Photo: SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
The president, 78, traveled to Florida Thursday to meet with state officials, first respondersand families of the victims whowere in the Champlain Towers South condo in Surfside when it collapsed on June 24.
During a press briefing with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other officials, Biden said he was confident the federal government would cover the steep costs associated with the response. Biden also spoke about how the tragedy transcended partisanship.
“You know what’s good about this? We’re letting the nation know we can cooperate,” he said, nodding toward the Republican governor. “When it’s really important … we come together. This is life and death.”
The Bidens made an unscheduled stop at the memorial photo wall made in tribute to the victims — 18 people have been confirmed dead, as of Wednesday, with some 145 still missing — just blocks away from the collapse site. The pair appeared somber as they read the many handmade signs and tributes that adorned the fence, with Dr. Biden placing a bouquet of flowers and saying a quiet prayer,according toThe Washington Post.
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Though the nearly three-hour meeting was closed to press, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told reporters thatPresident Biden invoked his own experience with lossand became emotional whenspeaking to the families.
As CBS News Senior White House Correspondent Weijia Jiang noted in a tweet, Biden spoke specifically about the1972 car wreckthat killed his wife and college sweetheart, Neilia, and their 13-month-old daughter Naomi, just one month after he won his first Senate race.
According to a press pool report, Biden “delivered brief remarks from the center of the room, then went from table to table” to meet with families individually.
A massive search and rescue operation has been underway at the site in the days since the tragedy, though those efforts werehalteddue to concerns that the remaining structure surrounding the area wasn’t stable. Searchresumed Thursday evening.
source: people.com
