Biden's small gesture toward DeSantis highlighted the president's human touch Editorial

[mcar]

BY THE MIAMI HERALD EDITORIAL BOARD
JULY 02, 2021 06:00 AM, UPDATED 4 HOURS 39 MINUTES AGO

The president called it “remarkable.” And, with just a touch of his hand, he showed us what “remarkable” really meant.

President Biden came to Florida on Thursday, Surfside, specifically, to see for himself the incredible aftermath of an unimaginable event — the collapse of the Champlain Towers South. During his time in the small, stunned town, he listened to family members’ stories that were riddled with pain, bewilderment, resignation.

He called “remarkable” the cooperation between local, state and federal agencies, all working together to find all the victims of the collapse and — in the longer term — find out why this structure fell.

After almost 18 months of a highly politicized response — or maybe non-response — to the deadly coronavirus, in this state and others across the nation, it is breathtaking to see Florida’s Republican Gov. DeSantis standing shoulder to shoulder with political rival, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz one day, and Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava on another — both Democrats.

But a photo of our governor, sitting next to our president who, as he talks to local leaders, lightly places his hand on DeSantis arm, is the most moving of all.

It’s an unconscious and uninhibited show of a shared humanity. It’s a natural, but still remarkable, gesture that we hope will set tone for the challenging steps ahead.

https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/article252523898.html

[demtenjeep]

1. Because Biden is awesome

and he isn't pretending

[underpants]

3. It doesn't cost you anything to be nice

That’s an old saying that goes a long way.

[Mysterian]

8. I need to remember that saying

I'm getting a bit cranky as I get older.

[NurseJackie]

13. It's nice to be important. But it's more important to be nice.

[Diamond_Dog]

5. Yes. He really and truly cares about people.

Even people who (gasp) didn’t vote for him. And it not an act.

The difference between him and TFG cannot be described. How so many people in this country prefer a narcissistic criminal buffoon to Biden just defies explanation.

[mcar]

19. He is a genuinely compassionate man

It shows through in everything he does.

[maxsolomon]

2. It will fall on deaf ears and blind eyes.

Zero faith in the GQP or their voters to see Dems as anything but illegitimate.

[Tommy Carcetti]

4. Remember Obama and Chris Christie after Hurricane Sandy?

He learned well.

There's a certain line to be drawn even in politics when it comes to tragedies.

Biden gets that. Trump obviously never did.

[BlueNProud]

7. Dump was incapable of getting it.

He never made any pretense of trying to be everyone's president because such an emotion is completely alien to him.

[LakeArenal]

6. Ugh. Touch that bilious snot sack.

[Phoenix61]

10. If DeSatan was human he would have touched

Biden’s hand but he didn’t. He sat there with his hands clenched being the repuke ass he’s always been.

[Biophilic]

11. Our president is an utterly remarkable man. How lucky we are, right now. nt

[3catwoman3]

12. Joe Biden is the RFD -

Real F***Deal.

Decent to his core.

[csziggy]

14. Hopefully this will do to DeSantis what Obama's hug did for Charlie Crist

That hug killed Crist's chances of any future in the Republican Party. I can wish that Biden's touch of humanity will do the same for DeSantis since Desantis did not shake off Biden's hand in disgust.

[rurallib]

15. my thoughts exactly

[Amaryllis]

16. Here's the photo:

[Cha]

18. TY, Amaryllis!

[Amaryllis]

20. Very sweet photo, don't you think? Biden does the best "photo ops" by just being his kind,

empathetic self.

[madinmaryland]

23. That moment when DeSantis realizes his future in the Republican Party is over as well as

most likely his political career.

[Cha]

17. TY for this interesting article,

mcar!

[mcar]

21. Hi Cha

You are welcome.

[Cha]

22. ..