White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates swiftly called out the Republican National Committee (RNC) on X, formerly Twitter, for what he deemed as a misguided criticism of President Joe Biden's actions during his visit to Hawaii on Monday.
The President's visit to Maui was in response to the devastating wildfires that have struck the island. As he met with first responders in the coastal town of Lahaina, he came across a cadaver dog involved in search and recovery efforts.
Biden, who is dog dad to two German Shepherds himself, took a moment to engage with the dog.
He inquired about the dog's name and stooped down to gently pat its head while making a passing comment about the high temperature of the ground:
"That’s some hot ground, man!"
Despite the interaction's benign nature, RNC Research shared a 23-second clip of the moment on X, accompanied by a mocking caption:
"Biden gets distracted by a dog: 'That's some hot ground, man!'"
You can see the post below.
Bates swiftly denounced the RNC's petty post, emphasizing the significant role of the cadaver dog in the ongoing search for human remains:
"He's petting one of the dogs that's working hard searching for remains so survivors who've lost loved ones can have closure."
"This criticism is classless and stupid."
You can see Bates' post below.
Many appreciated Bates' response and joined him in criticizing the RNC.
Hawaii is grappling with the aftermath of historic wildfires that have left over 800 individuals still unaccounted for after the blazes ravaged the island. The death toll is at 115, according to the most recent updates.
State officials are issuing cautionary warnings that the death toll is expected to rise as search and recovery operations persist.
The fires have already marked their place as among the most deadly wildfires in recent U.S. history. However, the true extent of the destruction remains uncertain and may take time to fully comprehend.
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