President Biden’s light-hearted remark about the “hot ground” in Maui fell flat for numerous individuals in the X community on Monday.
Biden’s arrival in Hawaii coincided with his planned remarks on the aftermath of devastating wildfires that have claimed the lives of over 110 people. Ahead of his speech, he engaged with a group of officials and stopped before a search and rescue dog. While petting the dog, he commented on the boots the canine was wearing.
“Did you all catch the boots out here?” Biden seemingly inquired to the watching press. With a smile, he quipped, “That’s some scorching ground, my friend.”
The reference to the “hot” ground in the wake of the deadly wildfires struck a sour note for many on social media who viewed the clip.
Harrison Metal founder Michael Dearing noted, “There’s nothing quite like leadership than making light of the situation with human-remains-sniffing dogs.”
Conservative commentator Robby Starbuck expressed, “Imagine your loved one lost in a fire not even a month ago, and when Biden finally arrives after his TWO vacations, he jests about the ground being hot. Appalling.”
“Read the room, my friend,” urged conservative commentator Steve Guest.
“May this be attributed to senility,” tweeted RedState writer Bonchie.
Fellow RedState writer Buzz Patterson added, “Seems like there’s no appropriate place for him.”
Townhall contributor John Hasson detected a recurring pattern:
“Maui: ‘Biden jokes about how hot the ground is’
Nashville shooting: ‘Biden makes ice cream joke’
Afghanistan: ‘Biden jokes about evacuation’
I sense a common theme here.”
As the video gained traction, White House deputy press secretary and senior communications adviser Andrew Bates defended against the criticism, denouncing it as “lacking in class and intelligence.”
“He’s interacting with one of the hard-working dogs searching for remains to provide closure for survivors who’ve lost loved ones. This criticism is both insensitive and unwise,” Bates retorted.
Biden has faced scrutiny for his response to the wildfires, particularly his initial response on August 14, when he stated he had “no comment” on the mounting death toll in the region. The subsequent day, Biden announced plans for him and First Lady Jill Biden to visit Hawaii “as soon as we can.”
A resident of Maui recently appeared on CNN and criticized the White House’s perceived lack of effort in assisting them.
“It’s deeply affecting because, where’s the president?” questioned Ella Sable Tacderan to host Kaitlan Collins. “Aren’t we Americans as well? We’re part of the United States. Why are we being sidelined? Why are we being neglected?”