Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg are both in hot water over the recent train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. For weeks citizens have called on President Biden to visit the tragedy in person, but he has yet take any action. To make matters worse, Donald Trump beat them both to the punch – visiting the town before either of them had even offered a response! This adds another failure to the Biden administration and is sure to leave a lasting impact on the community. How will Joe Biden respond?
Despite the huge public outcry for action at the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment site which contaminated the area with hazardous chemicals, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg finally arrived this Thursday after an embarrassingly long wait.
Meanwhile it appears former President Donald Trump captured America’s heart when he went to the site to show his support and offer assistance to residents.
Joe Biden naturally decided to leave Americans out of his affections despite the disaster, choosing instead to go overseas and offer millions in aid to Ukraine by announcing that they have “captured his heart”.
Needless to say, even on such a pressing issue as this one, he has been largely mum on offering any statement or relief.
Savanah Hernandez was there to get to the bottom of Mayor Pete’s absence, naturally he ignored her, that’s when his press secretary jumped in to stonewall further, even going so far as saying she didn’t want to be on camera. Well I’m sorry to say Ms. Press Secretary the very nature of your job requires you to be on camera.
Ms. Press Secretary, you must come to terms with the reality that being on camera is a necessary part of your job. How else do you think issues such as this one will be addressed and responded to, if not publicly by someone who represents the administration?
Mayor Pete Buttigieg then had another off day when a reporter asked him to explain why he’s failed to do his job. Rather than answer the question head-on, the mayor chose to take a few quick steps to the side and duck it. It was just another instance of dodging questions, an odd strategy for someone who aspires to be president of the United States.
He has obviously not learned that avoiding answers will only raise more questions about what he’s trying to hide — something he should know by now.
CNN recently spoke to some of the residents about Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s day late, dollar-short appearance in the area. It seems that he has waited a bit too long to try and restore any credibility for the Biden administration; most of the people CNN talked to seemed discouraged at Buttigieg’s tardiness.
With such a lukewarm response from this key constituency, it seems like there is nothing much else that Buttigieg can do to turn things around in the area.
Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre provided no shortage of entertainment during her briefing with reporters at the White House yesterday, despite refusing to answer questions about President Joe Biden’s proposed visit to East Palestine, Ohio. Though she danced around the subject with charm and deception, it was clear that she had no concrete answer other than that the President did not have any plans on the table.
A reporter asked, Does [Biden] not want to [bring relief to East Palestine] directly, in person, himself? Here’s her garbage response.
When pressed on if “the president may go [to East Palestine] in the near future?” She didn’t have anything to “share.”
Don Jr. certainly wasn’t holding back when he criticized Mayor Pete for seemingly worrying more about promoting “diversity” than providing a safe environment for his constituents. Clearly trying to make his mark in the spotlight, Don Jr. seized the moment to express his opinion with a sharp edge of sarcasm, highlighting all the more Mayor Pete’s hesitance and unwillingness to provide leadership on the issues of safety.
Mayor Pete’s blunder and subsequent stern reaction from those who saw past his actions provided a glaring reminder of the consequences of inaction in times of distress. Residents of East Palestine, where ongoing chemical contamination has jeopardized their livelihoods, have been especially let down. Until now President Biden has yet to be seen visiting the area, an oversight that suggests they are not nearly high enough on his agenda. Although it was an extreme example, Trump showing up in East Palestine served as an unsolicited lesson to those in charge that when help is needed and communities are suffering, every second matters.
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