The Biden administration, including President Joe Biden himself, have obsessed at great length about the Democratic Party's pet issue of climate change. Back in January, Biden claimed that climate change is the "single-most existential threat to humanity we’ve ever faced, including nuclear weapons." This was around the time that a Chinese Spy balloon was allowed to fly across the country before being ultimately shot down, days later. Last month, Biden similarly claimed that "the only existential threat humanity faces--even more frightening than a nuclear war--is global warming; going above 1.5 degrees in the next 10 years." National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby was asked on Monday if the president still stands by those comments, especially in light of the catastrophic foreign policy events that have occurred, including Hamas' attack on Israeli last Saturday, which has claimed approximately 1,000 Israeli lives. Fourteen Americans were also killed.
Kirby, who spoke to Fox News' Martha MacCallum on "The Story," gave a response that likely won't come as a surprise, but is concerning nevertheless.
"Absolutely he does," Kirby said when asked if Biden still stands by his remarks. "Climate change is an existential threat. It actually threatens and is capable of wiping out all human life on earth over time." He also used the excuse "it's just science" to defend the prioritizing of climate change.
"The president believes wholeheartedly that climate change is an existential threat to all of human life on the planet. That's just science," he continued. "But it doesn't mean that we turn our back on the other challenges facing this country and our allies and partners around the world."
Q: Does Biden stand by his comment that climate change is "more frightening than a nuclear war"?
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 9, 2023
JOHN KIRBY: "Absolutely he does — climate change is an existential threat!"
Q: "More frightening than nuclear war!?"
KIRBY: Yes pic.twitter.com/PTjWuNz4MH
Kirby struck a much different tone when speaking to CNN's Jake Tapper later on Monday, as he cried and struggled for words at one point when discussing "the human cost" and "human beings" killed by Hamas.
Tapper had discussed how "CNN crews witnessed mass execution sites where innocent attendees of a music festival spent their last moments huddled together in a bomb shelter. The shelter was no match for terrorist infiltrators who had guns on the ground."
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White House spokesperson John Kirby breaks down in tears while discussing the horrors from the Irael-Hamas war during an interview with CNN host Jake Tapper.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 10, 2023
“I, uh, I, I'm sorry. It’s very, excuse me, very difficult to look at these images, Jake. Uh, it and the, the, the human… pic.twitter.com/L1Si9bnfkK
The White House's response has overall been to brag about Biden's handling of the conflict, despite how the president's responses over the weekend in real time were questionable at best. Further, the president and first lady even still held a BBQ event on Sunday, to the strong condemnation of some, including Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), who issued multiple posts.
Further, the X accounts of the White House and both Biden's official and campaign accounts continued to send out non-related posts over the weekend, including those going after Republicans. Such posts prompted The Specator's Matthew Foldi to point out that someone forgot to turn off auto scheduling for posts. Our friends at Twitchy highlighted a sampling of these unrelated and insensitive posts.
Then, there's the criticism that the Biden administration has received for announcing last month--on the anniversary of September 11, no less--that Iran would receive $6 billion in exchange for a prisoner swap. The Wall Street Journal confirmed Iran's support for Hamas in carrying out the attack.
Beyond the X posts from many members of the administration and their allies in the media that went after anyone who would dare raise issue with the funds, including sitting members of Congress, the White House has provided unhelpful responses about those funds. This comes even after Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has issued a letter calling on Biden to freeze the funds and void the agreement.
Nevertheless, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre bragged about the president's response on the issue during Tuesday's press briefing.
She pointed to Tuesday being the "second time [Biden's] spoken about Israel in the last couple of days" as proof that "we know how focused he's been on, um, on what has happened," arguing "he's shown his leadership over the horrific events over the weekend in Israel."
JEAN-PIERRE: "We know how focused [Biden] has been on what has happened. He's shown his leadership over the horrific events over the weekend in Israel!" pic.twitter.com/Z7OVm4xf0P
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 10, 2023
The Biden reelection campaign did some bragging of their own, with a press release sent out on Tuesday, with a "What They’re Saying: President Biden’s 'Strong' Leadership and Commitment to Israel is 'Unbreakable.'" All of the highlighted comments were made on CNN and MSNBC, mainstream media outlet often in support of the president.
This pales in comparison to a fundraising email from Monday, though, with a special release for a t-shirt on Malarkey Monday.
The Biden White House called a lid before noon…
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 9, 2023
…but the Biden campaign is thrilled to announce their “special release for Malarkey Monday!” pic.twitter.com/uEdNvfvs9Z
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