Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg finally visited East Palestine, OH, where a train derailed and spilled toxic chemicals…on February 23.
20 days later. Good job, Pete! He didn’t even talk about the accident until 10 days after it happened.
Buttigieg came up with every excuse as to why he didn’t visit or say anything but admitted he should have said something sooner:
“I felt strongly about this and could have expressed that sooner,” Buttigieg said, describing the “twisted metal” that still remained at the site, which he had visited earlier Thursday morning.“Again, I was taking pains to respect the role that I have, the role that I don’t have — but that should not have stopped me from weighing in about how I felt about what was happening,” he continued. The derailment happened on Feb. 3, but Buttigieg’s first public comments did not come until 10 days later.
Buttigieg even had the nerve to say that those who expressed concern or bashed him for not showing up they’re playing politics.
Former President Donald Trump visited yesterday. He brought pallets of food, water, and cleaning supplies. He also bought a ton of McDonald’s food for the first responders.
Buttigieg also claimed the Biden administration came to the scene right away:
BUTTIGIEG: “That’s exactly why we’re here. That’s why we’ve been here from the first hours of the incident as an administration, and that’s why our interest both in what happened here in East Palestine and in keeping our railroads safe doesn’t go away.”
Buttigieg doesn’t even think before he talks:
BUTTIGIEG: “Both information and misinformation injected into this situation, none of which is to the benefit of the community when it comes to that misinformation.”REPORTER: “Did Norfolk –“BUTTIGIEG: “So, I think — so, I lost my train of thought.”
Pete’s press secretary also had it out with a reporter:
HERNANDEZ: “Mayor Pete, why did it take you an entire two and a half weeks to actually get here to respond to East Palestine? Will you apologize to the residents of this city for — for the slow response, the government’s slow response? Do you have any apology?”UNKNOWN FEMALE: “I am his press person, I can help you.”HERNANDEZ: “Sure. Sure. Sure. Sure.”UNKNOWN FEMALE: “I am his press person. I don’t want to –” [crosstalk]HERNANDEZ: “So, can — can — can we ask why it took him almost three weeks to get here?”UNKNOWN FEMALE: “Sorry, I don’t want to do this on camera.”REPORTER 1: “What was his personal time off while it was a tragedy happening here?”UNKNOWN FEMALE: “I’m happy to talk to you guys off camera.”HERNANDEZ: “And can we also ask you why, you know, he waited until President Donald Trump came here to actually make an appearance? This is a very important question that people across America would like to know.”UNKNOWN FEMALE: “I’m happy to have a conversation with you. I do not want to be on camera.”
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