Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg finally decided to grace the folks of East Palestine with his presence on Thursday, almost three full weeks after a fiery train derailment and the subsequent release of harmful, toxic chemicals into the surrounding area, though he did refuse to answer key questions asked by reporters due to the presence of cameras. Gee, wonder what he’s afraid of saying on camera? Guess he doesn’t want to slip up and let something out of the bag that he’s not supposed to, huh?
“This morning I’m in East Palestine, Ohio, to see the site of the Norfolk Southern derailment, hear updates from investigators, and meet first responders. USDOT will continue its work to ensure safety and accountability,” Buttigieg stated in a post published on social media just mere days after he refused to tell the media when, exactly, he was going to visit the affected area:
This morning I’m in East Palestine, Ohio, to see the site of the Norfolk Southern derailment, hear updates from investigators, and meet first responders. USDOT will continue its work to ensure safety and accountability. pic.twitter.com/okA6WI7uzI
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) February 23, 2023
“But yes, when the time is right, I do plan to visit East Palestine. I don’t have a date for you right now,” he remarked earlier this week.
“However, the Transportation secretary appeared to quickly set a date after former President Donald Trump visited the area ahead of both Buttigieg and President Biden, delivering truckloads of water to residents and buying first responders McDonald’s,” Breitbart reported.
“We’re like a third-world nation, and this is an example of it, the breakdown. Our whole country is breaking down,” Trump went on to remark during Wednesday’s stop in East Palestine, later adding that Buttigieg should have been there “a long time ago.”
The former president then went on to drop the hammer on Biden, who decided a jaunt over to Ukraine was far more important than visiting the people of East Palestine. This, ladies and gentlemen, is what poor leadership looks like. Take a picture. Oops, there was already a photo-op in Ukraine wasn’t there?
“I think he should’ve come here. I think he should’ve been here. He should’ve been here, and he chose to go a different route,” Trump stated during an interview with Breitbart News.
Breitbart’s report then said, “Meanwhile, Buttigieg — who has been viewed by Americans as relatively inaccessible and delayed regarding his response to transportation-related incidents — is still failing to answer key questions.”
“Video footage shows Buttigieg being escorted from reporters and his press secretary addressing them, instead. However, she refused to answer any questions because of the presence of cameras,” it added.
When asked about why it took Buttigieg three whole weeks to visit East Palestine, after a visit was already made by former President Trump, the press secretary did not elaborate, going on to whine about cameras.
“I’m happy to have a conversation with you. I do not want to be on camera,” she remarked.
“I would like you guys to turn your cameras off,” she stated again as one reporter asked her, “Don’t you think you should be able to ask [sic] questions from the American public?”
“Absolutely. I would like to do it without the camera on,” Buttigieg’s spokeswoman said yet again, waving off other questions because of the cameras and stating she could not have a chat because people were recording her.
Pete Buttigieg is escorted away from media while his press secretary makes herself known & says she’ll answer questions for him – but only if she isn’t recorded on camera…@TPUSA | @DrewHLive pic.twitter.com/sM12BEfJMi
— Rebecca Brannon (@RebsBrannon) February 23, 2023
