Biden is out of touch with Hawaiians

It took Joe Biden two weeks to make it to Hawaii after the devastating wildfires that likely will have killed upwards of 1,000 people as some 850 are still missing.

It was not a good day for him, after he compared the disaster to his own apocryphal kitchen fire in his Delaware home in 2004.

Biden was met with obscene catcalls as his motorcade passed rows of disgruntled residents who had received $700 checks after losing their homes.

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You might recall clueless Joe issued only a "no comment" on the tragedy a week earlier. A week after that he forgot he had come to Maui, repeatedly referring the fires as occurring on "the Big Island."

"When things look the most bleak, that's when we need faith," said Biden, who recounted his own 2004 kitchen inferno. "I don't want to compare difficulties, but we have a little sense, Jill and I, of what it's like to lose a home. Years ago, now 15 years ago, while I was in Washington doing 'Meet The Press,' it was a sunny Sunday and lightning struck at home on a little lake outside our home – not a lake, a pond. To make a long story short, I almost lost my wife, my '67 Corvette and my cat."

Biden often shares the story when discussing real tragedies. Firefighters arrived to heavy smoke but were able to keep the flames contained to the kitchen. The fire was under control in 20 minutes.

The wildfire that broke out Aug. 8 in the town of Lahaina is now the deadliest in more than a century, and the fifth-deadliest on record for the U.S.

"We'll be with you for as long as it takes, I promise you," Biden assured.

He apparently was anxious to get his family back to Lake Tahoe and resume their vacation.

Before Biden announced his visit to Maui, Republicans compared his lack of a visit to East Palestine, Ohio – where a train derailed and spilled toxic chemicals, displacing hundreds of people. Biden promised to visit the Ohio town but never did.

Meanwhile, the toll in Maui is still grim with about 85% of the affected area having been searched. Nearly 2,000 people remained without power, at least 10,000 are without telecom connectivity, and water in parts of west Maui is still not safe to drink.

But Joe did his best to make the disaster all about himself, as usual.

He was greeted with middle fingers, chants of protest and signs that said "no comment."

"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.

Meanwhile, Biden got the full White House treatment, delivering remarks from a lectern with the presidential seal amid the apocalyptic landscape in Lahaina. He 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.

"I campaigned for you," raged former Hawaii legislator Kaniela Ing on social media. "Now, when I lose dozens of my friends, family and neighbors. This?"

Dean Fuchs, 59, of the town of Kihei in eastern Maui, held a Hawaiian state flag upside down as Biden's motorcade passed.

The president mispronounced the name of one of Hawaii's senators during his remarks, calling Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, by the last name "Shants" – a week after White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre botched both of the names of the Aloha state's U.S. senators and misgendered Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono.

Last week on the mainland, Biden also seemed to make a lame attempt at a joke during an unrelated speech, saying, "I apologize because I try very hard to keep my speeches between 15 and 18 minutes, but I got to talk a little bit about Hawaii."

Is it possible that Biden could lose the very blue state of Hawaii next November? Possible, but not likely. But at this rate, it's more than possible he won't even find himself on the national ballot.

This is America. We all want to help when disaster strikes. This is a generous nation. We recommend giving to Samaritan's Purse, which is airlifting 17 tons of emergency relief equipment, tools and several volunteers to Hawaii.

"What has happened in Hawaii is nothing short of devastating," said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse. "As the death toll has risen, my heart breaks for those who have lost loved ones and for the families who must now begin the long road to recovery. Please join me in praying for them and for our Samaritan's Purse teams who are responding in Jesus' Name."

In the coming days, Samaritan's Purse volunteers will faithfully serve the people of Maui. Each day, teams will sift through ashes in search of priceless mementos along with anything else that may have survived the flames.

By lending a helping hand, these volunteers will serve as tangible reminders to the victims that God is there with them, even in tragedy.

And they'll stay until the job's done.

Donate to Samaritan's Purse "Disaster Relief Responding to Hawaii's Wildfires."

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