Reporter : Cheng Wen / Editor : Li Lin / https://www.epochtimes.com/b5/24/10/8/n14346760.htm / Image : On 7 October 2024, in Kissimmee, Florida, the United States, local residents lined up to shop in the rain as Hurricane Milton was expected to make landfall this week. The governor of Florida declared a state of emergency on 5 October. (Gregg Newton/AFP via Getty Images)
Less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene swept across the coast of Florida, the United States, another major hurricane "Milton" is attacking the state. This poses a severe test for the Biden-Harris administration, especially for Vice President Kamala Harris, who is the Democratic presidential candidate. Many voters in the middle are observing her ability to deal with disasters, and many strategists are also evaluating the "Surprise" effect of the "October" hurricanes that hit before the election day.
Kamala’s leadership is being tested
President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have visited parts of the region hit by Hurricane Helene. They have been working to maintain leadership in federal disaster recovery efforts, but when Hurricane Milton moved at speeds, their leadership will be put to a new test as they swoop 175 miles (280 km) from the Gulf of Mexico to Florida.
In order to prepare for the second huge storm "Milton" in this half month, Biden signed an emergency declaration for Florida on 7 October 2024 (Monday) and listed nearly 40 counties of the state that may be affected by the hurricane.
The White House also announced on the 8th that Biden’s visits to Germany and Angola, which were originally scheduled to depart on the 10th, were postponed.
Kamala has received more attention because she has not fully established her leadership credentials in handling the economy and national security during her past three and a half years as vice president, two issues that are top questions in the mind of some voters.
Although Kamala was ahead of former President Donald Trump when voters were asked to rate which presidential candidate was more compassionate, her approval rating in national polls was slightly higher than Trump's, in some swing states, she does lag behind Trump in terms of "leadership" traits.
"It really depends on the impact of Hurricane Milton, which is about to hit Florida and will likely cause more damage in North Carolina," Republican strategist Ron Bonjean told The Hill. There will be more rain. This will really test the federal response if there are any flaws in the plans of the National Guard or FEMA to help those states in the "Milton" pathway, Trump will be seen saying, "There I told you so guys.”
Bonjean added: "Trump could absolutely exploit this if they hadn't planned it from start to finish. It's really going to be a test. ... We're talking about trying to convince a small number of independent voters to do this or that. The way to do it.
According to the National Hurricane Center's real-time hurricane tracker, "Milton" is expected to make landfall in the Tampa Bay area on the west coast of Florida later on Wednesday (9 October). When it makes landfall, it will become a Category 3 storm with reduced wind speeds up to 111-129 mph (180-210 km/h). The region has not been hit head-on by a major hurricane in more than a century.
The Tampa metropolitan area is densely populated (more than 3.3 million people) and shares the same coastline as the area hit by Hurricane Helene.
Hurricane Helene killed at least 230 people as it moved from Florida to North and South Carolina.
On 8 October 2024, Tampa residents evacuated before the arrival of "Milton". Traffic on the northbound Interstate 75 was very congested, and crews were still busy cleaning up the debris left by "Helene".
Pre-election hurricanes have political implications
Campaign strategists from both parties are recalling Hurricane Sandy, which hit central East Coast states shortly before the 2012 election, and its political impact.
They told "Capitol Hill" that then-President Obama's deft response to the disaster helped him defeat the challenge of Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. Especially when Republican New Jersey Governor Chris Christie warmly greeted Obama on the tarmac of Atlantic City International Airport at the end of October, that scene basically sealed Obama's victory.
Twelve years later, the two Republican governors of Florida and Georgia, Ron DeSantis and Brian Kemp, are aware of the "exposure effects" and effects of the current hurricanes. Politically risky, they were careful to avoid any photos that might make Kamala look like a future president.
Kamala visited areas in Georgia affected by Helene last week. She announced at a press conference in Augusta that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would provide emergency services to those in need of immediate relief due to damage caused by Helene. Help is available for $750.
Governor Kemp has distanced himself from Kamala but Trump and he appeared together at an event in Columbia County to inspect the disaster on 4 October 2024.
Democratic strategist Jim Manley said Biden and Kamala need to continue to focus on disaster relief efforts even as states across the country engage in competitive presidential campaigns.
"They're going to have to turn things around very quickly and try to provide everything they need under tremendous pressure. They're still dealing with the effects of the last hurricane," he said.
"They are in overdrive right now. ... They have to stay focused and do what they need to do to help tens of thousands of Americans," Manley also said.
“Trump is touching on any topic that will appeal to the last 5 percent of undecided voters,” said Darrell West, senior fellow for governance studies at the Brookings Institution. “He knows disaster will bring misery to people in affected areas and he hopes to use their difficult circumstances to push people in his direction."
Trump accused Kamala of using "all of her FEMA funds" to provide housing for immigrants who entered the United States illegally. He also accused her of federal policies that provided hurricane victims with just $750 per person instead of considering allocating billions of dollars in additional federal aid to the hardest-hit areas.
In North Carolina, which was severely devastated by Hurricane Helene, the state's Republican U.S. Senator Thom Tillis said on CBS's "Face the Nation" that the speed at which relief supplies were entering western North Carolina is slower than he expected, he noted that many roads in the area are still closed.
He called on the military and FEMA to take a "coordinated response" to clear and repair roads. He said he did not want any "disruptions" to affect rescue operations, saying: "I think we have to continue to focus on rescue operations, recovery operations and clean-up operations. We don't need any of these disruptions. This comes at the expense of hard-working first responders "for the price.”
Kamala and DeSantis engage in war of words
Florida Governor DeSantis said on 7 October 2024 that Kamala accused him of "playing political tricks" and "selfishness" after reports that he did not answer her phone calls, and he responded to Kamala with the word "delusion."
Earlier on the 7th, Kamala was asked about reports that day that DeSantis did not answer her calls about the hurricane and providing resources.
"People are in desperate need of support right now, and to play political games in this crisis situation - this is the most serious stage of the emergency - is completely irreconcilable and selfish," Kamala told reporters. Political games instead of doing the job you are sworn to do, which is to put people first."
In an interview with Fox News on the evening of the 7th, DeSantis responded to Kamala's accusation. He criticized her for politicizing the storm and pointed out that he had dealt with many storms during his tenure as governor. DeSantis also spoke highly of his working relationship with current President Joe Biden and former President Trump.
He said, "I will say this: I have been through multiple storms under both President Trump and President Biden, and I have worked well with both of them. She (Kamala) was the first to try to politicize this storm, and she's just doing it because she's trying to gain some kind of advantage, and then she plays these political games."
"I don't have time to play political games. I have people (concerned) whose lives are at risk. I have people (concerned) whose homes and property are at risk and we are 100 percent focused on that. It's a mission. I'm not worried about her playing her political game, so it's selfish of her to try to make this mistake when we're doing a good job."
DeSantis said he is "utilizing all available resources, including those from the federal government" and has been in contact with President Biden and FEMA officials to prepare for Hurricane Milton, which is expected to make landfall on the evening of the 9th.
"So when Kamala tries to say that my sole concern for the people of Florida is somehow selfish, she's delusional," he said.
"She played no role in this. In fact, she's been vice president for three and a half years. I've been through a lot of storms under this administration. She's never contributed anything to those efforts, So I think it's selfish of her to try to make this mistake," DeSantis continued.
DeSantis also said he has suspended road tolls to make it easier for people to evacuate.
Florida U.S. Senator Marco Rubio posted a storm map on the social platform feet (2.4-3.7 meters) of storm surge.
In a follow-up post, he warned those living in the storm's path that "it's time to leave as soon as possible. Don't wait until the last minute."
Another federal senator from the state, Rick Scott, also issued a strong warning on the X platform, telling people to "evacuate immediately." He also said in a post: "Hurricane #Milton and its deadly storm surge is coming. Don't try to wait it out. This is a matter of life and death!"
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