(SNews) – Hawaiians have been expressing outrage after Democrat President Joe Biden reluctantly visited Maui in the wake of devastating wildfires.
During his Monday visit, Biden vacantly wandered around the sites of the disaster and gave rambling speeches.
At one point, while standing at the presidential podium, Biden appeared lost and confused about where was.
As Biden stood at the podium looking around blankly, Democrat Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) appeared concerned and asked the president to drink some water.
WATCH:
President Joe Biden appears to forget where he is while speaking in Maui.
You can hear Hawaii Senator Brian Schatz suggest Biden take a sip of water before leaving the podium. pic.twitter.com/wKRJSsgSPT
— KUSI News (@KUSINews) August 21, 2023
The wildfire struck on August 8th, almost a fortnight before Biden bothered arrived.
Over 100 people were killed in the fired and more than 2000 homes were destroyed.
Almost 1000 people are still unaccounted for.
Nevertheless, Biden used his speech to crack jokes and tell a rambling story about himself.
“I don’t want to compare difficulties,” he said.
“But we have a little sense, Jill and I, of what it’s like to lose a home,” he added as he started to tell a story to compare difficulties.
“A sunny Sunday, and lightning struck at home on a little lake that’s outside of our home, not a lake a big pond,” Biden continued.
“And hit a wire that came up underneath our home that hit the heating duct, an air conditioning duct.”
“To make a long story short, I almost lost my wife, my ’67 Corvette, and my cat,” Biden said, chuckling at his joke.
“All kidding aside, I watched the firefighters, the way they responded… they ran into the flames, saved my wife, saved my family. No joke.”
Biden was referring to a small kitchen fire in 2004.
Firefighters had Biden’s minor fire under control within minutes.
WATCH:
Biden tells Maui wildfire victims, "I don't want to compare difficulties, but…" then tells a made up story about losing his house to a fire.
According to a 2004 AP report, it was “a small fire…contained to the kitchen” that “was under control in 20 minutes.” pic.twitter.com/DNY0Tyatg7
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 22, 2023
Biden continued to crack jokes during his other speeches.
WATCH:
Biden says to the Mayor of Maui County: "You look like you played defensive tackle for, I don't know who, but somebody good" and then says the wildfires are a "national travedy." pic.twitter.com/ZbQDx5ZW3i
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) August 21, 2023
Many Hawaii residents have been outraged at Biden’s lack of interest in the fires.
Biden has been on vaccination and refused to comment on the disaster.
Before he arrived, a White House spokesperson said that one of Biden’s priorities would be to make sure residents were aware that he had “been there since day one.”
Biden spokesperson Olivia Dalton says Biden will "make sure that he communicates to [Maui residents] that not only have we been there since day one, has he been there since day one…" 🤔 pic.twitter.com/NgK2quOhxf
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 21, 2023
However, Hawaiians are acutely aware that Biden hasn’t been anywhere near them since day one:
Maui residents are lining the road amid Biden's visit — with signs saying "he's too late," "he should've been here much earlier," and "actions speak louder than words." pic.twitter.com/Qnu6j3ogTt
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 21, 2023
NEW: Maui residents prepare for President Biden's arrival: pic.twitter.com/tJo14eXkwP
— Tony Kinnett (@TheTonus) August 21, 2023
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