Biden is clearly tone deaf.
President Biden’s lighthearted comment about the “hot ground” in Maui received a less than positive response from numerous individuals on X platform on Monday.
According to Fox, on that particular day, Biden arrived in Hawaii to deliver a speech addressing the aftermath of the devastating wildfires that have tragically claimed the lives of over 110 people. Before his address, he engaged with a group of officials and took a moment to interact with a search and rescue dog. While affectionately patting the dog, he drew attention to the boots the canine was wearing.
In a seemingly casual manner, Biden asked the press observers, “Did you all notice the boots out here?” Accompanied by a smile, he remarked, “That’s some hot ground, man.”
The reference to the ground’s temperature following the deadly wildfires struck many social media users as insensitive when they saw the video clip.
Conservative commentator Robby Starbuck expressed, “Imagine your beloved family member perishing in the fires not even a month ago, and upon Biden’s belated visit following his two vacations, he trivializes the scorching ground. Disturbing.”
Jimmy Failla, the host of Fox News Radio, playfully quipped, “Biden touches down in Maui and cracks a joke about the heat of the ground. Next up, he’ll head to Pearl Harbor and order a round of Kamikaze drinks.”
Following the video’s widespread circulation, Andrew Bates, the White House deputy press secretary and senior communications advisor, countered the criticism by denoting it as “tasteless and foolish.”
“He’s showing affection to one of the hardworking dogs involved in the search for remains, offering solace to survivors coping with the loss of their dear ones. Criticizing this reflects a lack of decency and wisdom,” Bates argued.
Biden’s handling of the wildfires has faced censure, particularly his initial response on August 14 when he issued a “no comment” on the escalating death toll. The subsequent day, Biden disclosed his plans to visit Hawaii with First Lady Jill Biden “at the earliest opportunity.”
WATCH:
Biden jokes about how hot the ground is while touring wildfire damage in Maui pic.twitter.com/lY18UQ36fP
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) August 21, 2023