The former Biden property on Keewaydin Island. in 2016 (Photo: Derrick Moreno)
Oct. 3, 2022 by David Silverberg
When President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden come to Southwest Florida as scheduled on Wednesday, Oct. 5, they will not be coming to unfamiliar territory.
Biden’s connection to Southwest Florida is through his brother, James Biden Jr., who bought a vacation home on five acres of Keewaydin Island for $2.5 million in 2013. He then sold it for $1.35 million in February 2018. This was after Hurricane Irma struck in September 2017.
Joe Biden spent Christmas 2013 on Keewaydin with the family.
The exact status of Keewaydin Island is unclear as of this writing, as is the fate of the house that Biden Jr. once owned.
Further to the south, the iconic dome homes of Cape Romano are now completely submerged due to Hurricane Ian.
Biden’s stops and itinerary in Southwest Florida for his Wednesday visit have not been publicly released. However, a common practice for officials is to do a flyover of an affected area to get an overview of the damage. Biden can be expected to do the same before meeting local officials and victims on the ground. If the flyover includes Keewaydin Island, he may get to see the house where he once visited—or at least what’s left of it.
Presidential visits to disaster-stricken areas can have a major impact on speeding recovery and assistance, particularly if the president is familiar with the region.
Liberty lives in light
© 2022 by David Silverberg
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