Ohio gov. calls for Biden to visit train derailment site

Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine called on President Biden Thursday to travel to the village still reeling from a train derailment that spewed toxic chemicals across the area last month, saying, “The people want to see the president.”

DeWine appeared on “Fox & Friends” Thursday after visiting East Palestine a day earlier, and was asked whether he was “offended” that Biden had yet to visit the scene of the Feb. 3 derailment of the Norfolk Southern train.

“Look, he should come,” DeWine responded. “There is no doubt about it. The president needs to come. The people want to see the president. He should be there.”

The governor, who said he’s been to East Palestine four times since the accident, said he’s spoken to the president “several times” and last spoke to him while Biden was in Poland to shore up support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia. 

DeWine added that Biden never explained why he hasn’t yet traveled to the eastern Ohio community, but said “now is the time.”

“The president needs to come. It’s just important,” he said.

“Our people have been on the ground since, you know, two hours after it started. I will say that, you know, the EPA was there. They were there about the same time our people got there. We have our health department, our EPA there. So we are there,” DeWine added.

The president and his administration, especially Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, have come under fierce criticism over their response to the environmental catastrophe in the town of about 5,000 people. 

Biden, 80, was slammed for traveling to Ukraine for a secret Feb. 20 meeting with President Volodmyr Zelesnky in Kyiv days before the anniversary of Russia’s invasion, but not making the far shorter trek to Ohio.

“That was the biggest slap in the face,” East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway told Fox News at the time. “That tells you right now he doesn’t care about us.”

Biden, speaking to reporters Friday at the White House, invoked Aretha Franklin as he defended himself for not visiting East Palestine.

“At this point, I’m not,” Biden said when asked if he had plans to travel there.

“I did a whole video, I mean, um, what the hell, on,” he continued before trailing off.

“Zoom! All I can think of every time I think of Zoom is that song in my generation, ​’​Who’s Zoomin’ Who,​’​” added Biden, referring to Franklin​’s 1985​ hit.

Buttigieg finally visited East Palestine Feb. 23, telling reporters that he was trying to “balance” his desire to be involved and on the ground with his “desire to follow the norm of transportation secretaries” by allowing the National Transportation Safety Board to conduct its initial inspections. 

The former mayor of South Bend, Ind. and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate also admitted he took too long to comment on the disaster, saying “I felt strongly about this and could have expressed that sooner.”

Buttigieg’s visit came a day after former President Donald Trump traveled to East Palestine and two days after Buttigieg snapped at a reporter asking about his plans to view the site.

Questioned about what message he had for the people of East Palestine, Buttigieg said he’d given a dozen interviews about the derailment and his press office could provide the details. 

The reporter then asked if he could share that message. 

“No. I’m going to refer you to the comments I made to the press,” Buttigieg fired back, “because right now I’m taking some personal time and I’m walking down the street.”