Calling it "a clear contrast between leadership and incompetence," the mayor of East Palestine, Ohio, Trent Conaway, laid out middle America's case against Joe Biden's handling of the human and environmental disaster that struck his town at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, WI.
On the evening of February 23, 2024, 38 freight cars on a Norfolk Southern train derailed. Several burst into flames. A decision was made to conduct a "controlled burn" of the others. This released toxic hydrogen chloride and phosgene into the atmosphere.
"Our first responders didn't hesitate, they raced to the scene, they battled the flames...Unfortunately the Biden administration's federal response was much different. It consisted almost entirely of meetings and press events," Conaway said. "They talked and talked and delivered little help."
Residents in a mile-square radius were evacuated. Local government stepped into the breach as Mayor Conaway declared a state of emergency. Lack of fresh drinking water, housing for residents, and long-term toxic concerns were at a critical impasse, and from Washington, the silence was deafening. We never heard from President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris, he said.
In a stinging barb, the mayor added, “I guess we weren’t their type of folks. No Hollywood elites, no Wall Street billionaires live in East Palestine, just hardworking Americans.”
"But Donald Trump cared." He then told how Trump went into action shortly after the disaster. "First, he called and asked permission to visit, not wanting to intrude. And then he asked how he could help," the mayor said. "When he arrived with fresh palettes of drinking water, he met with everyone, from first responders to local officials, to residents...he listened to us and shared a meal with volunteers at a local McDonald's. His presence was genuine. His concern was real."
The mayor then contrasted this early response with President Biden's. "After a year of criticism, President Biden finally did show up. His appearance was brief, forced, and scripted. He met with a select few and left. We needed so much, and he delivered so little."
"I know a few things about train wrecks now," the mayor said, "and let me tell you, that is what the Biden administration has been. Before President Biden derails our entire nation, we need to act."
Mayor Conaway closed with strong praise for former President Trump: "We need a leader who values small-town communities as much as big cities. We need a president who loves all Americans. We need Donald J. Trump."
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This small-town mayor, thrust into the spotlight, gave a rousing address. He kept it brief, real, and on point. The only pity is it wasn't later in the program when more Americans could have seen it. His words were on target, expressing the way many think and feel. There is an almost unexpressed sense among many Americans that Washington only cares about Washington. This look at the real-life experience of the people of East Palestine, Ohio, made that case with great vigor.
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