Joe Biden's silence on Maui wildfire raises eyebrows

In the face of the devastating Maui wildfire, the most lethal in the U.S. over the past century with a death toll nearing 96, President Joe Biden offered a surprising "No comment" while exiting a Delaware beach.

The fires have wreaked havoc on the historic Lahaina town, with estimates suggesting damages could surge to a staggering $6 billion.

After a couple hours on the Rehoboth beach, @potus was asked about the rising death toll in Hawaii

“No comment,” he said before heading home pic.twitter.com/Y0UmXirju9

— Justin Sink (@justinsink) August 13, 2023

This muted response contrasts sharply with Biden's earlier promises of fostering empathy and compassion as the nation's leader. During his 2020 presidential campaign, he underscored the importance of understanding and shared experiences in healing divisions.

“Empathy matters. Compassion matters. We have to reach out to one another and heal this country — and that’s what I’ll do as president,” he wrote on Twitter (now X) at the time. “When you have a real problem and it’s devastating to you and someone comes up and says, ‘I know how you feel,’ but someone comes up to you and says, ‘I’ve been through this. I can tell you I know how you feel,’ you immediately say, ‘Tell me,’ because all people are looking for is to say, ‘You made it.’ You look at them and you say intuitively, 'I guess there’s a way through. I guess I can make this; I guess I can make it.’”

Empathy matters. Compassion matters. We have to reach out to one another and heal this country — and that’s what I’ll do as president. pic.twitter.com/XVDnUc32Ij

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) February 6, 2020

Moreover, Biden's self-portrayal as a dedicated family man has been questioned in light of his apparent reluctance to acknowledge his seventh grandchild, Navy Joan Roberts. Critics argue this inconsistency casts doubt on his genuine capacity for empathy and familial affection.

Before the Maui tragedy, the 2018 Camp Fire in California held the grim record for the deadliest wildfire, claiming 85 lives.