White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is being criticized for her response when questioned on why President Biden has not yet invited the school massacre victims in Nashville to the White House.
Invite and Purpose
Peter Doocy, a correspondent for Fox News, questioned Jean-Pierre during a press conference on Wednesday.
He asked why Biden invited three Democratic state legislators from Tennessee to Washington, but not those harmed or their families. Jean-Pierre replied she did not have any information regarding the invitation, but that the president was intent on getting things done.
"You're gonna have three of the lawmakers who protested after the Nashville Covenant School shooting. Have any of the victims or the victims' families been invited?"
Jean-Pierre: "I don't have anything to read out"
"Why?"
Jean-Pierre: "I just don't have anything" pic.twitter.com/vgS7Lvn1hC
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 19, 2023
Next week, Democratic state representatives from Tennessee, Justin Jones, Justin Pearson, and Gloria Johnson, will visit the White House to discuss gun regulation legislation.
The fact that the loved ones of the victims in Nashville were not invited, however, has sparked backlash on the presidency of Joe Biden.
Backlash
Critics of the administration are outraged that politicians were invited, rather than the victims’ families. Tim Young, a conservative commentator, inquired on Twitter why Biden invited Ralph Yarl, but not the loved ones of the Nashville shooting victims.
They can more about the grandstanders than the people whose lives were directly impacted, no shocker there!!!
— Random Golf Pro 619 (@rickjohnsonpga) April 19, 2023
Former Arkansas GOP Governor Mike Huckabee deemed it abhorrent that President Biden refused to acknowledge the murder of students and faculty at the Christian school.
Rachel Bovard, the senior director of policy at the Conservative Partnership Institute, also said that honoring self-aggrandizing, fame-hungry politicians over the bereaved families is wrong.
She slammed the combined incompetence and depravity, raising questions about the morals and character of the Biden administration.
The Tennessee legislators’ visit is part of President Biden’s drive for gun control legislation, such as an assault weapons prohibition. The meeting is anticipated to proceed, but the public and media are unlikely to cease their criticism any time soon.
We will have to wait and see how the administration handles the blowback from critics.
