The death toll due to the Maui wildfire disaster has now reached 96. Only 3% of the fire zone has been searched with cadaver dogs thus far. Over 1,000 people remain missing.
It is already, at this point, Hawaii’s worst natural disaster. And the deadliest wildfire since 1918.
But if you thought President Biden would have a lot to say about it, you’d be wrong.
Biden could barely be bothered after wrapping up a little picnic on the beach. Reporters clamored to ask the President about the rising death toll in Maui, to which he replied, “No. No comment.”
He then delivered a wave and a big grin before getting into a vehicle.
“Any comment on the rising death toll in Maui?”
BIDEN: “No. No comment.” pic.twitter.com/oORpRuLUpz
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 14, 2023
Biden Doesn’t Have Much to Say About Maui Death Toll
To be fair, President Biden might have been more willing to speak about the disaster if the reporters had said ‘Kyiv’ instead of Maui. Then again, he may think Maui is in Ukraine. Hard to say.
During a bike ride earlier in the day, Biden gave a similar callous answer when asked about the tragedy and whether he planned to travel to the island to survey the damage. But at least he used twice the amount of words in his response.
“We’re looking at it,” he said while pedaling his bicycle.
“We’re looking at it,” Biden tells us Sunday about a potential visit to Maui to survey wildfire damage. pic.twitter.com/PZ6aGi6D5W
— darlene superville (@dsupervilleap) August 13, 2023
Just true leadership right there.
Had that been a Republican President responding with ‘no comment’ there would be panels upon panels to discuss how American leadership is in decline, how his or her heart is a frozen wasteland, and reports discussing the matter running 24/7.
But alas, criticism came mostly from just conservative commentators.
Former Fox News contributor Monica Crowley wrote that “Biden doesn’t give [a f***] about the suffering people of Maui,” on a Twitter/X social media post.
Biden doesn’t give AF about the suffering people of Maui.
Or the suffering people of East Palestine, Ohio.
Or the suffering people in border towns.
Or the suffering people anywhere in America. pic.twitter.com/s3hUNe3msa
— Monica Crowley (@MonicaCrowley) August 14, 2023
“Tens of billions of dollars to Ukraine and Biden can’t even give a comment to Maui,” wrote Trending Politics co-owner, Collin Rugg.
NEW: President Joe Biden is asked about the devastating Maui fires and replies with ‘no comment.’
Tens of billions of dollars to Ukraine and Biden can’t even give a comment to Maui.
– Thousands displaced.
– 2200 structures have been destroyed.
– 86% of these structures were… pic.twitter.com/G1kfXpOzKU— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 14, 2023
British journalist Piers Morgan blasted the President’s remarks as “disgraceful” and “appalling.”
Disgraceful response by President Biden. A ‘no comment’ and then a smirk when asked about the horrendous Maui disaster.. just appalling. pic.twitter.com/4eCXJIkhK2
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) August 14, 2023
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The Compassionate President
While the backlash was fierce, very little of it came from legacy media outlets or reporters who seemed pleased to effectively be told by the President to ‘p*** off.’
If they were even marginally interested in doing their jobs, reporters might ask President Biden how his “no comment” to the families of those who died in the Maui wildfires squares up with his pledge to bring “empathy” and “compassion” back to the White House.
Empathy matters. Compassion matters. We have to reach out to one another and heal this country — and that’s what I’ll do as president. pic.twitter.com/XVDnUc32Ij
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) February 6, 2020
But then this is the same media who can’t take the time to point out that, much like Maui, Biden has taken vacations after Americans died during his botched Afghanistan withdrawal and following the toxic train disaster in East Palestine, Ohio.
By the way, he hasn’t been there to assess the damage either. Maybe he’s still ‘looking at’ a possible trip.
It has been 186 days since the toxic train disaster in East Palestine, Ohio, and 159 days since Biden promised he’d visit “at some point.”
Biden hasn’t said a word about it since.pic.twitter.com/g17jGubvkm
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 8, 2023
Vice President Kamala Harris meanwhile insisted that she and Biden “are deeply concerned about what’s happening in Hawaii.”
The Vice President: “The President and I are deeply concerned about what’s happening in Hawaii”
The President: “No comment.” https://t.co/HLMwKdMitd pic.twitter.com/AKIlZELt8w
— Kate Hyde (@KateHydeNY) August 14, 2023
So concerned was Harris that she spent her weekend at a $10,000/ticket fundraiser in Martha’s Vineyard.
Maui is burned to a crisp.
Biden spent the weekend at the beach. Kamala spent it in Martha’s Vineyard. pic.twitter.com/sKnxmDanJD
— Jake Schneider (@jacobkschneider) August 13, 2023
President Biden last week put forth a request for a nearly $40 billion aid package that includes $24 billion for Ukraine and $12 billion to replenish federal disaster funds not specifically related to Maui.
Maui burns and gets “no comment” while Ukraine gets another $24 billion in taxpayer money.
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