It feels like people forget that North America’s hurricane season really extends through October and November. We’ll keep getting stronger and stronger hurricanes later in the season too, because the water – especially in the Gulf – is so warm, so late into the year. Two and a half weeks ago, Hurricane Helene made landfall on the Florida panhandle and then ripped its way through Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky. The issue with a weakened, slow-moving and massive hurricane making its way up the Appalachian Mountains is that Helene just dumped feet of water throughout multiple states and caused massive flooding. It wasn’t wind damage, it was the flooding.
Well, not even three weeks later, and another huge hurricane is about to make landfall. Hurricane Milton is churning its way through the Gulf of Mexico. It is likely a Category 5 making landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula right now, and then it will hit the west coast of Florida as a Cat 3 on Wednesday. Meteorologists are using terms like “explosive” and “life-threatening surge” and “terrifying.” Florida officials have ordered mandatory evacuations for most coastal towns and areas. President Biden already declared a state of emergency, which frees up federal resources to get ready to move as soon as possible. It would not surprise me if the National Guard had to be called up. Apparently, President Biden did the emergency declaration without speaking to Florida’s Governor Ron “Pudding Fingers” DeSantis. DeSantis has been dodging President Biden and VP Kamala Harris’s calls for a while now:
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is not taking calls from Vice President Kamala Harris about storm recovery just over a week after Hurricane Helene hammered parts of his state. A source familiar with the situation said he was dodging the Democratic presidential nominee’s calls because they “seemed political,” according to a DeSantis aide.
“Kamala was trying to reach out, and we didn’t answer,” the DeSantis aide told NBC News.
The same person said “not to my knowledge” when asked if DeSantis had spoken to President Joe Biden.
Last week, DeSantis said Biden had called him, but he was flying at the time so could not take the call. Biden was in north Florida last week to survey storm damage, but DeSantis was holding a news press conference that had already been scheduled in another part of the state so they did not meet. A source familiar with the planning said that the Biden team had invited DeSantis to the event in north Florida. DeSantis has been in direct contact with Federal Emergency Management Director Deanne Criswell.
So it’s not like Ol’ Pudding Fingers is avoiding every federal official – he’s in contact with FEMA, and God knows, he wants all of the federal disaster relief funding and FEMA help he can get. But he’s too chickensh-t, too weak and too stupid to actually show a modicum of respect towards Pres. Biden and VP Harris. When White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about DeSantis’s childishness, she told reporters: “It’s up to him if he wants to respond to us or not.” Not only did DeSantis avoid speaking to Pres. Biden over the phone in recent days and weeks, Pudding Fingers also avoided Biden during Biden’s visit to Florida last week to view Helene’s damage.
Reporter: There are reports that DeSantis is ignoring your calls..
Kamala Harris: Playing political games at this moment…It's utterly irresponsible and it is selfish and it is about political gamesmanship instead of doing the job that you took an oath to do pic.twitter.com/lySDD98xO9
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 7, 2024
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- Governor Ron DeSantis (Republican of Florida) delivers remarks on “And To The Republic: The Florida Blueprint” at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, New York on April 1, 2023. In his remarks DeSantis commented on the Manhattan Grand Jury’s indictment of former US President Donald J. Trump. Featuring: Governor Ron DeSantis Where: Garden City, New York, United States When: 01 Apr 2023 Credit: CNP/startraksphoto.com
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- Governor Ron DeSantis (Republican of Florida) delivers remarks on “And To The Republic: The Florida Blueprint” at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, New York on April 1, 2023. In his remarks DeSantis commented on the Manhattan Grand Jury’s indictment of former US President Donald J. Trump. Featuring: Governor Ron DeSantis Where: Garden City, New York, United States When: 01 Apr 2023 Credit: CNP/startraksphoto.com
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- Governor Ron DeSantis (Republican of Florida) delivers remarks on “And To The Republic: The Florida Blueprint” at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, New York on April 1, 2023. In his remarks DeSantis commented on the Manhattan Grand Jury’s indictment of former US President Donald J. Trump. Featuring: Governor Ron DeSantis Where: Garden City, New York, United States When: 01 Apr 2023 Credit: CNP/startraksphoto.com
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- United States Vice President Kamala Harris is seen at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland as she greets recently released prisoners from Russia Featuring: Kamala Harris Where: Camp Springs, Maryland, United States When: 02 Aug 2024 Credit: CNP/INSTARimages
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- United States President Joe Biden speaks to a group of reporters as US Vice President Kamala Harris looks on after greeting reporters Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva and Paul Whelan following their release as part of a 24-person prisoner swap between Russia and the United States, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland Featuring: Joe Biden, Kamala Harris Where: Camp Springs, Maryland, United States When: 01 Aug 2024 Credit: POOL via CNP/INSTARimages.com
This infuriated me last night. This turd. These. Turds. Care more about chaos than actual problem-solving.
It’s gross. I have a friend that lives in the coast and they left yesterday. But almost none of the debris from Helene in their town has been picked up. Desantis ordered landfills to stay open and start accepting more and more, but that came after a ton of people had already left so there’s not only going to be wind and storm surge, there’s going to be tons of flying debris and stuff clogging drains
Well Florida you have a choice… You can come into the light or stay in the darkness.
I live here and we are TRYING.
What’s not making it easier? The people surrounding us (us=the rational, sane people) that truly believe this mess storms are manufactured by the government and are being intentionally delivered. Ummmm what I have no words
You too have a choice to come into the light or stay in darkness.
Our amazing Florida Democrats—office holders, candidates, organizers and volunteers— are on the ground around the clock getting out the vote.
How about helping us? Charles Gaba makes it simple with his ActBlue pages. Here’s the link for all the state legislatures. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/flblue24?refcode=blue24 Just 5 or 10$ will help turn Florida blue again.
Then, you can educate yourself about the voter repression efforts in Florida. After all, they may be coming soon to your state. DeSantis has done everything he can to prevent us from voting but we are fighting back with everything we have.
We here in Florida are working, for us and for the entire US, not just making cynical comments.
By the way I’m evacuating for the second time in two weeks because I’m facing catastropic destruction from Milton.
ArtFossil, stay safe. I’m sending positive thoughts to all who have been and are being impacted by the hurricanes.
Thank you, @Saucy&Sassy. I appreciate that.
We have tried to get Rick Scott out when he was governor and also Ron DeSantis. The problem is that the Democratic party in this state runs very weak candidates for the office of governor. Also we have had so many people move into this state that love what DeSantis has done here, meaning destroying our public schools, very few covid restrictions, and weak gun laws.
I am almost 70 years old and can remember a time we had some really wonderful leaders, Lawton Childs, Robert Nelson etc. But this state has gone to crap since Jeb took over.
I too have boarded up my home since I am in an evacuation area and have a bit of PTSD since Ian hit here and I lost my car, my carport and had to replace my floors due to Ians surge.
But I expect DeSantis to just put on his white gogo boots after Milton hits and do a walk about just for the photo opp. Meanwhile he will ignore Biden and Harris’s calls while we have to fight the one insurance company in this state, since no one will insure us here.
Yes! Stay safe @ArtFossil and other CB’ers in the path. We have relatives in Tampa that left for northern Georgia on Sunday. This after Helene and daughter in NC. She feels fortunate to have only lost power. Others weren’t as lucky. Her normal perky tone dropped decibels discussing the devastation she’s seen.
DeSantis is bad. Weather catastrophes should not be political. We know which party isn’t big on uniting.
Seriously.
They will jeopardize the lives of actual people to play their party politics. Sickening.
This is what they are all about. They don’t care to govern to enhance the quality of life for their constituents – they are in it for their own personal gain and power.
I suspect that he’s doing Trump’s bidding. Trump keeps saying Biden and Harris are ignoring the hurricanes and FEMA doesn’t care about people in the red states. A photo of DeSantis with Biden and Harris would change that. All othere governors in the storm-tossed states have defended FEMA and Biden on TV.
Meanwhile, his unfavourability ratings are soaring. 46.7 percent today, nationwide
Shame on him playing politics with his constituents lives. This is a hurricane category 5. Florida needs to vote him out he’s disgraceful!
We tried to vote this worm out. The only saving grace is he’s out after this term.
DeathSantis likes playing with people’s lives. This behavior should be surprising, but sadly, not anymore. All the best to those affected.
DeSantis doesn’t care about people’s lives. They are just collateral damage to him.
Is there a single adult in the entire f–king party? Jesus Christ, these people are embarrassing. And so lucky that Biden and Kamala aren’t playing political games in a time of crisis, like when Trump tried to withold necessary supplies from blue states during the height of the pandemic. DeSantis can get f–ked, now and forever.
The entire GOP is a bunch of diaper-wearing infants squalling their heads off.
Just another reminder of why the both siderism shit needs to be called out every time. One party puts people ahead of politics and one does not. They’re NOT the f*cking same.
It makes me so sad to see politics has become so much less about doing what’s right for all people and just about being in power and crushing anyone who disagrees with your personal beliefs. This is obviously more directed to republican. Why can’t our leadership serve all of us.
I will say a few other GOP politicians in the Helene affected areas did say on TV that they’ve gotten everything they asked for and the federal government is helping them, because dumpy and his friends are spreading misinformation. But DeSantis is going to f it up enough for all of them.
I wish the GOP would look at what people in the country actually want, and try to meet those needs instead of just waging this ridiculous culture war and running on obstruction, lies, and election interference.
Insanely petty, childish, dangerous, and irresponsible. Florida please remember this on November 3, 2026 when this one is up for reelection.
Vote them out. Vote them all out. They abuse their powers and violate their oaths. They are traitors to this country. They don’t care about their constituents. They are here to serve themselves not the people. It needs to end.
End it at the ballot box once and for all.
I am holding out hope that the GOP gets curb stomped this November.
This is his last term. He’s reached the limit. He has to be out of office at least a year before he can run again so at least we’re guaranteed at least another four years without him as governor after the end of this term. Of course between now and then, he’ll probably try to change the law. Good riddance.
I don’t think he could get re-elected now anyways. I think once people saw more of him in the Republican primaries, he lost a lot of his appeal. Dude is awkward as hell with an irritating voice.
Oh you’re right Donna. That seat is up for grabs in 2026. Florida, please don’t replace him with a Ted Cruz, a Brian Kemp, or another GOP a-hole. Just vote blue. Desantis has wreaked havoc all over Florida. Everyone better remember it in 2026. Something tells me we won’t be rid of him so easily. He will probably be the one running for president on the GOP ticket in 2028 to reinvigorate his idiotic war on woke.
Omg, does RdS not care at all about people living in FL?! His own constituents? How on earth is this conceivably helpful when ever time a natural disaster hits Florida, he’s going to need emergency assistance?
Please vote! Up and down the ballot FL needs people who respect the rule of law and will actually govern.
Btw, for those who have forgotten about Pudding Fingers, here’s a reminder: https://people.com/politics/ron-desantis-pudding-fingers-trump-ad/
On top of not taking calls, Trump and some Republicans are spreading dangerous disinformation about the Federal government response. Other more responsible officials have declared the Biden-Harris response “superb”. DeSantis is going to need all the help he can get in the next few days. He better stop worrying about offending Trump and start doing his job.
If any loss of life occurs it’s on DeSatan’s head. Period.
I live in Clearwater Florida, so I am in practically in the center of the destruction path of Milton. If you never hear from me again it will mean I didn’t survive. My house is not in an evacuation area and it would take a major flood to get to me, but the wind speed will be scary. Governor Ron Desantis did not take the call because he wants to say afterwards that he did not get a call from Biden/Harris to make people believe they don’t care about Floridians. What a deceitful prick Desantis is.
OMG! Stay safe Lolo861f!
Brooksville here! I’m about 6-8 miles inland and almost all boarded up. The wind will definitely be scary. Please stay safe!
Hoping the best for all of you in Florida. This is scary.
I have family in the Sarasota area and as of yesterday they weren’t evacuating. They are not in the immediate evacuation zone, but I’m less worried about them having flooding and more that they could be cut off for quite some time, or have serious wind damage.
Stay safe Florida! Stay safe in spite of having a ridiculous excuse for a Governor. This is not leadership, it’s gamesmanship at a time when lives and property are in danger. The warnings with this storm are terrifying and we will keep all of you in our prayers.
I spent all morning convincing an 80+-year-old woman that sheltering at her friend’s rickety first-floor condo in Largo wasn’t the best idea. She is now headed somewhere safer.
Even if you aren’t in a mandatory evacuation zone, you should consider hunkering down in a shelter. It is a few hours of your life that could save your life. Better safe than sorry.
Too many in Helene’s path in NC didn’t heed the warnings and didn’t live to tell us about their regrets.
Stay safe!
Hoping for the best, @Lolo86lf! That’s such a pretty part of the state, too (the Scientology stuff is mighty weird, though). Pack up what you can & go, mandatory or not.
Wretched, vile man. What else is their to say?
Milton is now predicted to be a Cat 6. So huge it had to be given a new Cat level.
Has the potential to be worse than Katrina.
There is no official Category 6 for hurricanes. A recently-published study suggested we may need one for the more powerful storms we are now seeing but they have not yet changed the Saffir Simpson scale.
That is truly horrifying, that we’ve so f*cked up the planet they’ve got to increase the scale by which hurricanes are measured. I still remember reading the reports of the water temperatures in the Keys last summer–100 degrees! The water!
I’m in Miami, we’ve had days where the temperature was 113 with the heat index. Supposedly we have the cooling effect of the ocean breeze. It’s insane.
I worked in the Everglades for four months in the summer of 2020. Every single day we’d get a safety email about the air temperature, the humidity, expected afternoon thunderstorms, & expected temperature with the heat index. It was triple digits, every day. Every single day. For four months. Y’all are tough down there! And we had four hurricanes in the first four weeks, closing all four of our parks (NPS) at one time or another. Beautiful, but a tough climate.
Bet he still takes every dollar of federal aid though. The mountainous communities in TN and NC have never experienced a widespread disaster like Helene inflicted on the area. The magats have spread such wild conspiracy theories and rumors that people are refusing aid from fema and being belligerent with the feds. The are will be deeply @#$%ed without hundreds of billions in federal aid. The magat supporters do not vote in their own self interest. Go-go boots seemed washed up after the primaries. I wonder what his intentions are (and who his handers are)?
DeSantis will take every penny without acknowledging where it came from. Last week, he took credit for ending the dockworkers strike. The man is an insane egomaniac
We have friends spread throughout the target region. Wishing all of them and all of you, including those in Yucatan, safety through this nightmare
Of course he will. And I think he’s one of those that was vocal that FEMA shouldn’t help the Northeast when Sandy hit. But he’ll take every penny, and take credit for it.
He’s going to put on his sassy white go-go boots and stand there for photo ops, while not giving a shit about anyone or anything but himself.
An angry bitter man, pissed that his presidential dreams crashed and burned so spectacularly. He’s willing to make the citizens of his state pay the price. Then again, they put him in that office. Ye reaps what ye sews.
He was in the military. He is an educated man. I think he made a point of his religion publicly also.
He KNOWS what a Cat 5 hurricane will do.
How DARE he play games with peoples lives!
He’s just a jealous, petty little man. He can’t stand it that she’s running for president and he’s not. And that people are excited about her candidacy, and think he’s a weirdo.
Well “weirdo” is about the nicest thing you can say about a man willing to endanger the lives of thousands of people.
Oh look, an elected Republican showing utter disregard for human lives because all he cares about is his ego and political games. Shocking.
But he’d take Drumpf’s call in a heartbeat and that wouldn’t be political at all…eyeroll.
And as others noted…he complains about the budget and handouts but who is first in line to call FEMA?! And Florida takes WAY more federal dollars than many of those liberal states.
Repubs will literally do anything, even kill people, to make sure the democratic administration fails – or at least looks like they are failing – by using their constant obstruction tactics.
Disgusting group of humans.
What makes this all even more horrendous is that Mike Johnson has refused to reconvene the House to get more FEMA funds. He said they had to wait until after November 5th. I hope this ruins him. The strength of Milton is massive and the damage and flooding is going to be something that has never happened in the past.
I urge anyone in Florida to leave. I know it’s easy for me to say, but if you have a vehicle just go.
He finally spoke with Biden, AFTER the report came out. He had to be shamed into doing right by his state.
He actually did speak to Biden. DeSantis said so and Biden confirmed that today.
He spoke to Biden after it was publicized that he wasn’t taking Biden calls.
This is why I don’t feel bad for any of the wealthy beach front owners and the like currently watching their real estate investments go down the drain. They voted for this trash, and trash is what they get for it. Save your sympathy for the poor and working classes who didn’t vote for this idiot and who are losing things they actually can’t afford to replace.
If you look at a map of St Pete you will see that there are many many many working class neighborhoods which are in Zone A and subject to catastrophic storm surge. These are not wealthy “beachfront” property owners. These are ordinary people who could lose everything they have because an huge portion of St Pete is now vulnerable because the impact is multiplied exponentially because of global warming.
St Pete inaugurated a 70 billion dollar infrastructure program ten years ago. But that was preparation for seven foot storm surge and now we’re facing 15 feet!
And no, we didn’t vote for DeSantis.
Congratulations, you have identified the groups I specifically said are not responsible for this shitshow. Too bad their fellow Floridians cared more for stoking the fires of their own climate change denial and voting a petty narcissist into office instead of being responsible with their vote.
No worries, though, you guys will get your federal recovery money. You won’t have to see it delayed the way victims of Sandy did the last time Republican senators decided to play games with FEMA response. Biden isn’t Trump, after all, refusing to give a state money because their governor happens to be a different party.