Everyone Was Ripping Pete for His Choice of Footwear to a Disaster Zone

Matt Vespa | February 24, 2023 9:15 AM

OK, forget the orange vest, which is still bad. We have a new layer of cringe with Pete Buttigieg’s calamitous visit to East Palestine, Ohio. He was wearing dress shoes to a disaster site, or at least that’s the observation. It was already bad enough that he donned the orange vest that usually has been the source of derision and mockery for Democrats, but dress shoes—it embodies what we all know about today’s Democratic Party. They don’t know working people. Also, places that aren’t the coasts, cities, or any place along the Acela Corridor are viewed as alien worlds. Communities like East Palestine used to be the backbone of the Democratic Party.

It took less than a generation to erode that power base—it’s what’s kept Democrats competitive in areas that aren’t gerrymandered to hell. For most liberals, 75 percent of the country isn’t worth their time, an ironic twist for a slice of the population that prides itself on being open-minded and willing to experience new things.

Back to Petey, Buttigieg’s visit should have been a source of serenity, confidence, and assurance that the federal government under Joe Biden is proactive and moving to secure this site from further environmental damage. Instead, we got another bumbling Biden official incapable of doing their job. Pete is a white and better-dressed version of Kamala, and that isn’t a good thing (via Fox News):

Buttigieg visited Ohio on Thursday nearly three weeks after the East Palestine train derailment spilled toxic chemicals into the environment.
The secretary appeared to be wearing leather dress boots, instead of heavy-duty shoes like work boots, while surveying damage in the city.
A Department of Transportation spokesperson told FOX News Digital that the shoes were "boots" but had no record of the brand.

Is it a ticky-tack swipe at Pete? Maybe, but who cares since the Biden White House has shown an appalling lack of respect and urgency for this disaster zone. The toxic train derailment occurred in a rural community that voted 70 percent for Donald Trump in the last election. That explains why Biden dragged his feet for two weeks in authorizing federal aid, but at least Pete arrived, decked out in the latest disaster gear, courtesy of Brooks Brothers.