Hurricane Milton tore through the west coast of Florida, ripping the roof off Tropicana Field — and doing serious damage to the floundering Kamala Harris campaign.
With her gale force winds of desperation, the veep has tried so hard to appear presidential by inserting herself into the storm effort this week.
But she’s come across like a party crasher trying to get into the VIP section of an A-list soiree. A political interloper. A useless limb.
Or, as Florida governor Ron DeSantis said more bluntly this morning on “Squawk Box”: “She has no role in this process.”
Still, Harris worked the phones as Milton blew in, calling in to the Weather Channel and CNN to blast Donald Trump and DeSantis for politicizing the disasters. Oh, the hypocrisy.
Last night she posted to her VP account on X a video conversation with St. Petersburg, Fla., mayor Ken Welch — a shamelessly transparent campaign ad that had all the authenticity of a Canal Street Gucci belt.
“Thank you for just answering the call to lead in the way that you have in a time of crisis,” Harris said. “Folks are looking in your eyes to see something in you that lets them know that everything is going to be OK.”
Welch, who had a lot on his plate, clearly tossed her campaign a bone as he said he appreciated “her partnership.”
Sounding like a disinterested customer service agent reading a script, a performative Harris offered Welch this inanity as his city was threatened by 100-mph winds and more than 18 inches of rain: “Know that you are invited to give any feedback about what you might need in real time because you’re the leadership on the ground, so you know what your folks need.”
Profound.
This Harris clean-up effort all kicked off Monday, when it was reported that DeSantis, who was dealing with both the aftermath of Helene and the incoming Milton, ignored her call.
Asked directly about the reported snub, Harris dug in.
“Playing political games at this moment in these crisis situations — these are the height of emergency situations — is just utterly irresponsible and it is selfish, and it is about political gamesmanship,” said the candidate, who was already facing backlash for finally breaking her media fast and traveling to New York as parts of the country were battered and without power.
An exasperated DeSantis, who has a proven reputation for stellar hurricane preparedness and recovery, said he had no clue the VP even called.
“I’ve been dealing with these storms in Florida under both Trump and Biden. Neither of them ever politicized it,” he told CNBC.
On “The View,” the “brat” candidate doubled down, saying that she spoke to governors from both parties and “Obviously this is not an issue that is about partisanship or politics for certain leaders, but maybe is for others.”
Then she called CNN and accused Trump of spreading “disinformation” about FEMA in the aftermath of town-destroying Hurricane Helene.
“We all know it’s dangerous, and the gamesmanship has to stop. At some point the politics has to end, especially in a moment of crisis,” Harris told Dana Bash.
It’s like she’s been unburdened of her self-awareness.
On to the Weather Channel, where Harris spoke with meteorologist Mike Bettes who asked her about DeSantis. Harris said it wasn’t a time to point fingers, then did just that.
“Anybody who considers themselves to be a leader should really be in the business right now of giving people a sense of confidence that we’re all working together and that we have the resources and the ability to work together on their behalf,” she said.
The network noted that Trump had also been offered an interview but did not respond. (Eric Trump tweeted that his family housed over 275 power linemen at their Trump Doral property in Miami, so perhaps there were other tasks at hand.)
Even more jarring, Joe Biden seems to gleefully be leaving Harris out in the cold — reiterating how DeSantis was “cooperative” and “doing a great job.” Is this part of bitter Biden’s revenge since being shivved in the back by his party?
When a reporter asked the president if DeSantis should take Harris’ call, Biden dodged the question.
“All I can tell you is I’ve talked to Gov. DeSantis. He’s been very gracious. He’s thanked me for all we’ve done. He knows what we’re doing. And I think that’s important.”
Ouch.
But Harris is right. A natural disaster is about the safety of Americans — and not a time to wade into politics. It’s a shame she spent the last few days doing it.
