Ex-Biden Comms Chief Calls BS on ‘Small and Petty’ DeSantis Over Hurricane Idalia Visit On CNN

CNN analyst and former Biden Communications Director Kate Bedingfield called BS on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for refusing to meet President Joe Biden at a Hurricane Idalia site and citing “logistical” issues.

President Biden announced Friday that he would be traveling to Florida to survey damage from the hurricane that made landfall there this week, and confirmed to CNN that he would be meeting with DeSantis. But hours later the governor’s office told CNN they had no plans for such a meeting, citing logistical concerns. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told CNN the meeting had been “mutually agreed” beforehand and the White House confirmed.

On Friday night’s edition of CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins, anchor Kaitlan Collins asked Bedingfield if the logistics issue holds any water, and Bedingfield called the governor “small and petty” for refusing the meet:

COLLINS: Kate, you worked for President Biden, for a long time. I mean, you’re familiar with how they operate, in the White House, what they believe. I mean, he clearly thought they were going to be meeting. He told my colleague, Arlette Saenz, yes, when she asked him earlier.

What do you think is going on, in the White House, right now? Does this affect anything, for his visit, tomorrow?

KATE BEDINGFIELD: Well, look, I mean, you were asking what’s changed, from this year to last year? The only thing that’s changed, about this year, versus last year, when President Biden was there, in the wake of Hurricane Ian, is that Ron DeSantis is struggling, in a Republican presidential primary.

So look, with regard to the President’s visit? This won’t change the substance of his visit. He will go. He will view the damage. He will talk to people, who are there, first responders, who are helping clean up. He’ll talk to people, who have suffered. This won’t change the substance of his visit, also won’t change the substance of the aid that his government, is providing, to people, who need it, in Florida.

But it is a really unfortunate time, for Ron DeSantis, to choose to be small and petty. This is a moment, where people are hurting. They want to see their leaders. They want to hear from them. It’s a moment for, to put partisanship aside.

Again, it’s something that, you know, I was with President Biden, when he was there, last year, standing with Ron DeSantis. And it was a powerful day. And it was an opportunity to put politics aside, in a really difficult moment.

So, it’s unfortunate that Ron DeSantis is choosing to do this. But I don’t think we should kid ourselves that this is about anything but politics for him.

COLLINS: Well, yes, Kate, just to follow that. You know the logistics going into this, and the big footprint that a President does have when he travels. So, you don’t believe that, that it’s actually a logistics issue here?

BEDINGFIELD: There are certainly logistics. And you’re absolutely right. The President brings a big footprint, with him, when he travels.

But the President has worked through. I was on the team that helped work through many of these visits, in the past, and when we’ve had no problem, standing with governors, with mayors, and with Ron DeSantis, himself, in at least two previous occasions, in Florida.

So, it can be done. It’s a moment, again, when I think people want to see their leaders standing together. And it’s unfortunate that Governor DeSantis won’t be there.

Watch above via CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins.

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