Biden and Harris step up public engagement about the dangers of Hurricane Milton

As Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have forcefully warned Americans multiple times on Wednesday about what the president is calling “the storm of the century.”

As Hurricane Milton barrels toward Florida, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have forcefully warned Americans multiple times on Wednesday about what the president is calling “the storm of the century.” Their attempt to get out in front of this latest hurricane is a reflection of the severity of the storm, the misinformation about the federal response to Hurricane Helene that the administration is trying to combat — and a looming election that raises the stakes for a successful government response. Both leaders participated in and asked questions during a televised briefing with officials from the National Weather Service and Federal Emergency Management Agency — Biden in-person from the White House, and Harris joining remotely from New York, where she stayed overnight after participating in a series of interviews. The vice president later called into CNN and the Weather Channel for interviews about the storm, telling CNN’s Dana Bash that it’s “unconscionable” for leaders to push hurricane misinformation. Americans are hearing from Biden — who postponed this week’s overseas trip to Germany and Angola — about his administration’s response to the storm no less than three separate times on Wednesday, including the briefing, a call with rabbis where the president referenced the hurricane, and separate remarks on Milton later in the afternoon from the Roosevelt Room of the White House. Harris’ visible role on the storm response comes as Hurricane Helene and now Milton have become part of the 2024 campaign, with less than four weeks to go before Election Day. She’s been making statements on issues that don’t typically fall under the purview of her official role as vice president. A statement from her office on Wednesday, for example, warned that anyone engaging in price gouging during the storm will be held “accountable” while reminding Americans of Harris’ role countering price gougers both as California’s attorney general and as a senator.