“SO STUPID”
Far from fostering national unity in the face of catastrophe, the double whammy of hurricanes has fueled US political divisions less than four weeks before an agonizingly close and bitterly fought election.
A particular flashpoint has been the relationship between the White House and the governors – often Republican – in storm-hit states.
Hurricane Helene’s rampage took on a particularly sensitive political importance given that two of the worst-hit states, North Carolina and Georgia, are among the seven swing states where the election is likely to be decided.
And as Milton left a trail of devastation across Florida and at least four dead, Republican governor and former presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis stirred up a political storm over claims that he’d refused to take calls from Harris.
“I didn’t even know she was trying to reach me. But she has no role in this process,” DeSantis, who ran against Trump for the Republican nomination, said in a briefing on Thursday.
