By — Associated Press Associated Press By — News Desk News Desk Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/watch-biden-and-north-carolina-gov-roy-cooper-hold-briefing-on-helene-recovery Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH: Biden and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper hold briefing on Helene recovery Nation Oct 2, 2024 5:46 PM EDT President Joe Biden and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper held a news briefing Wednesday on the state’s recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Watch the event in the player above. Biden toured some of the areas hardest-hit by Helene via helicopter on Wednesday as he and Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to different parts of the Southeast to get first-hand looks at the devastation. Biden landed in Greenville, South Carolina, and then left again to tour affected parts of North Carolina by air, while Harris was in Georgia. On the tarmac, Biden grabbed the hand of Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer who was on-hand to greet him, as was South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham. WATCH: Asheville mayor on what North Carolina needs as flooding recovery process begins Manheimer noted that they could not close down the area’s one operable road for Biden’s motorcade. The White House said Harris had also spoken to the mayor and was planning her own trip to North Carolina in coming days. Reporters following the president’s aerial tour noted that the destruction was visible, especially near downtown Asheville, where flattened buildings and downed trees were visible. Marine One flew over Biltmore village, the River Arts district and east Asheville as well as Swannanoa and Black Mountain. “We’re going down to see … the damage done,” Biden said before leaving Washington. He also made a point of mentioning how an ongoing dockworkers strike could make getting supplies to hard-hit areas more difficult. “Natural disasters are incredibly consequential. The last thing we need on top of that is a man-made disaster that’s going on at the ports,” the president said. “We’re getting pushback already, we’re hearing from the folks regionally that they’re having trouble getting product that they need because of the port strike.” By — Associated Press Associated Press By — News Desk News Desk
President Joe Biden and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper held a news briefing Wednesday on the state’s recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Watch the event in the player above. Biden toured some of the areas hardest-hit by Helene via helicopter on Wednesday as he and Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to different parts of the Southeast to get first-hand looks at the devastation. Biden landed in Greenville, South Carolina, and then left again to tour affected parts of North Carolina by air, while Harris was in Georgia. On the tarmac, Biden grabbed the hand of Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer who was on-hand to greet him, as was South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham. WATCH: Asheville mayor on what North Carolina needs as flooding recovery process begins Manheimer noted that they could not close down the area’s one operable road for Biden’s motorcade. The White House said Harris had also spoken to the mayor and was planning her own trip to North Carolina in coming days. Reporters following the president’s aerial tour noted that the destruction was visible, especially near downtown Asheville, where flattened buildings and downed trees were visible. Marine One flew over Biltmore village, the River Arts district and east Asheville as well as Swannanoa and Black Mountain. “We’re going down to see … the damage done,” Biden said before leaving Washington. He also made a point of mentioning how an ongoing dockworkers strike could make getting supplies to hard-hit areas more difficult. “Natural disasters are incredibly consequential. The last thing we need on top of that is a man-made disaster that’s going on at the ports,” the president said. “We’re getting pushback already, we’re hearing from the folks regionally that they’re having trouble getting product that they need because of the port strike.”