AP
LAHAINA, Hawaii — President Biden was greeted with middle fingers, chants of protest and signs that said “no comment” Monday as he arrived in Maui to tour wildfire damage after repeatedly declining to comment last week on the tragedy that killed at least 114 people.
A group of several dozen residents of scorched western Maui heckled Biden’s motorcade shortly after noon local time as it left tiny Kapalua Airport en route to the hardest hit areas of historic Lahaina, which was destroyed on Aug. 8.
“Go home Joe!” the locals chanted as Biden passed by — moments before the president read a scripted speech touting the federal response, despite criticism from residents who say not enough help has been offered.
The 80-year-old commander in chief has taken intense criticism, including from fellow Democrats, for appearing aloof following the deadliest US wildfires in more than a century.
As he drove toward downtown Lahaina, Biden passed signs that said “NO COMMENT,” “REALLY $7?, “ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS”, and “FJB,” as well as at least two flags promoting the 2024 candidacy of former President Donald Trump.
Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images
“Any number of military aircraft, planes and helicopters could have flown in here. To leave a town that was just devastated shut down was just ridiculous. The runway wasn’t cratered,” Mullen told The Post.
Meanwhile, Biden got the full White House treatment, delivering remarks from a lectern with the presidential seal amid the apocalyptic landscape following this month’s deadly wildfires.
The president was also provided with a small wooden table for his bottle of precious water as he spoke on the federal government’s response to the devastation, with the ashes of destroyed buildings visible behind the stagecraft.
Source: https://nypost.com/2023/08/21/biden-takes-break-from-vacation-to-tour-hawaii-fire-damage/