President Joe Biden’s visit to Syracuse, New York, this week has stirred up controversy among local lawmakers and law enforcement officials, who called on the Biden administration to postpone his trip to the city in the wake of the tragic deaths of two police officers in the line of duty.
Despite loud calls from the community to delay the president’s itinerary, Biden showed up to celebrate the awarding of over $6 billion worth of new CHIPS and Science Act grants to semiconductor producer Micron Technologies.
The president opened his speech by recognizing the sacrifices of the fallen officers, taking a moment to pray for their families, and empathizing with the toll their deaths take on loved ones.
However, even with these words, the president failed to acknowledge the bigger picture and demonstrate the gravity of the situation.
Biden opened his remarks by stating that he was unaware of the officers’ deaths and did not find out until his trip to Syracuse.
The president highlighted the economic impact of Micron grants on Syracuse, leaving the community wondering whether covering the topic for a few minutes was worth overshadowing the tragic loss of two local heroes.
This visit seems tone-deaf at a time when the officers are being mourned. It’s hard to accept that the administration thinks that funding a private semiconductor company is more important than honoring the sacrifices made by Syracuse law enforcement.
Moreover, it is also concerning that the White House officially billed this trip as a homecoming for the president, citing that he attended law school at Syracuse University.
Is the White House trying to make this visit about Biden’s nostalgia rather than what it should originally have been, which was to offer condolences to the families and rally the community around to support the local officers during this difficult time?
Of course, Biden has to make a difficult situation for the families of the fallen officers and turn it around to make it all about him.
BIDEN: “Every time a police officer puts on that shield every morning, their husband or wife, whatever it is, or child, worries about will they get that phone call. I got one of those phone calls” pic.twitter.com/GUNB9ChgDA
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 25, 2024
RedState said it perfectly:
No, you never got one of those calls; you never had a police officer spouse killed in the line of duty, your son wasn’t a murdered police officer. You may have had tragedies, but it isn’t the same thing, and it’s offensive to keep acting like it is. It’s also offensive even to your own family members who have passed, to keep using them as pawns like this, to try to help yourself politically.
Stop making it about yourself.
On the other hand, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) seemed equally excited to be welcoming Biden to Syracuse. The proposed $6 billion-plus economic stimulus makes the current political environment well-suited for introducing any massive boost for a city.
Thus, it is unlikely that the Democratic lawmakers leading the charge thought it was insensitive to welcome Biden to Syracuse, and even more so under these circumstances.
Biden hypocritically stated that we need to come together while simultaneously bashing his political opponent seconds earlier.
BIDEN: “Folks, we gotta stop this division!”
(Biden was insulting his political opponents just seconds earlier) pic.twitter.com/Ow9McKbSue
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 25, 2024
With Hochul following the lead of Schumer and welcoming the president’s visit, the result was predictable of how Biden’s Syracuse visit would end, even though the police department only had alarm bells ringing.
Biden did meet with the families of the two slain officers after his speech, responding as an afterthought, it seems.
It is vital for an administration to prioritize and acknowledge its citizens’ concerns, especially in a community where the community is still reeling from the loss of two officers, who were the embodiment of public service and held their community’s safety the highest priority.
