(HorizonPost.com) – After facing harsh criticism over his tepid public response to the deadly wildfires in Maui, President Joe Biden suspended his Lake Tahoe vacation on Monday to fly to Hawaii with the First Lady to tour the damage, NBC News reported.
Republicans, including Donald Trump, were critical of Biden’s apparently indifference to the tragic loss of life in what has become the deadliest wildfire in modern American history. While vacationing at his Rehoboth Beach home the weekend after the wildfires, the president offered a cold-hearted “No Comment” when asked by a Bloomberg reporter about the rising death toll.
Anger over the president’s lack of leadership was compounded after he left Washington for a weeklong vacation in Lake Tahoe, prompting the White House to announce Monday’s visit. But when Marine One touched down in Maui, the president and first lady were met by some Maui residents who were angry over his late arrival. According to the New York Post, the president’s motorcade was greeted by protesters chanting “Go home Joe!” and holding signs like “FJB” (AKA “F*ck Joe Biden”), “No Comment,” and “Action Speaks Louder than Words.”
CBS News spoke with some residents who criticized Biden for not visiting the island sooner. The president toured the damage in Lahaina, the town where as many as 850 people are still missing. The president said in his brief remarks that the federal government would remain in Maui for long as needed. He assured the residents of Lahaina that the government will be “respectful” of their wishes, traditions, and the “meaning” of their sacred ground.
And as he usually does, Biden made the tragedy all about him, using the occasion to once again recount the minor kitchen fire that occurred in his Wilmington home in 2004. Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said on Sunday that the death toll from the wildfires had risen to 114. So far, only 27 of those have been identified. After leaving Hawaii on Monday, the president and first lady returned to Lake Tahoe to continue their vacation.
Copyright 2023, HorizonPost.com
