President Biden to Visit New Orleans After Deadly Attack
Background:
President Joe Biden is set to visit New Orleans on Monday to console the grieving families of the victims of a deadly attack that occurred on New Year’s Eve. The attack, which took place in the French Quarter, resulted in the deaths of 14 people and injuries to 30 others.
The President’s Visit
Biden’s visit is likely to be the last time he travels to the scene of a horrific crime as president to console families of victims. He has less than two weeks left in office. The President has a reputation for being intimate in his approach, having experienced personal tragedy in his own life. His first wife and baby daughter died in a car accident in the early 1970s, and his eldest son, Beau, died of cancer in 2015.
Personal Message
In a preview of his visit, Biden told reporters, "I’ve been there. There’s nothing you can really say to somebody that’s just had such a tragic loss. My message is going to be personal, if I get to get them alone." Biden often takes the opportunity at such occasions to speak behind closed doors with families, offering his personal phone number in case people want to talk later and discussing grief in personal terms.
The Incident
On New Year’s Eve, a truck driven by Shamsud-Din Jabbar crashed into a crowd on Bourbon Street, killing 14 people, including the driver, and injuring 30 others. Jabbar, an American citizen from Texas, had posted videos on his Facebook account in the hours before the attack, proclaiming his support for the Islamic State militant group and previewing the violence he would soon unleash in the French Quarter.
Conspiracy Theories
Biden pushed back against conspiracy theories surrounding the attack, urging New Orleans residents to ignore them. "I spent literally 17, 18 hours with the intelligence community from the time this happened to establish exactly what happened, to establish beyond any reasonable doubt that New Orleans was the act of a single man who acted alone. All this talk about conspiracies with other people, there’s not evidence of that — zero."
Victims
The youngest victim was 18 years old, and the oldest was 63. Most victims were in their 20s. They came from Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, New Jersey, and Great Britain.
Senator’s Perspective
Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Republican, was asked on Fox News Channel what the city was hoping for from Biden’s visit. "How can we not feel for both the families of those who die but also those who’ve been injured and their families? The best thing that the city, the state, and the federal government can do is do their best to make sure that this does not happen again. And what we can do as a people is to make sure that we don’t live our lives in fear or in terror — but live our lives bravely and with liberty, and then support those families however they need support."
Conclusion
President Biden’s visit to New Orleans is a testament to his commitment to consoling the grieving families of victims of horrific crimes. His personal experience with tragedy has given him a unique perspective on the impact of such events on individuals and families.
FAQs
Q: What is the purpose of President Biden’s visit to New Orleans?
A: To console the grieving families of the victims of the deadly attack that occurred on New Year’s Eve.
Q: What is the background of the attack?
A: A truck driven by Shamsud-Din Jabbar crashed into a crowd on Bourbon Street, killing 14 people, including the driver, and injuring 30 others.
Q: What is President Biden’s message to the families of the victims?
A: "I’ve been there. There’s nothing you can really say to somebody that’s just had such a tragic loss. My message is going to be personal, if I get to get them alone."
Q: What is the President’s stance on conspiracy theories surrounding the attack?
A: Biden pushed back against conspiracy theories, urging New Orleans residents to ignore them, stating that there is no evidence to support them.
