Vice President Harris consoles a girl as she toured injury from Hurricane Helene within the Meadowbrook neighborhood of Augusta, Ga., on Oct. 2.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP
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Brendan Smialowski/AFP
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Vice President Harris took a pause from the marketing campaign path on Wednesday to go to a neighborhood ravaged by Hurricane Helene the place greater than half of residents haven’t got energy and many do not have working water, consoling a girl who she mentioned had misplaced her husband.
“There’s actual ache and trauma that has resulted due to this hurricane,” Harris mentioned.
In the meantime, President Biden spent about an hour flying over Asheville, N.C., by helicopter. “You may see properties which are moved, clearly, from one aspect of the river, down the river to a different aspect,” he mentioned. “Communities like Chimney Rock are diminished to piles of wooden and particles.”
Vice President Harris speaks about injury brought on by Hurricane Helene in Augusta, Ga., on Oct. 2.
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Bendan Smialowski/AFP
Biden and Harris try to reassure residents harm by the huge storm that the federal authorities will assist the area get better. Making good on that promise is a important take a look at for the administration on this election yr, notably within the swing states of North Carolina and Georgia, the place Biden and Harris visited.
However Biden mentioned it wasn’t about politics. “At a second like this, we put politics apart — not less than, we should always put all of it apart, and we now have, right here,” Biden mentioned at a briefing at an emergency operations middle in Raleigh, N.C.
“There are not any Democrats, Republicans — solely People — and our job is to assist as many individuals as we will, as shortly as we will, and as totally as we will,” he mentioned.
President Biden talks with state officers at an emergency operations middle in Raleigh, N.C., with a map of the realm hit by Hurricane Helene behind him.
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Mandel Ngan/AFP
Biden introduced that the federal authorities would cowl 100% of the prices of particles elimination and emergency protecting measures for six months for North Carolina, as requested by its Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.
He additionally directed as much as 1,000 active-duty troopers to be deployed to assist the North Carolina Nationwide Guard ship meals, water and medication.
In Georgia, Harris mentioned the federal authorities would cowl 100% of the prices of particles elimination and emergency protecting measures for 3 months for the state, as requested by its Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. Kemp was not together with her for the tour.
President Biden surveyed storm injury on Marine One close to Asheville, N.C. on Oct. 2.
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Mandel Ngan/AFP
The White Home additionally introduced that Biden had licensed 100% of the prices of particles elimination and emergency protecting measures for 3 months for Florida — a state he plans to go to on Thursday.
Biden can even make a cease on Thursday in Georgia. That is the place former President Donald Trump was on Monday, the place he, too, mentioned that disasters transcend politics.
Former President Donald Trump visitsa furnishings retailer broken throughout Hurricane Helene in Valdosta, Ga., on Sept. 30.
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Michael M. Santiago/Getty Photos
“As you understand, our nation is within the last weeks of a hard-fought nationwide election. However in a time like this, when a disaster hits, when our fellow residents cry out in want, none of that issues. We’re not speaking about politics now. Now we have to all get collectively and get this solved,” Trump mentioned.
However throughout his cease, Trump falsely mentioned Gov. Kemp had not been capable of attain Biden. “He’s been calling the president, hasn’t been capable of get him. However they’ll come via, I’m positive,” Trump mentioned. Biden later that day angrily criticized Trump.
“He is mendacity, and the governor advised him he was mendacity,” Biden mentioned, noting he had spoken with Kemp. “I do not know why he [Trump] does this. And the explanation I get so indignant about it — I do not care about what he says about me, however I care what he communicates to the individuals which are in want. He implies that we’re not doing every thing potential. We’re,” Biden mentioned.