Staff Reports
President Joe Biden, the man with more vacation days than the average bear, has once again left the hardworking folks of East Palestine, Ohio high and dry as he jets off to the U.S. Virgin Islands for yet another holiday getaway. Meanwhile, the residents of East Palestine are left scratching their heads, wondering why “working class Joe” has seemingly abandoned them in their time of need.
It’s been a whopping eight months since the catastrophic Norfolk Southern train derailment unleashed a deluge of toxic chemicals on the 4,700 residents of East Palestine. And where was Biden during this crisis? Apparently too busy hobnobbing with union workers in Michigan and flying past the beleaguered town en route to his next photo op. Not exactly the “man of the people” behavior that he loves to tout.
No-Show Joe: East Palestine Residents Still Waiting for a Biden Visit https://t.co/6jxnz3Jjpf
— Wendy Kortepeter (@WKortepeter) December 29, 2023
Local resident Jessica Conard, who had cast her vote in favor of Biden, expressed her disillusionment, feeling as though she and her community simply don’t matter to the president. And she’s not alone. Many others in East Palestine feel snubbed and disrespected, believing that Biden’s lack of attention is purely political. As if being in a red county means they don’t deserve the same level of concern and care as those in blue areas. Ouch, Joe, that stings.
Biden’s promises to visit East Palestine have been about as solid as a house of cards in a windstorm. First, he said he’d drop by “at some point.” Then, when pressed on the issue in September, he cited a busy schedule as the reason for his absence. But hey, he did manage to fly over the town while on his way to Milwaukee to talk up “Bidenomics.” It’s okay, East Palestine, he saw you from the air – that counts, right?
In stark contrast to Biden’s no-show act, former President Donald Trump wasted no time in swooping down on the town to personally deliver supplies and show his support just three weeks after the derailment. Talk about getting things done! Trump’s folks even called out Biden’s neglect, pointing out that while the former president was on the ground doing good, Biden “chose to go a different route” (literally and figuratively).
The White House, of course, is singing a different tune, insisting that Biden has grand plans to visit East Palestine… at some undetermined future date when it’s most convenient or helpful for the community. Well, isn’t that just swell? The people of East Palestine are out here drowning in toxic chemicals, and Biden’s waiting for the stars to align before he pays them a visit.
In the end, it seems like the only thing Biden’s been overseeing is his own vacation itinerary, squeezing in trips to the U.S. Virgin Islands and who knows where else, while the good people of East Palestine continue to feel abandoned and ignored. But hey, at least he’s got a snazzy White House spokesperson to assure everyone that the president is diligently “overseeing a robust recovery effort.” Yeah, sure he is.
So, East Palestine, hang in there and maybe start working on your blue county makeover. It might just be the ticket to snagging some attention from “working class Joe.”
