Biden talks helping people of Mississippi while Trump talks about helping himself

One reason why Biden won in 2020

On Saturday, we were reminded of one the key reasons President Joe Biden soundly defeated Donald Trump in 2020 election. And that is Biden’s compassion and empathy for others in need compared to Trump egotistically and selfishly making everything about himself. The latest example came with President Biden’s response to the devastating tornado in Mississippi that has taken at least 26 lives compared to Trump words at his rally taking place in Waco, Texas--about a six hour drive from the worst of the tornado’s damage.

The devastation caused by Friday night’s tornado--that reached an estimated 170 miles per hour of winds—to areas of Mississippi is jaw-dropping as captured by drone footage. The words of the mayor of Rolling Fork, Mississippi—a small town of 2,000 people that was flattened by the tornado—tragically sums it up:  the “city is gone.”

President Biden swiftly released a statement Saturday expressing sympathy to those who suffered that began, “Jill and I are praying for those who have lost loved ones in the devastating tornadoes in Mississippi and for those whose loved ones are missing.”

But it was not just words. Biden—as his statement noted and local elected officials shared with the press—was on the phone Saturday speaking to the FEMA Administrator and Mississippi officials from the governor to members of Congress, almost all Republicans in this deep red state, about the devastation and his commitment to provide assistance. In these calls, the President offered “full federal support as communities recover from the effects of this storm.” 

In fact, Mississippi’s GOP Governor Tate Reeves touring the destruction Saturday morning told reporters that he had already spoken to President Biden, adding about a federal emergency declaration to provide assistance to the state that, “The president assured me that as soon as he got it, he would sign it.” And on early Sunday morning, Biden did sign an order that declared an emergency to aid recovery and clean-up efforts, including federal funding for grants for temporary housing.

Mississippi U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, also a Republican, on Saturday shared how Biden had called her earlier that day, adding, "The president assured me he would expedite anything to help those in Mississippi." Hyde-Smith added, "So we're grateful."

Biden jumping into action for Mississippi is what a President of all Americans does as opposed to Trump who as President would prioritize assistance for Red states over Blue states when disasters struck. Even when Americans were in need, Trump was more focused on what helped him personally.

While Biden spent Saturday helping the people of Mississippi, Trump held his first rally since announcing his 2024 presidential run last November. And for that, he chose Waco, Texas on the 30^th anniversary of the 1993 siege of the  Branch Davidians complex in Waco that ultimately left 76 people dead, including 26 children after the compound was stormed by the FBI. Many slammed Trump’s choice of Waco as the location and timing to kick off his 2024 campaign since that siege has become a rallying cry for right wing, anti-government violence. (On Friday, while appearing on Newsmax, Trump side-stepped questions about criticism that he was "stoking the fires of Waco” by holding his rally there—instead talking the expected crowd size.)

Trump kicked off his rally in what can only be viewed as the most anti-American start to a presidential campaign by a major party candidate. Trump took the stage, placed his hand on his heart and played a song called “Justice for All” performed by a choir of people imprisoned for their roles in the Jan. 6 terrorist attack at the U.S. Capitol.  And while the choir of Jan 6 prisoners sang the national anthem, Trump even displayed footage of the Jan 6 insurrection on the screen to his adoring fans.

Shortly after his salute to the Jan 6 attack, Trump did mention the tornado in Mississippi in about four lines of his speech that spanned well over an hour, stating, “We send our prayers to everyone in Mississippi and Alabama who have been touched by the devastating tornados,” adding, “we love you all.”

Those lines were quickly followed by Trump declaring that he was fighting the “corrupt, rotten and sinister forces trying to destroy America” and repeating the lie of “rigged” elections. As The NY times noted: “Trump devoted long stretches of his speech to his own legal jeopardy rather than his vision for a second term, casting himself as a victim of “weaponization” of the justice system.”

Obviously, Biden as President has the ability to help people that Trump as a candidate does not. But Trump did visit the site of the Norfolk Southern toxic train derailment last month in East Palestine, Ohio to score political points. Yet when relatively a short distance from the location of a deadly tornado, Trump was focused on what he always has been since he entered the world of politics: Trump.

The former President-who is facing potential criminal charges in various jurisdictions—shortly before the close of his speech in Waco, listed those he believes are opposing him from “the fake news media” to “RINOs” (Republicans in name only) to President Biden. He then vowed to his supporters, “We will liberate American from these villains and tyrants who are looking to destroy our country.”

In contrast, President’s Biden statement Saturday on the tornado devastation closed with the words, “To those impacted by these devastating storms, and to the first responders and emergency personnel working to help their fellow Americans: we will do everything we can to help,” adding, “We will be there as long as it takes. We will work together to deliver the support you need to recover.”

Again, this reminds us why President Joe Biden is in the White House and why Trump was the first president since 1992 to lose re-election.

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