Ron DeSantis never misses, and his response to Hurricane Milton has set another standard. After pre-staging crews to work around the clock, the recovery from the massive storm is well underway. Some in the press are still looking for controversy, though.
On Thursday, one reporter tried to blame Milton and the tornados it spawned on “global warming.” What followed was a masterclass in both knowledge and how to use it to push back on a narrative.
Truly, this is a joy to watch. Take it in because we don’t get many politicians on the right who can articulate a point like this.
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REPORTER: Is that due to global warming?
DESANTIS: Tornadoes?
REPORTER: Is the increase in tornados [caused by] global warming?
DESANTIS: I think you can back and find tornadoes for all of human history, for sure, and especially, you know, Florida, how does this storm rate in the history of storms? I think it hit with a barometric pressure of (looks at the man behind him), what was it? About 950 millibars when it hit?
Which, I think if you go back to 1851, there’s probably been 27 hurricanes that have had lower, the lower the barometric pressure, the stronger it is. I think there have been about 27 hurricanes that have had lower barometric pressure on landfall than Milton did, and of those, 17 occurred, I think, prior to 1960, and the most powerful hurricane on record since the 1850s in the State of Florida occurred in the 1930s, the Labor Day hurricane. Barometric pressure 892 millibars.
It totally wiped out the Keys. We’ve never seen anything like it, and that remains head and shoulders above any powerful hurricane in the State of Florida. The most deadly hurricane we’ve ever had was in 1928, the Okichobi hurricane. Killed over 4,000 people. Fortunately, we aren’t going to have anything close to that on this hurricane, but even ones like Ian, it wasn’t anything close to that. Yeah, I just think people should put this in perspective. They try to take different things that happen with tropical weather and act like it’s something. There’s nothing new under the sun. This is something that the state has dealt with for its entire history, and it’s something that we’ll continue to deal with.
If you pay attention to DeSantis as a politician, his biggest strength is that he’s always ready with a response no matter the topic. When he was asked about Kamala Harris attacking him for supposedly not taking her phone calls before Milton made landfall, the governor quickly pointed out that she’s never once attempted to contact him during any other storm in the prior four years. He’s never left dumbfounded or talking in circles.
It’s more than that, though. When he answers a question, it’s as if he’s spent hours studying whatever topic is presented to him. I have to assume he doesn’t have that much extra time on his hands and that his knowledge is just that extensive.
DeSantis would go on to bring up another key part of this discussion. Have hurricanes gotten more expensive despite being astronomically less deadly events? Sure, but that’s not because of global warming causing them to be bigger and stronger than past hurricanes. It’s because as the population has increased, the number of people and the amount of valuable property in the way of a storm is naturally going to increase. Hysteria need not apply. It’s just simply math. More people equals more property which equals more costly damage.
Still, another reporter pushed the issue, suggesting Milton developing so quickly was unprecedented. Once again, DeSantis was ready.
REPORTER: In your history, sir, how many storms form as rapidly as they have between Helena and Milton.
DESANTIS: I think most people remember 2004 where it seemed like we had them every other week in 2004. Then there’s also time period. From 2006-16, we had no hurricanes at all in Florida. There’s also been times where we had a lot. In the 1940s, we were hit a lot. Now, more recently, we’ve had a spate for more. That’s just kind of the nature of it, but this really does, it has a lot of similarities to 2004 in terms of the season.
That kind of historical context is sorely needed in these conversations. Whatever role “climate change” may or may not play in hurricanes, nothing here is unprecedented. Florida has been hit by multiple storms in a short window many times throughout its history. That doesn’t mean there’s any apocalyptic weather event suddenly occurring. It just means the cycle is coming back around.
Frankly, this kind of stuff is insulting to those suffering on the ground. These storms aren’t a vehicle for someone to push their politics. Even if one believes human beings are causing hurricanes to somehow be stronger, what exactly is the solution to that? I can guarantee you it’s not some treaty signed in Paris or false promises from the Chinese so what’s the point of even obsessing over it and turning every conversation in that direction? Like it or not, the industrial age is here to stay, and adaptation is, by far, the most viable solution to whatever issues humanity faces.
