Ohio Train Derailment: Biden Sends Agencies Door-to-Door

Facts

• On Friday, US Pres. Joe Biden directed federal agencies to visit East Palestine, Ohio, and go door-to-door to check on families affected by the toxic train derailment that has become a national controversy.¹
• The 'walk teams' started work on Saturday and aim to visit at least 400 homes by Monday.¹
• Biden — who announced he has no plans to visit the city but says he has spoken with “every single major figure” in the area— has come under scrutiny for his administration's response to the crisis.²
• Meanwhile, former Pres. Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) made an appearance in East Palestine on Wednesday, handing out water and urging that those responsible be held accountable.³
• The following day Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited the city and vowed to work with the federal government to prevent future disasters. On Friday, the House Oversight Committee launched an investigation into Buttigieg over his response to the derailment.³
• The chemical derailment has dominated national conversation as the wreck of a 150-car train carrying toxic chemicals emits a large black cloud into the air, worrying many residents about their current and future health.⁴

Sources: ¹Al Jazeera, ²CNN, ³NBC and ⁴USA Today.

Narratives

• Republican narrative, as provided by FOX News. Biden has made his priorities abundantly clear, and unfortunately, the president seems more concerned with helping Ukraine than he is with an American city in ruin. Americans are breathing in toxic chemicals and have to fear for their long-term health, while Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv after handing them millions of dollars.
• Democratic narrative, as provided by NPR Online News. Pres. Biden is more concerned with fulfilling his duties as commander-in-chief than with scoring cheap political points. The president made a daring trip to Ukraine while it fights for democracy, and that has nothing to do with a lack of concern for East Palestine. While Trump may have shown his face in the city, he has done little to actually help the situation.
• Cynical narrative, as provided by The dispatch. Both sides of the political aisle are exploiting the situation to tear down their political opponents at the expense of East Palestine residents who have been rendered mere political props. This incident requires comprehensive government and civic action, but leaders have favored polarization instead in an effort to score political points. This is a disaster on all fronts.