Internet Rips Biden's 'Tight Schedule' Excuse For Not Visiting Ohio Train Wreck
06:00 GMT 03.09.2023 (Updated: 06:47 GMT 03.09.2023)
© AFP 2023 / STEFANI REYNOLDS
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A disastrous train derailment and chemical leak occurred in East Palestine, Ohio, six months ago. The accident's fall-out and the "controlled burn" of toxic vinyl chloride that was carried out on 3 February 2023, is continuing to affect the health of residents, yet President Joe Biden has yet to visit the area.
It has been more than six months, yet an extremely busy schedule has prevented Joe Biden from visiting the site of the disastrous train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Or at least, that's what the US President claimed during a press conference in Live Oak, Florida, on Saturday.
Biden was visiting regions in the US' most south-eastern state which have been hit by Hurricane Idalia before reportedly heading for his house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The storm that barreled through Florida on Wednesday destroyed buildings, brought down trees and power lines, leaving more than 300,000 homes and businesses without power along the coast, including in Georgia and North Carolina.
During the press conference, Biden was asked why he had still not visited victims of the East Palestine train derailment disaster.
"Well, I haven't had the occasion to go to East Palestine. There's a lot going on here, and I just haven't been able to break," the 80-year-old POTUS responded.
He then went on:
"I was thinking whether I'd go to East Palestine this week, but then I was reminded I've got to go literally around the world. I'm going from Washington to India to Vietnam. And so, it's gonna be a while… But we're making sure that East Palestine has what they need materially in order to deal with their problems."
On 4 February, a train carrying hazardous materials, including toxic substances, pollutants, and oil, derailed in the Ohio town of East Palestine after the wheel truck of a freight car overheated and snapped, derailing the car and causing a massive pileup behind it. Several cars were carrying toxic chemicals, including vinyl chloride, which was deliberately detonated and burned in a “controlled release” that spread the chemical across the area.
Back in March, Biden indicated that he would visit the derailment site "at some point." However, that vague promise failed to materialize, with Ohio’s Senator James Vance slamming the Democrat a while ago, saying:
"Joe Biden promised he would visit East Palestine. He has failed to keep that promise… Not only has Joe Biden refused to visit East Palestine, but he has also refused to grant critical assistance to the recovery effort."
16 August 2023, 21:33 GMT
Commenting on Joe Biden’s remarks in Florida, internet users called out the president over his failure to find time to come to the derailment site in East Palestine in person. Many comments on social media were heavy with sarcasm, as people pointed out that the octogenarian has spent a growing number of days with his “toes up” on holiday since taking office.
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Biden and the time he has spent vacationing in office has become a recurring theme and a new US report has found that the president has spent 40 percent of his presidency taking a break.
“As of last Sunday, Biden has spent all or part of 382 of his presidency’s 957 days - or 40 percent - on personal overnight trips away from the White House, putting him on pace to become America's most idle commander-in-chief, according to data calculated by the Republican National Committee and confirmed by The Post using White House reports of Biden’s movements," said the report.
