Biden Maui Visit Met With Anger From Some Residents
Almost two weeks after wildfires hit the Hawaiian island of Maui, US Pres. Joe Biden made his first visit to the island, sparking anger from some residents who said he should've been there sooner, while others welcomed him with the shaka.
Facts
- Almost two weeks after wildfires hit the Hawaiian island of Maui — leaving at least 114 dead and roughly 1K still unaccounted for — US Pres. Joe Biden made his first visit to the island, sparking anger from some residents who said he should've been there sooner, while others welcomed him with the shaka — a common Hawaiian greeting.1
- Protesters greeted Biden at Kapalua Airport on Monday with jeers and placards, including signs that read "no comment" — referencing his response when asked about the rising death toll last week. Others compared the amount of money earmarked for survivors compared to the amount given to Ukraine.2
- Prior to his arrival, the White House issued a statement defending the federal response, which said, "My heart, my prayers, and my focus are on the victims of the Maui wildfires and their families," adding that he knows "nothing can replace the loss of life" and that he "will do everything in [his] power to help Maui."3
- The statement also said that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had 450 officials coordinating the response on the ground, adding that the agency had shipped in around 50K meals, 75K liters of water, and 10K blankets for survivors.3
- He and First Lady Jill Biden also took an aerial tour of the devastation by helicopter before traveling to Lahaina, among the areas most badly hit. There, Biden spoke near a surviving banyan tree, saying: "Today it’s burned but it’s still standing. Trees survive for a reason. I believe it’s a powerful, very powerful symbol."4
- Sparking further criticism from some, Biden also said he could commiserate with survivors because years ago, firefighters had to rescue his wife from a fire in their home in 2004. However, the local fire dept. said that fire was "insignificant" because "it was contained to the kitchen and had been put out quickly."5
Sources: 1Reuters, 2New York Post (a), 3Newsweek, 4CNN, and 5New York Post (b).
Narratives
- Republican narrative, as provided by PJ Media. Biden completely dropped the ball during his overdue visit to Maui. He inappropriately compared the hardship of families who have lost everything to a small kitchen fire at just one of his many homes. And his administration has offered just $700 total to people who are now homeless. The federal response has been far from satisfactory and the local residents are quite right to have questions of their commander-in-chief.
- Democratic narrative, as provided by CNN. Biden has been dealt a tall task in overseeing the devastating aftermath of Maui's wildfires, and the criticisms are unfounded. The work to arrange an immediate presidential visit would've taken away from the necessary recovery efforts, and Biden has shown his desire to help the community as a whole and console the individual victims on the ground. While he may face criticism from those who already didn't like him, his compassion and decency were certainly on display in Hawaii.
