Kamala says the Biden administration’s hurricane relief will focus on ‘communities of color’

Vice President Kamala Harris was criticized by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ Rapid Response Director, Christina Pushaw, after the former senator made racist comments about the release of federal relief funds after Hurricane Ian.

Speaking at the Democratic National Committee’s Women’s Leadership Forum on Friday, Harris said it is people of color and lower-income communities who are “being most affected by these extremes.” [weather] condition.’

The devastation wrought by Florida came into focus a day after Ian struck as a monstrous Category 4 hurricane, one of the strongest storms to ever hit the US

It flooded homes on both coasts of the state, cut off the only access road to a barrier island, destroyed a historic waterfront pier, and laid out electricity to 2.67 million Florida homes and businesses — nearly a quarter of utilities. .

Harris, 57, was discussing climate change with actress Priyanka Chopra in Washington, DC when she made her comments.

The vice president continued: “I know we are all thinking of the families in Florida and Puerto Rico with… [Hurricane] Fiona and what we need to do to help them in terms of immediate response and help.”

She continued: “We have to approach this in a way that is about giving resources on an equal basis, recognizing that we are fighting for equality, but we also have to fight for equality.”

Harris added: “Understanding that not everyone starts in the same place, and if we want people to be in the same place, sometimes we have to take those differences into account.”

Just a few hours later, Pushaw took Harris to account for her comments. She tweeted: ‘This is not true. @VP’s rhetoric is causing unnecessary panic and needs to be clarified. FEMA Individual Assistance is already available to all Floridians affected by Hurricane Ian, regardless of race or background.”

Pushaw encouraged her followers who need help in the wake of the hurricane to call 1-800-621-3362 or log on to Disasterassistance.gov.

Pushaw, who previously served as DeSantis’ press secretary, followed up on her original post, saying: ‘The @VP should also correct what she said. A real journalist would simply ask her to clarify what she meant by those remarks and why she misrepresented the emergency services.’

The richest man in the world, Elon Musk, joined in and called Harris.

He commented on Ryan Fournier, the founder of Students for Trump’s tweet about Harris. Musk said aid should be given “according to the greatest need, not by race or anything else.”

Fournier had tweeted, “You can’t make this up. Kamala Harris said the government will provide hurricane resources “on an equity basis” by sending funds to “communities of color.” I think everyone is just screwed.’

Later on her Twitter feed, Pushaw announced that Florida’s First Lady Casey DeSantis had awarded $1 million from Florida’s Disaster Fund to eligible organizations helping victims.

You can donate to the fund here.

This week, Harris made headlines during a visit to South Korea for all the wrong reasons when she falsely touted the “strong alliance” the US has with the “Republic of North Korea.”

North Korea fired missiles before and after Harris’s visit to the peninsula, setting a record pace in weapons testing this year as it heightens the threat of a credible nuclear force that could hit the United States and its allies.

Pyongyang also conducted the first intercontinental ballistic missile test for the first time since 2017.

North Korea’s nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches have long been banned by the United Nations Security Council.

Despite these gaffes, President Joe Biden said at a White House event on Friday, “Kamala won’t be the last woman to become vice president or president.”

During his hit HBO show on Friday, Bill Maher said he could see Biden replace Harris on the ticket.

The liberal comedic and political commentator said, “What I could see is the vice president replaced. She’s just not very popular anywhere. And it didn’t seem to work. I don’t know, that’s been done before on a map.’

Later in the show, Maher said, “I just think she’s a bad politician.”

He continued, “But I saw them do that because a big part of the problem with Biden being old is, oh, when he dies, you get this person, you know.”

Harris also said at the Democratic National Committee’s Women’s Leadership Forum, “If ever in recent memory there was a reason for the existence of this group, it is now.”

“We must do everything we can for the next 39 days to remind people of what is at stake in this election,” she said during a panel moderated by Chopra.

Chopra kicked off the session with a jab at men who patronize women. She pointed to the silence in the room and joked, “Do you hear that noise? That’s the sound of no mansplaining, ladies.’

Earlier this month, President Joe Biden vowed that Democrats would enshrine the right to abortion if two more Democratic senators are elected to the U.S. Senate in the Nov. 8 interim terms, saying it would open up the possibility of the filibuster being elected. remove, a legislative roadblock that requires a majority of 60 votes to overcome.

The Senate is now split evenly between Democrats and Republicans, with Harris’ casting vote as vice president giving Democrats little control.

But two Democratic senators oppose ending the filibuster.

Abortion has become a major problem for voters across the country after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision in June overturned the right to abortion, codified in Roe v. Wade nearly 50 years earlier.

Nearly half of the states have banned, restricted, or attempted to ban abortion. Some Republicans, such as Senator Lindsey Graham earlier this month, have proposed a national ban on abortion after 15 weeks, or within the second trimester of pregnancy.