REPORTER: “Mr. President, will you travel to Florida, sir?”
REPORTER: “Can we ask you about Florida, what you’ve learned and —“
Biden: “Oh yes. I apologize. Yes. Thank you, Vice President. I have spoken with, coincidentally, the mayor of Miami-Dade was in my office yesterday, and I talked to her today — not about that, obviously. And so I’ve had a long discussion with her today, I’ve also spoken with — we’ve been in contact with the Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz who has that district. We have gotten in touch with FEMA. They’re ready to go. The governor will have to — they’re down inspecting what they think is needed, but I’m waiting for the governor to ask to declare an emergency, and especially as we learn more of what might happen to the rest of the building. So we are on top of it. We are ready to move from the federal resources immediately, immediately, if, in fact, we’re asked for it. We can’t go in and do it now, but the FEMA is down there taking a look at what’s needed and including from everything from if the rest of those buildings have to be evacuated as well, finding housing for those people, making sure they have the capacity to both have a place to shelter and food to eat, et cetera. So that’s underway now and my Chief of Staff has been deeply involved in this from the very beginning. We got the Cabinet involved in it now in terms of dealing with FEMA. We we’re working on it and I made it clear, I say to the people of Florida, whatever help you want of the federal government to provide, we’re waiting. Just ask us. We’ll be there. We’ll be there. So thank you so much, I appreciate it.”