The president, who has spoken to DeSantis multiple times this week, said on Friday they would meet in person. The decision by the governor not to come caught the White House off guard.
Biden, a Democrat, took an aerial tour and received a briefing from local officials and first responders in Live Oak, a town hit hard by the storm.
DeSantis, 44, spent the day about 50 miles (80 km) south, touring small communities along Florida’s Gulf Coast, according to his official schedule.
Biden and DeSantis have spoken regularly this week about the hurricane, which pummeled Florida’s Big Bend region with Category 3 winds of nearly 125 mph (200 kph).
When Biden visited Florida after Hurricane Ian last year, a photo of DeSantis standing awkwardly to the side as the president talked animatedly with a local couple went viral, highlighting the difference between the two politicians’ styles of public interaction.
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who is also running for the 2024 Republican nomination, drew criticism for his praise of then-President Barack Obama in 2012 when the Democrat visited his state following superstorm Sandy.
The White House said Biden, who was traveling with his wife, Jill, informed DeSantis about the visit during a conversation on Thursday, and the governor did not raise concerns.
The original article contains 775 words, the summary contains 181 words. Saved 77%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Biden, a Democrat, took an aerial tour and received a briefing from local officials and first responders in Live Oak, a town hit hard by the storm.
DeSantis, 44, spent the day about 50 miles (80 km) south, touring small communities along Florida’s Gulf Coast, according to his official schedule.
Biden and DeSantis have spoken regularly this week about the hurricane, which pummeled Florida’s Big Bend region with Category 3 winds of nearly 125 mph (200 kph).
When Biden visited Florida after Hurricane Ian last year, a photo of DeSantis standing awkwardly to the side as the president talked animatedly with a local couple went viral, highlighting the difference between the two politicians’ styles of public interaction.
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who is also running for the 2024 Republican nomination, drew criticism for his praise of then-President Barack Obama in 2012 when the Democrat visited his state following superstorm Sandy.
The White House said Biden, who was traveling with his wife, Jill, informed DeSantis about the visit during a conversation on Thursday, and the governor did not raise concerns.
The original article contains 775 words, the summary contains 181 words. Saved 77%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!