter intensified when Biden stated at a Thursday afternoon press conference he was willing to approve federal assistance but DeSantis hadn't asked.I am waiting for the governor's request or to declare an emergency. Biden spoke out to reporters about the possibility of what will happen to the rest of the building. This prompted Twitter to explode with Democratic criticisms against DeSantis. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava (Democrat) quickly tweeted that DeSantis had to issue a state of emergency declaration.Cava did not issue a local emergency order, which is usually the first step in disaster response. This ordinarily starts the process of responding locally and runs through the state, then the federal government. Two hours later, she issued the local order. Later that night, DeSantis approved the declaration and Biden responded with his own order on Friday.This situation demonstrates the lack of trust between the two political sides, as well as the lack of communication and understanding of the nuances involved in disaster response. According to Moskowitz and Craig Fugate (the former FEMA head under Obama) and Florida's emergency management chief under the former Republican Governor. Jeb Bush.They claim that the disaster declarations are essentially for federal money flow. However, FEMA-sanctioned rescue operations were initiated immediately because Miami-Dade County has two of the 28 national urban search-and-rescue task force under FEMA authority.DeSantis' Thursday night declaration angered the Washington Post's press office. A Washington Post reporter suggested that Saturday's search-and rescue response be hampered. Moskowitz, a favorite word from Bidens, took to Twitter to denounce it.Fugate said it was bullshit.DeSantis has stood alongside Cava, along with Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (ex-head of the Democratic National Committee), since the initial communication difficulties. Cava is a standout among DeSantis allies. They credit her for a comprehensive press conference and a solution-first style in governance, calling for an inspection of all condominiums for structural issues.According to a top Democrat, who advised Biden's campaign and political operation, a Thursday night political focus group was dominated by discussion about the condo collapse and the political questions it raised.The adviser stated that there is a stark contrast between problem-solvers, and deniers, which could be a long-term one, especially if we look to 2024. This raises fundamental questions. How can you deny the necessity of regulation and strict enforcement? How can you deny that infrastructure investment is needed, private or public? How can you deny that climate change is real? This is quite a stark contrast. This will not be the case in this meeting, but it will be established by this meeting and the following.These issues are currently being discussed privately, or by partisans via social media.They are doing the right thing and even if they get criticized, politics will take care, according to DuHaime, the Christie advisor. Why not do the right things? It is not partisan to help people after a building falls.
