Let them eat pineapple? President Joe Biden, who was approached by reporters while leaving the beach on Sunday, declined to comment on the deadly Maui wildfires that have thus far claimed ninety-six American lives.
“No comment,” Biden told the press as he trudged back over the sand dunes after a few hours catching some rays. Cockburn is shocked he didn’t check his watch before bothering to offer those two words.
The president’s reaction has prompted disdain — even from apparent allies. “Not a great moment for Biden here,” tweeted former CNN political editor and current Substacker Chris Cillizza.
Biden’s indifference to the death and utter destruction caused by the fires is quite perplexing, given his only job is beach. In fact, Biden was fresh off of a week-long vacation at his beach house when he jetted back up to Rehoboth this past weekend for some more fun in the sun.
It’s not surprising, though, given the stories we heard last week from Gold Star families and injured service members about the Biden administration’s callous response to the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal that resulted in thirteen service members dying in a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport. Cockburn suspects if Biden had extended any sympathy to the Hawaiians suffering from the fires, he would have used the moment to remind everyone that his son Beau died from brain cancer. Totally comparable!
Unfortunately, it seems the people of Maui will be relegated to the same status in Biden’s mind as the citizens of East Palestine, Ohio, who were affected by the toxic train derailment earlier this year. The consoler-in-chief only seems interested in using his “superpower” of empathy when it can help him politically. Perhaps when Biden finds out that members of his party are blaming the Maui wildfires on climate change, he’ll find the situation worthy of more than a dismissive hand wave…
