Trump's tweet on California fires drives firefighter union to Joe Biden for 2020

[highplainsdem]

https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article238325343.html

Brian Rice, a longtime California firefighter, was furious.

Shortly after California’s deadly Camp Fire claimed the lives of 85 people in Paradise, President Donald Trump urged the state to prevent wildfires by following Finland’s lead by “raking and cleaning and doing things.” Trump also wrote on Twitter that the the federal government may suspend funding for the state because of its “gross mismanagement of the forests.”

There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor. Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 10, 2018

Two days later, Rice got an unexpected phone call.

“I received a call from Joe Biden and he said, ‘Brian, thank god for what you and the firefighters are doing,’” Rice recalled. “That’s the difference in leadership. You’ve got a president that wants to create controversy and demonize and go to war with his own states and another leader who sees a disaster for what it is and calls me.”

Rice, who is president of the state’s largest firefighters union, California Professional Firefighters, makes a brief appearance in an advertisement the Biden campaign released Thursday hitting Trump over his opinions on climate change, calling the president’s tweet “idiotic.”

Citing the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program Biden helped create in the early 2000s as a senator to ensure laid off firefighters could get back on the job, Rice said he and his state chapter fully support the decision of its national union to endorse Biden’s 2020 presidential bid. The International Association of Fire Fighters announced its support for Biden in April.

“For firefighters, the most important thing is the number of staff we bring,” he said. “Joe Biden is at the ground floor doing everything he can to make sure we have proper staffing across this nation.”

-snip-

Editing to link to Gothmog's OP about that ad, which links to the tweet with the ad:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287379628

[CTyankee]

1. who the hell would screw with firefighters?

Sheesh...

[keithbvadu2]

2. "gross mismanagement of the forests."

“gross mismanagement of the forests.”

Another topic claimed that the federal gov't controlled more of the forests than the state does.

Anyone have the figures?

[Cha]

3. "..and another leader who sees a disaster for what it is and calls me."

“I received a call from Joe Biden and he said, ‘Brian, thank god for what you and the firefighters are doing,’” Rice recalled. “That’s the difference in leadership. You’ve got a president that wants to create controversy and demonize and go to war with his own states and another leader who sees a disaster for what it is and calls me.”

Rice, who is president of the state’s largest firefighters union, California Professional Firefighters, makes a brief appearance in an advertisement the Biden campaign released Thursday hitting Trump over his opinions on climate change, calling the president’s tweet “idiotic.”

Link to tweet

Thank you, highplains

[OldRed2450]

4. Joe Biden already does what a president should do.

He's a natural leader.

[The Valley Below]

5. What the firefighters have done here in CA has been beyond heroic.

I'm telling you.

When a firetruck rolls past me, they see demonstrations of enthusiastic support and appreciation from this citizen.

They can't miss it.

[Cha]

7. Thank you!

[Cha]

6. this deserves a

[Scurrilous]

8. K&R

[Cha]

9. KICK

[PhoenixDem]

10. K&R nt

[R B Garr]

11. K&R!

[Gothmog]

12. A look at how the firefighters union is hitting the ground in Iowa in the final weeks before the Iow

Link to tweet

[NYMinute]

13. Unions for Biden .. yay!

We'll win Ohio in the GE baby.

[UniteFightBack]

14. If Biden get the nomination...I predict he is going to run the table and this may even be a

landslide election.

[Gothmog]

15. This makes me smile

Link to tweet