President Biden, in the wake of learning that nine Americans were among those killed by Hamas terrorists attacking Israel over the weekend, said — nothing. Rather, he closed down the White House shop and went who knows where to discuss who knows what. The White House called it a “lid,” meaning no further statements from Biden were forthcoming for the day. That’s nice.
The rest of America calls it MIA.
Talk about poor optics.
That’s worse than when Biden couldn’t stop checking his wristwatch during the unloading of American military members’ bodies flown back from his botched withdrawal from Afghanistan.
That’s worse than when Barack Obama rushed off golfing after issuing a terse statement to the public about the ISIS beheading of American journalist James Foley.
“As of 11:46 a.m. ET [Monday], the White House called a press lid, indicating that they do not expect Biden to make further statements,” Fox News reported.
Further statements? That implies he’s made previous statements.
In the aftermath of the terror attack on America’s ally, Israel, Biden barely spoke for even a few minutes — less than five — on Saturday. And he didn’t stick around for questions. He had a barbecue to get ready for, it seemed, because that’s what he was doing on Sunday. Then Monday came, bringing with it the Columbus Day closure of the federal government — giving Biden yet more cover to duck and hide from the public.
Perhaps the pressure’s finally pushed Biden to the point where even double-dosing on the meds won’t give him the strength to stand still and not wander, or drool. Perhaps he simply overindulged on leftover cheese balls from the barbecue, and he got a lingering bellyache.
But he’s gotta come out sometime. Doesn’t he?
“Biden Disappears from the Public Eye When Crises Hit,” National Review wrote.
“Joe Biden Blasted for ‘Hosting Barbecue’ While Israel Attacked,” Newsweek wrote.
“‘MIA’ Biden Slammed By Critics for Calling Lid Before Noon Following Attack on Israel,” Mediate wrote.
“Israel war: Biden calls it a day before noon, sparking online outrage,” the Washington Examiner wrote.
By a majority of the media accounts, Biden’s a loser of a leader.
“Biden not seen publicly for TWO days after making speech lasting just THREE MINUTES as nine Americans confirmed dead in Israel,” the Daily Mail wrote.
Apparently, it takes a village to provide cover for an idiot.
In other words, there must be a lot of behind-the-scenes discussions on how best to frame this White House’s feckless foreign policy in a way that points fingers away from Puppet Biden and his team. Here’s a guess at how it’s gone: Surely, there’s a way to blame Donald Trump for this? Certainly, there must be a way to tie Trump to this attack to take away heat from the White House? Wait for it, wait for it. Soon enough will come the publicly released, coordinated Democrat-media messaging that Trump had been colluding with, hmm, umm, Hamas for years and that it was the Trump administration to blame for this 9-11 style attack on Israel.
And away we go. The tracks are being laid.
“Donald Trump’s Israel Intel Leak Under Scrutiny After Hamas Attack,” Newsweek wrote.
No doubt, that’s the message Biden’s brewing behind closed doors to sell to the American public — to the world — to distract from any sort of pesky talks about $6 billion to Iran, or about the recently busted Iranian spy ring in the State Department and Defense Department, or about the reported freeing of $75 million for Palestinian aid.
Perish those thoughts. Perish those Democrats’ deeds. Erase them like they’re an email on a Hillary Clinton server!
Truthfully, Biden’s hiding because Biden’s a terrible leader and like all terrible leaders do when faced with crises — he’s skirting accountability. He’s gone into CYA mode (cover your you-know-what) and so, too, his closest confidantes and advisers and Cabinet members.
When Israeli women and children, old and young, are being abducted, murdered, raped and carted out of Israel by brutal terrorists; when Israeli soldiers and civilians are being captured and brought to Hamas camps for torture and worse; when nine Americans are dead and the numbers of killed and wounded of Israelis keep going up, up, up; when war has been declared by the ruling leadership of Israel — you’d think the president of the United States might step in front of some cameras and say more than three minutes worth of words or so.
The world’s on fire.
And everybody’s wondering where’s Joe Biden.
Worse, everybody’s wondering where’s America.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter and podcast by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “Lockdown: The Socialist Plan To Take Away Your Freedom,” is available by clicking HERE or clicking HERE or CLICKING HERE.
