Biden, 81, says Americans are ‘brain dead’ if they don’t think Hurricane Helene was caused by climate change
President Joe Biden blasted climate change skeptics on Wednesday during a visit to assess storm damage from flooding caused by Hurricane Helene.
The president toured both South Carolina and North Carolina, traveling aboard his Marine One helicopter to view the historic flooding and destruction six days after the storm first made landfall in Florida.
More than 160 people in six states are now confirmed dead as historic rainfall from the hurricane flooded entire cities, washed away homes, damaged many of the highways and devastated the region.
‘No one can deny the impact of the climate crisis anymore. At least I hope not,” he said. “If they do that, they must be brain dead.”
Biden blamed climate change for fueling the power of hurricanes like Helene.
“Scientists report that storms like Helene are becoming stronger due to warming oceans causing more intense rains,” he said. “Today in North Carolina I saw the consequences of that anger.”
The president described the storm as a “storm literally of historic proportions” and promised continued federal assistance to help those affected by the storms.
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) greets US President Joe Biden (R) upon arrival at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in Greer, South Carolina
Marine One, carrying US President Joe Biden, flies over a storm-hit area near Asheville, North Carolina on October 2, 2024
US President Joe Biden (C) and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper (L) receive an operational briefing at the Raleigh Emergency Operations Center
Biden also called on everyone to “put politics aside” in times of crisis.
“There are no Democrats or Republicans, only Americans,” he said.
The President arrived at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in Greer, South Carolina before touring storm damage by helicopter and concluding his visit with a briefing from personal and local emergency officials from the Raleigh Emergency Operations Center.
“My heart goes out to everyone who has experienced this unthinkable loss, but we are here for you,” he said during his speech, adding: “Kamala and I are here until the end.”
Buncombe County Emergency Services Deputy Director Ryan Cole described the flooding as “biblical.”
“We’ve had biblical devastation across the province, we’ve had biblical floods here and they’ve been extremely important,” he told the Citizen Times.