OPINION:
Tiberias, ISRAEL — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is fielding some much-needed fire for his epic fail to address the airline crisis keeping good citizens in states of various abandonment at airports around the nation.
But the most interesting critics are those expressing surprise over Buttigieg’s fail-to-act.
He is, after all, a Democrat. And what Democrats do best is fail, blame others for their failure, then go on vacation. Just look at the leading failing Democrat, President Joe Biden. Where’s he? St. Croix. Hiding from his own epic fails — so hiding, in fact, his staff has to bring presidential paperwork to the island for him to sign. He won’t leave. Hidin’ Biden.
Buttigieg isn’t so lucky — or perhaps the word is powerful. He isn’t high enough on the totem pole of power to merit a St. Croix get-away for his epic fails.
He has to stay closer to home. He’s forced to face some of the fiery criticisms for his inept handling of transportation — you know, the thing he was hired to deal with and the thing for which taxpayers pay him dearly.
When Southwest shut down thousands of flights at one of the busiest travel times of the year, Christmas, and blamed it all on the weather — despite the fact other airlines didn’t shut down nearly as much and despite the fact other airplanes still flew the December skies — Buttigieg spoke up. Yep. He spoke up and spoke up but good. What did he say?
That’s a good one. Joke’s on us. ‘Cause he ain’t telling. So we just don’t know.
“In a statement to Spectrum News, a spokesperson for the department said that Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke with Southwest CEO Bob Jordan amid the mass cancellations,” Spectrum wrote. “Per the spokesperson, Buttigieg ‘conveyed that he expects the airline to live up to the commitments it has made to passengers, including providing meal vouchers, refunds, and hotel accommodations for those experiencing significant delays or cancelations that came about as a result of Southwest’s decisions and actions.”
That’s nice.
Buttigieg’s spokesperson said Buttigieg spoke to Southwest’s CEO and that all’s good. All’s great, in fact.
Except even liberals who love Buttigieg aren’t believing that nonsense any longer.
In response to a tweet from a journalist referencing documents that showed Buttigieg had at least a week’s notice of the impending airline travel disaster — and that state officials had begged him to do something, anything, just something, please — leftist Hollywood star Susan Sarandon wrote, “I guess being smart doesn’t necessarily make you practical.”
Or capable.
Or humble enough to properly perform public service — or, another way to say that, to properly serve the public paying your salary.
Buttigieg just doesn’t care.
He loves to talk a smooth talking game. He loves to display his scholastic prowess and play the intellect and finger-wag about all the great things government can do compared to the private sector. But in the end, he’s just inept, incapable of leading and utterly out of his league when it comes to problem solving.
But that’s what makes him a Democrat.
Vice President Kamala Harris has absolutely no ability to lead, no intellect to problem-solve, no skill to crisis manage — so Democrats put her in charge of the border.
President Joe Biden has absolute no mental agility to deal with foreign leaders, no presence of mind to know which words of his speech to read and which to leave out — and which people he calls for are alive versus dead, no moral compass to steer this nation down a path of righteous governance. So Democrats put him in charge of the White House and give him the title of commander-in-chief to America’s military forces.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin bungled the withdrawal of Afghanistan so badly America is still gritting teeth over his incompetence. But he’s black. And he’s Democrat. And he’s black. So there you have it. Incompetence doesn’t really factor into the equation.
Democrats are known for elevating the ineffectual, helpless, feckless, incapable and downright ignorant and stupid. No Experience Needed: That’s the unstated but understood message of the Democrat Party to would-be political leaders.
“Pete Buttigieg calls out Southwest Airlines in letter,” Fox wrote in one recent headline.
You go, Pete. Write that letter.
“Buttigieg pledges ‘extraordinary effort’ as Southwest Airlines cancels more flights,” Politico wrote in another recent headline.
And all the Democrats go: Buttigieg for president!
He’s the perfect Democrat Party presidential pick: untrained, unskilled, inept, bungling, utterly out of his league and unable to lead — but clean cut and smooth tongued. He won’t solve any problems. But he’ll find a way to blame others.
And if that doesn’t work, there’s always the Democrat President Plan B: Run away on vacation and hide.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com 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.
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