Biden insists he’s too busy to visit East Palestine despite record vacations
President Biden claimed he hasn’t “been able to break” since promising he’d visit the site of the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio months ago – despite recently taking a roughly eight-day vacation in Nevada.
Biden was asked why he hasn’t yet fulfilled his March commitment to visit the Ohio village at a press conference Saturday in Live Oak, Florida, during his short trip to view Hurricane Idalia’s wreckage.
“I haven’t had the occasion to go to East Palestine,” Biden told reporters. “There’s a lot going on here, and I just haven’t been able to break.”
His remarks came nearly a week after he finished off his family getaway in Nevada — and some 211 days since the Feb. 3 derailment.
The Post reported Saturday that Biden has spent 40% — or 382 of his first 957 days as president — on personal overnight trips away from the White House, taking more downtime than any of his recent predecessors
Biden promised to visit East Palestine “at some point” on March 2, but declined to specify when.
The Norfolk Southern train that derailed there was carrying toxic vinyl chloride, roughly five cars’ worth of which was burned off in a controversial controlled explosion.
The disaster unleashed hazardous chemicals into the soil, air, and water, ravaging the community.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg caught hefty criticism for waiting three weeks to visit the beleaguered community in the aftermath of the accident. Notably, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan visited about a week beforehand.
Biden toured some of Hurricane Idalia’s wreckage in the Sunshine State Saturday before jetting off to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, to spend part of his Labor Day weekend.
“I was thinking that I would go to East Palestine this week, but I’ve been reminded I’ve gotta go literally around the world,” he said. “I’m going from Washington to India to Vietnam to – so it’s gonna be awhile. But we’re making sure that East Palestine has what they need materially in order to deal with the problem.”
Biden is due to travel to India from Sept. 7–10, a trip that will feature a stop in Hanoi, Vietnam.
The following day, he will part from tradition and observe the 22nd anniversary of the Sept. 11 Terrorist Attacks from Alaska.
Biden triggered a wave of outrage for telling reporters on Aug. 13 at Rehoboth Beach, Del. “no comment” when asked about the rising death toll in Maui.
He then decided to visit on Aug. 21.
Biden traveled to Hawaii from Nevada, where he had been vacationing at a Democratic billionaire’s Lake Tahoe mansion.
After touring the damage, he went back to Lake Tahoe.
In all three disasters, the Biden administration marshaled resources to the distressed communities.
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