Joe Biden’s reputation for empathy took a broadside when he refused to comment on the rising death toll from the Hawaii wildfires. The island of Maui was subjected to devastating fires that electrical wires might have caused. Dangerous winds from a hurricane to the south of the islands generated strong gusts, which might have caused the sparks that ignited the blaze. Over 1,000 people are still missing, with the official death toll soaring past 100 people. It’s one of the deadliest wildfires in American history, with damages totaling around $6 billion.
Biden was asked directly last weekend about the death toll, which prompted the tone-deaf and compassionless response. He’s also refused to visit the island, though he’s altered course due to increasing public pressure. And while the president’s reputation for empathy was burned to ash, most probably don’t know, thanks to Joe’s top ally rushing to protect him. The media buried this public relations nightmare (via Newsbusters):
On Sunday, President Joe Biden spent another weekend on vacation on the beach in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware while the country literally and figuratively burned. While Biden was getting into his presidential limo, he was asked by two reporters for his thoughts on the rapidly rising death toll due to the out-of-control wildfires in Hawaii. Biden’s callous response of “no comment” led to outrage on Twitter and elsewhere throughout the country. Despite the newsworthiness of Biden’s dismissal response to the death and destruction, all three evening news broadcasts ignored it.
Instead, ABC’s World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, and NBC Nightly News thought local weather reports (ABC & CBS) and a report that ex-NFL player Michael Oher from the movie “The Blind Side” saying he was never really adopted and was tricked into signing a conservatorship (NBC).
[…]
After airing Biden’s dismissive comments toward those killed or injured, [Fox News Bret] Baier responded: “He said 'no, no comment.' And that got a lot of criticism online and elsewhere.”
From there, [Jacqui] Heinrich confirmed that “It did get a lot of criticism.”
“He ran for office on his own empathy. The White House was asked today in the briefing if he had been instructed, you know, not to comment on this or if he planned to comment about it in the future,” Heinrich noted.
Biden intends to fly to Hawaii next week (via The Hill):
President Biden will travel to Maui next week to meet with first responders and tour damage from catastrophic wildfires on the island, the White House announced Wednesday.
“In Maui, the President and First Lady will be welcomed by state and local leaders to see firsthand the impacts of the wildfires and the devastating loss of life and land that has occurred on the island, as well as discuss the next steps in the recovery effort,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
[…]
The National Fire Protection Association said the Maui wildfires are the deadliest in the U.S. in more than 100 years.
Who wants to make a wager that this will devolve into a global warming political event?
