President Joe Biden landed at Tallahassee International Airport on Air Force One Thursday morning before heading to Perry, Florida in Taylor County to see firsthand the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene.
The White House announced the visit Wednesday, along with a trip to Georgia, saying the president would "tour areas impacted by Hurricane Helene and meet with affected communities."
Florida continues to recover in the aftermath of the Category 4 storm, which left at least 19 dead , including at least 12 in Pinellas County — hundreds of miles away from where the storm made landfall.
Biden traveled to the Carolinas on Wednesday afternoon, flying into Greer, South Carolina, and later into Raleigh, North Carolina.
Here are updates from the president's visit to North Florida:
Francesca Chambers, White House Correspondent for USA TODAY, filed this final report before Biden departed Perry airport on Marine One headed to Moody Air Force Base, near Valdosta, Ga.
"POTUS arrived back at Perry at 2:40 p.m." Francesca wrote. "Along the route one man stood in front of a home and flipped off the motorcade. As the motorcade arrived back at the Perry landing zone, a group of women waved at the motorcade."
Biden then boarded Marine One out of sight and the helicopter took off. Meanwhile, in Florida's capital city, Air Force One was seen taxiing at Tallahassee International Airport presumably to meet Biden at Moody after his tour of damage in Georgia.
A press pool report by USA TODAY White House Correspondent Francesca Chamber described Biden meeting a couple who lost their Keaton Beach home.
"This can all be rebuilt," the man told the president, adding that he was glad to meet him. "Glad ya you come down... have a good day and be safe."
"We could not hear anything that Biden was saying in response. He did not respond to a question about his storm tour from reporters as they were moved down the road and further away."
He then greeted a line of officials.
"He gave one man, in a camouflage hoodie, a bump with his fist on the man's chest before he moved on," Chambers wrote. "He put his hand on the shoulder of a man in a short-sleeved peach shirt."
"He then had an extended conversation with the Taylor County Commissioner Pam Feagle, whose demolished lot they were standing in front of, before he moved on to a row of Palm Beach County incident management team workers (per the logo on their tan shirts)," Chambers continued. "Before he finished, press were removed at 2:09 pm. No response again to shouted questions about what he saw."
Tallahassee Democrat and USA TODAY NETWORK pool reporter Ana Goñi-Lessan reports that Biden is on the ground in Keaton Beach. She writes that President Biden is meeting with Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., during an operational briefing.
"In front of a FEMA map that detailed wind speed, Sen. Rick Scott and the Taylor County Emergency Management director described the path Helene took, straight through Taylor County and up North Florida to South Georgia," she writes. "TCEM director is telling Biden that they are warning people that even if their homes are standing, they need to be inspected because the structure could be damaged."
Biden then goes on to meet with a couple who lost their home and have an RV parked in the driveway.
"Busted pvc pipes, broken bricks shards of glass and other rubble are everywhere in the sand," a pool reporter wrote from the scene.
Biden spent some time speaking with Taylor County Commissioner Pam Feagle, who lost her home in Helene and shared her story earlier with the USA TODAY NETWORK.
"She pointed to the concrete pad, all that’s left," Goñi-Lessan wrote. "He gave her a small hug."
A press pool report by USA TODAY White House Correspondent Francesca Chambers notes that "President Biden's motorcade took him to the Keaton Beach area, a nearly 35 minute drive from the Perry-Foley landing zone."
It arrived at roughly 1:24 p.m. after leaving Perry at 12:50 p.m.
"Exiting the landing zone, clean-up crews and other workers stood outside to watch POTUS depart. Some snapped photos," Chambers wrote. "Along the way, pool observed downed trees and buildings with torn up roofs, especially as it left Perry."
"As the motorcade arrived in Keaton Beach, the destruction became more aggressive: collapsed power lines and demolished homes. It also spotted at least 3 Trump signs."
A press pool report by USA TODAY White House Correspondent Francesca Chambers describes the helicopter tour of ground zero that President Biden took before landing in Perry, Florida.
"President Biden's aerial tour took him to Florida's coast, where helicopters flew over land and then the Gulf of Mexico.Marine One (or the support copter, unclear) briefly came into view as Biden viewed flooded coastal areas on the way to Perry," she wrote. "The trip lasted about 45 minutes from takeoff."
Biden landed in Perry and exited at 12:45 pm in Marine One.
"He exited holding a ball cap and some papers," Chambers wrote. "He's no longer wearing a blazer, just the long-sleeve button down, slacks and sunglasses now. POTUS did not stop to speak to press, although reporters tried to engage on his storm tour and Israel."
"It is 87 degrees in Florida, and the motorcade is rolling."
A press pool report by USA TODAY White House Correspondent Francesca Chambers describes the scene at Tallahassee airport before the president boarded Marine One to see the damage by air.
"President Biden deplaned at roughly 11:48 am and began greeting a long line of people with (Agriculture Secretary Tom) Vilsack, shaking hands as he went along," she wrote. "The conversations were inaudible."
Greeting the President on arrival to Tallahassee International Airport:
- Mayor John Dailey, Tallahassee, Florida and First Lady Virginia Dailey
- Mayor Pro Tempore Curtis Richardson, Tallahassee, Florida
- City Commissioner Jacqueline "Jack" Porter, Tallahassee, Florida
- City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow, Tallahassee, Florida
- County Commission Chair Carolyn Cummings, Leon County, Florida
- Sheriff Walt McNeil, Leon County, Florida
- Tallahassee City Manager Reese Goad
- Leon County Administrator Vince Long
- Director John Louk, Director of Emergency Management, Taylor County, Florida
- Director Kevin Peters, Emergency Management Director, Leon County, Florida
Neither Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis nor Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp would be a joining President Joe Biden today to survey the damage, according to a White House spokesperson who briefed reporters in the air just before landing in Tallahassee.
As Air Force One touched down, the Republican governor began a press conference hours away in Manatee County, announcing that he was signing an executive order that would give flexibility to local supervisors of elections to prepare for the Nov. 5 general election.
According to Gary Fineout of Politico: When asked if there was a reason why he isn't meeting Biden, DeSantis replied "No. We had this planned."
President Joe Biden is on the ground in Tallahassee.
A press pool report by USA TODAY White House Correspondent Francesca Chambers said Biden, upon departing the White House Thursday morning, was “wearing a dark blue blazer, a light blue button down, no tie and aviators for his disaster tour.”
Boarding Air Force One, he “gave a quick wave at the bottom of the … and immediately boarded. He waved at the top again.”
Those traveling with the president to Tallahassee International Airport include Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, FEMA Deputy Administrator Erik Hooks, Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and others.
President Joe Biden is scheduled to land at the Tallahassee International Airport at 11:40 a.m.
Snipers are standing watch atop hangars surround the tarmac where Biden will land. Military planes are slowly taxiing across the runway, positioning for the president's imminent arrival.
Biden's security detail said he will exit Air Force One and board Marine One once he lands.
A handful of local officials will be greeting President Joe Biden when he arrives at Tallahassee International Airport.
The delegation of local officials includes Mayor John Dailey, City Commissioners Jeremy Matlow, Jack Porter and Curtis Richardson, City Manager Reese Goad, Police Chief Lawrence Revell, Sheriff Walt McNeil, Leon County Commission Chair Carolyn Cummings and County Administrator Vince Long.
Their interactions with the president are expected to be brief, perhaps limited to hellos and handshakes.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., will visit Steinhatchee on Thursday to tour the damage brought by Hurricane Helene, according to Politico Florida. He’ll be joined by U.S. Reps. Neal Dunn and Kat Cammack.
The visit comes as Congressional leaders ponder whether to return to Washington to pass relief funding for that areas still reeling from Helene’s destruction. The storm caused more than 100 deaths, wiped out homes in Florida’s Big Bend area and brought devastating floods in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, blocking roads and stranding thousands of residents.
Congress recessed at the end of September after passing a three-month budget stopgap measure and isn’t scheduled to return to Washington until after the November election.
Twelve senators from affected Southern states, including Florida’s Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, sent a letter to Senate leaders Tuesday that the funding needs could go into the “tens of billions” and Congress could need to return to approve the money.
In a visit to the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday, Johnson said the storm "will leave a mark" for years to come. In his remarks, Johnson downplayed concerns from Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas that FEMA doesn't have enough money to make it through hurricane season.
"Congress has previously provided FEMA with the funds it needs to respond, so we will make sure that those resources are appropriately allocated," Johnson said.
Nearly 54 years ago, President Richard Nixon arrived at Tallahassee airport for a rally and speech before a crowd estimated at 20,000 people.
During the Oct. 28, 1970, presidential visit, Nixon told the audience it was a “great privilege” to speak for the first time in Florida’s capital before delivering remarks about school integration.
“As I stand here, I particularly wanted to express my appreciation to all of you who came from miles around to this airport rally,” Nixon said. “I saw the cars parked as Air Force One began to land. I realize how far some of you had to walk. I know some of you have been here standing over an hour. Thank you very much.”
Among those on hand were Gov. Claude Kirk and federal Judge Harold Carswell, who had been nominated by Nixon to the Supreme Court but rejected months earlier by the Senate.
Nixon praised Carswell and also gave shout-outs to the Leon and Godby high school marching bands, which performed. Some 350 Florida State University students protested, and 13 were arrested.
Decades later, President George H. W. Bush arrived at Tallahassee airport in Air Force One in 1990.
Bush stopped in Tallahassee to throw his support behind the re-election of U.S. Congressman Bill Grant.
When he was in town, Bush spoke to a crowd at Tom Brown Park, rubbed elbows with then-Florida State head football coach Bobby Bowden and visited with then-Florida governor Robert Martinez at the governor's mansion.
President Bill Clinton also stopped at TLH Airport with Air Force One in 1995. He addressed a crowd with Florida Governor Lawton Chiles, Tallahassee Mayor Scott Maddox and Leon County Commissioner Rudy Maloy looked on.
"Officially, the purpose of Clinton's trip to Atlanta, Tallahassee, Tampa and West Palm Beach was to tout his 'middle class bill of rights,' " a caption on a state archives photo from the visit states. "Unofficially, it was a preview of his re-election campaign."
The crowd chanted "four more years" as Clinton trumpeted his accomplishments and laid out his vision for America in the years to come.
"So I say to you: Stay with us. You engage in this great debate," he said after bands and choirs from Florida A&M and Florida State revved up the crowd. "We got to keep the American dream alive."
During his visit, he also addressed a joint session of the Florida House and Senate and spoke in front of the Old Capitol.
Do you know of other times Air Force One and the president were at TLH? Email us at news@tallahassee.com .
The president is expected to arrive at Tallahassee International Airport in Air Force One Thursday morning, according to White House travel planner released Wednesday night.
"Following, the President will depart Tallahassee, Florida and participate in an aerial tour of affected areas en route to Perry, Florida," according to a Wednesday evening schedule from the White House. In addition to visiting Perry, the president is scheduled to receive an operational briefing in Keaton Beach. He will then fly to Moody Air Force Base near Valdosta, Georgia, to oversee the recovery in Ray City.
During the visit to Florida, Biden is expected to "tour areas impacted by Hurricane Helene and meet with affected communities," according to the White House.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, who is locked in a tight re-election battle will be joining the president, according to Politico's Gary Fineout.
It is not clear if Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has been critical of the federal response in daily visits to hard-hit areas, will be on hand for any part of the visit. Though it appears unlikely, as DeSantis has a scheduled press conference on the Florida relief effort with Lieutenant Governor Jeanette and Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie in Manatee County at the same time as the president's arrival in Florida.
A request for comment is pending with his office.
Biden's trip comes a day after he visited North Carolina communities devastated by the storm .
When President Joe Biden takes travels into Keaton Beach today, he will find a community in ruins and residents working to pick up the pieces.
Keaton Beach was still trying to recover from Hurricane Idalia, which crushed the Nature Coast a little over a year ago, when Helene came roaring through Thursday night. Residents had just finished the insurance process on their homes or they were still fixing things that were damaged during Idalia when they sustained a direct hit from category 4 Hurricane Helene.
USA TODAY Network reporter Ana Goñi-Lessan and photojournalist Alicia Devine, who are covering the president's visit today, were two of the first journalists inside Keaton Beach in the hours after the storm hit. They spoke to residents and chronicled their stories. This is what they heard and saw.
Read the full story here.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Recap: President Joe Biden lands in Florida to visit Helene-hit Perry, Keaton Beach
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