White House Communications Director Ben LaBolt got roasted for defending President Joe Biden’s Maui response – namely because he claimed that critics were only complaining about Biden “petting a rescue dog.”
MSNBC host Joe Scarborough started the White House down that path on Wednesday morning, citing a Maui newspaper article praising Biden and claiming that complaints about Biden’s widely-panned response to the wildfires in Maui amounted to “garbage” coming solely from right-wing critics.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates quoted Scarborough’s response, saying, “You look at the local newspapers, you look at the local reports, you listen to the local people. These aren’t Democratic operatives. It was the Maui newspaper. Everybody in these newspapers glowing.”
.@JoeNBC: The rightwing coverage of @POTUS's Maui trip "was all garbage. You look at the local newspapers, you look at the local reports, you listen to the local people. These aren't Democratic operatives. It was the Maui newspaper. Everybody in these newspapers glowing." pic.twitter.com/NBbrsFujP9
— Andrew Bates (@AndrewJBates46) August 23, 2023
“There’s a rightwing media ecosystem that says everyday whatever @POTUS is doing is wrong or runs bad faith interpretations of events. This week they attacked him for petting a rescue dog and not having the godly power to prevent a storm from entering CA. Look at the source,” LaBolt added.
There’s a rightwing media ecosystem that says everyday whatever @POTUS is doing is wrong or runs bad faith interpretations of events. This week they attacked him for petting a rescue dog and not having the godly power to prevent a storm from entering CA. Look at the source. https://t.co/cxIJZDiJvt
— Ben LaBolt (@WHCommsDir) August 23, 2023
But Joe Concha, Fox News contributor and columnist at The Messenger, was quick to point out the inaccuracies in LaBolt’s assessment.
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“A ‘rightwing media ecosystem’ didn’t force the president to repeat a proven lie about a fire in his kitchen threatening the lives of his wife, cat and corvette. Children and whole families were incinerated in Maui and Biden broached this BS to show that he can relate? Abhorrent,” Concha said.
A "rightwing media ecosystem" didn't force the president to repeat a proven lie about a fire in his kitchen threatening the lives of his wife, cat and corvette. Children and whole families were incinerated in Maui and Biden broached this BS to show that he can relate? Abhorrent. https://t.co/zgfkFzHVlQ
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) August 23, 2023
“800 people, including children, are still missing and the Biden admin’s biggest concern is Republicans noticing Biden compared almost losing a corvette to over 100 dying in an island inferno,” @capeandcowell added.
“I think the real objections were about Biden taking forever to go to Hawaii, then giving a terrible speech about almost losing his Corvette to a fire that was easily extinguished, and then falling asleep during the memorial. Nobody gives a damn about petting the rescue dog,” @FilmLadd pointed out, adding, “One of the ways to manipulate the public is focus on stupid objections to your candidate in order to bury the serious problems with your candidate.”
NewsBusters Executive Editor Tim Graham added, “As if ‘Morning Joe’ isn’t part of a media ecosystem that says everyday whatever Trump is doing or runs bad-faith interpretations of events? And please tell us who faulted Biden for not having godly powers. (Or even Ursula the Sea Witch powers.)”
As if 'Morning Joe' isn't part of a media ecosystem that says everyday whatever Trump is doing or runs bad-faith interpretations of events?
And please tell us who faulted Biden for not having godly powers. (Or even Ursula the Sea Witch powers.) https://t.co/nc2I154UWg
— Tim Graham (@TimJGraham) August 23, 2023
GOP Rapid Response Director Jake Schneider referenced a vacationing Biden’s response to reporters – who were asking for his thoughts on the climbing death toll in Maui — and simply replied, “No comment.”
“No Comment” https://t.co/zipGgveL2d
— Jake Schneider (@jacobkschneider) August 23, 2023