On Thursday Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg made it to East Palestine in Ohio, almost three weeks after the train derailment that occurred on February 3. This was the result of chemical contamination. After a massive public backlash against the Biden team’s lack of response, former President Donald Trump went to the site. Joe Biden has not made any public statements about the disaster, except for one tweet. He actually went to Ukraine to donate millions to them and declared that Ukraine had won his heart.
Trump arrived Wednesday with water and other supplies. Trump bought tons of McDonald’s food for the first responders and residents of the area.
At 7:15 a.m., Buttigieg arrived with a hard hat on and an attitude.
Reporters attempted to ask him questions, but he refused and his press secretary got in their faces. She stated that she did not want to speak on camera with her boss for a public appearance and that it was aggressive of her to ask him.
I asked Sec. Buttigieg why it took him almost 3 weeks to come and speak to residents of East Palestine.
His press Secretary then told me I was aggressive for trying to ask questions on camera: pic.twitter.com/bOB52DIq0O
— Savanah Hernandez (@sav_says_) February 23, 2023
Aren’t answering questions on the video part of the job description of a press secretary? This is especially true when they are asked to explain how they dealt with it. It’s like applying salt to a wound that won’t heal.
Buttigieg dodged another question about his inability to do his job.
Pete Buttigieg refuses to answer questions to media here in East Palestine.
His people escort him away.@DrewHLive | @TPUSA pic.twitter.com/2lbuDxpDWf
— Rebecca Brannon (@RebsBrannon) February 23, 2023
Buttigieg visited the wreckage site.
Steve Guest, Senator Ted Cruz’s Special Adviser for Communications, pointed out the irony in Buttigieg’s remarks about construction workers while he stood there, in East Palestine, wearing a hard hat. This looked a lot like a “Mike Dukakis moment” to me. Buttigieg was wearing that hard hat.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg tours the Norfolk Southern derailment site in East Palestine, Ohio pic.twitter.com/Jaz4jHXmvf
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) February 23, 2023
Mike Dukakis was mocked for wearing a helmet to make his head look funny and tough during his 1988 run for the presidency. It’s not the silly look that Buttigieg has given off, but the incompetent manner he’s managed the entire of his job, in multiple situations.
CNN spoke with some residents, and it was clear that Buttigieg is making a short and late appearance. He may not be able to regain any credibility for the Biden administration.
“What can [Pete Buttigieg] do on the ground today that would actually help you guys?”
“I think that for a lot of people it’s a little — no matter what happens right now — is gonna seem very late on the federal response, this happened on the third of February.” pic.twitter.com/Arcy6O8b5C
— Conservative War Machine (@WarMachineRR) February 23, 2023
Residents were asked: “What can [Pete Buttigieg] actually do on the ground today that would actually benefit you guys?” One responded, “I think it’s a little — regardless of what happens right now — will seem very late on federal response, which happened on February third.”
The conclusion is that the people living in the area don’t think they care. They would have responded if they had cared long before Trump went there to shame them into doing so.
