President Joe Biden has come under scrutiny for the timing of his response to the recent Israel-Hamas crisis, leading to questions about whether he was alerted promptly enough, according to a report by the Mail on Sunday, October 8.
During a press conference on Saturday, October 7, President Biden mentioned that he began addressing the situation at approximately “7:30, 8 o’clock” – roughly eight hours after the initiation of Hamas’s attack on Israel.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate, expressed concern about the delay, stating, “The president needs to be there, answering the call when our top ally in the Middle East is under the gun. You can’t be sleeping on the job.”
Online, others also raised questions about when President Biden was informed of the attacks and whether he received adequate briefings during the early hours of the crisis.
The reference to President Biden’s timing in addressing the crisis brings back memories of the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election campaign when Hillary Clinton famously posed the question of who voters would trust to answer a “3 am phone call” during a global crisis.
President Biden and his top aides have been in consultation with European and Middle East leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to address the ongoing situation. President Biden condemned the attacks as “unconscionable” and pledged support for Israel’s defense.
While some critics questioned the timing of President Biden’s response, others defended the necessity for the president to receive comprehensive intelligence briefings before addressing the public on such matters.
It’s worth noting that President Biden is known for being a night owl and often begins his activities after 9 am, a point previously acknowledged by former White House press secretary Jennifer Psaki.
Nonetheless, the timing of the president’s response continues to be a subject of debate among both critics and supporters.
