Cohost Ainsley Earhardt all but asked Gov. Ron DeSantis to attack Kamala Harris.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis visited Fox & Friends yesterday to talk about monster Hurricane Milton barreling toward his state. After a discussion about shelters, evacuations and other important information, Super Duper Christian Ainsley Earhardt maneuvered the discussion for the obvious purpose of getting DeSantis to politicize the peril. Just what Jesus would have wanted, I’m sure!

Earhardt has claimed she wants to be a “tough journalist.” But instead of merely asking DeSantis about Vice President Kamala Harris’ claim that he would not return her call to talk about hurricane relief, Earhardt teed up an opportunity for DeSantis to attack Harris then handed him the rhetorical club. All while pretending to “just ask” a question. I guess she thinks Jesus loves underhandedness, too.

EARHARDT: Governor, I know Kamala Harris called you “selfish.” She said she has tried to contact you, to talk to you about hurricane relief. And I know that you’ve said – I think you said she didn’t try to contact you. We want to get your response. But first, listen to what she said.

Well, we don’t have the sound. But she said, “You know, a moment of crisis, if nothing else, should really be the moment that anyone who calls himself a leader says they’re going to put politics aside and put the people first. People are in desperate need of support right now and playing political games at this moment, in these crisis situations, these are the height of emergency situations, It’s just utterly irresponsible and it’s selfish and it’s about political gamesmanship."

What’s your response?

DeSantis took the hint. And with no respect due to Ol’ Pudding Fingers, he sure seemed to be lying.

DESANTIS: Well, I think she should look in the mirror. We've been on emergency footing for two weeks straight, around the clock, 24/7. We've been working, my office, our division of emergency management, helping people prepare for Hurricane Helene, helping effectuate rescues of peope after Hurricane Helene, helping people pick up the pieces of their lives after Helene, and then have to also turn around and prepare for major impacts and maybe even more impacts from Hurricane Milton, be able to have rescue personnel ready to help people and then, of course, help with the power restoration, all these things to do. So that’s been my sole focus. My focus has not been on dealing with Kamala Harris.

I saw the news report. I didn’t know she tried to contact me. But I'd also say it’s not about you, Kamala, it’s about the people of Florida. My focus is where it should be. And I can tell you this. I have worked on hurricanes under both President Trump and President Biden. Neither of them ever tried to politicize it. She has never called on any of the storms we've had since she has been vice president until, apparently, now.

Why, all of a sudden, is she trying to parachute in and inject herself when she has never shown any interest in the past? We know it’s because of politics. We know it’s because of her campaign. I have zero time to entertain these political games.

We’re going to continue to do what we need to do to prepare and respond to what may be one of the most damaging storms in the history of the United States. So, she says focusing on protecting your people is selfish? I think she ought to look in the mirror. 

FACT CHECK: According to reporting by NBC News, DeSantis deliberately dodged Harris’ calls:

A source familiar with the situation said he was dodging the Democratic presidential nominee’s calls because they “seemed political,” according to a DeSantis aide.

“Kamala was trying to reach out, and we didn’t answer,” the DeSantis aide told NBC News. 

NBC also reported that DeSantis said he did not know Harris had called. But even if we take him at his word, a decent person, a governor who cared about being an American leader more than being a Republican, especially under these circumstances, would have taken the opportunity to say he would call Harris and make sure they are on the same page for disaster preparation and relief.

DeSantis also seems to have deliberately snubbed President Biden, too. More from NBC News:

On Monday evening, the White House put out a statement saying the president had spoken to both DeSantis and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor about Hurricanes Helene and Milton. 

Last week, DeSantis said Biden had called him, but he was flying at the time so could not take the call. Biden was in north Florida last week to survey storm damage, but DeSantis was holding a press conference that had already been scheduled in another part of the state, so they did not meet. A source familiar with the planning said that the Biden team had invited DeSantis to the event in north Florida.

I doubt you’ll be shocked to know that none of the four cohosts asked why DeSantis didn’t simply call Harris now and put aside partisan bickering for the sake of the country.

Instead, cohost Brian Kilmeade changed the subject to ask if DeSantis had what he needs from the federal government. Fortunately, DeSantis said he did. But he couldn’t resist taking a gratuitous shot at Harris while he was at it. Instead of voicing concern about politicizing catastrophe, cohost Lawrence Jones egged DeSantis on.

DESANTIS: Every request we've made – and I have been in contact with the president, I've been in contact with the FEMA director.

You know, it’s interesting. Harris is not even in the chain of command.

LAWRENCE: Yeah, what has she been doing? 

DESANTIS: She has no role in this.The idea I shoud be like, worrying about her when I’m focused on the task at hand is just, quite frankly absurd.

So, yes, all of our requests have been answered.

You can watch Fox News and DeSantis take every opportunity to politicize catastrophic danger and use it to divide and whip up partisan animosity – all for the sake of right-wing political power – below, from the October 8, 2024 Fox & Friends.