America was promised a leader, a compassionate figure who would be the soothing balm to the nation’s wounds after the riots of 2020 and the chaos of COVID.
We were painted a picture of ‘Grandpa Joe’ – a return to decency, warmth, and understanding.
But do the shimmering images presented during campaign seasons always reflect the harsh reality once the curtains of power are drawn?
It’s heart-wrenching to imagine the unimaginable: losing a child in a far-off land while the entire world watches.
The weight of that tragedy, the void it creates, is something no parent should bear. But when the curtains of ceremony are drawn back, and the cameras are turned off, what is left?
What happens when you face the one you deem responsible for that loss?
Paula Knauss Selph, a Gold Star mother who lost her son, Staff Sgt. Ryan Christian Knauss, in the deadly Afghanistan withdrawal, faced such a moment.
A face-to-face with President Biden.
An opportunity, perhaps, for a genuine moment of solace, understanding, and reflection.
But sometimes, encounters leave you colder than before they began.
As Selph relived the harrowing pain of her son’s demise, the response she received from the supposed leader of the free world was far from comforting.
No tender words, no heartfelt apology, just a stoic stance and an offer for a photo.
EXCLUSIVE – Afghanistan Gold Star mom says President Biden asked her for a photo op as she wept in the Oval Office after heartbreaking loss of her son who was killed in the Kabul bombing two years ago https://t.co/57OYjU0ecv pic.twitter.com/uW5IqT7hlI
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) August 20, 2023
"Do you think Pres. Biden is willing to meet with any of these Gold Star families or talk publicly more about what happened at Abbey Gate?"
JOHN KIRBY: "He certainly has talked about Afghanistan and the decision to withdrawal and the evacuation and how it was conducted." pic.twitter.com/iWbwxJ4LpH
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 17, 2023
Gold Star mother calls out Biden's 'disrespect' post-Afghan exit: 'Lied to since the very beginning' pic.twitter.com/h2ooUkk0XV
— Ainsley Earhardt (@ainsleyearhardt) August 11, 2023
Is this the portrait of the promised return to decency?
Or have we merely swapped one form of political detachment for another?
The answer may be more complex than campaign slogans would suggest, but for Paula and countless others, actions will always speak louder than words.
Dive into the details of this poignant encounter below and decide for yourself where the true heart of leadership lies.
The Daily Mail has all the details:
A Gold Star mother whose son was killed during deadly Afghanistan withdrawal said she holds President Biden accountable for his death and is still seeking closure two years later.
A suicide bomber detonated his deadly payload outside of the Abbey Gate at Kabul’s international airport on August 26, 2021, killing 13 American service members and at least 170 Afghans amid the chaos of the exit. The families are seeking accountability from the Biden administration almost two years later.
Paula Knauss Selph, the Gold Star mother of Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Christian Knauss, told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview: ‘There’s been a lot of grief, a lot of grief.’
‘There’s nothing like watching your child die in front of you, in front of the world,’ she said while reflecting on the two years since Ryan’s death.
She recounted meeting President Biden for the first and only time on Memorial Day 2022 at an event for Gold Star families in Washington, D.C.
During a meeting in the Oval Office, Biden told her ‘I can understand if you’re angry.’
ADVERTISEMENT‘I stood face-to-face with him, eyeball-to-eyeball,’ she continued, saying ‘I began to weep.’
‘It should have never happened this way,’ she told the president.
‘He stood there stoically,’ Selph recounted as opposed to getting an apology or a hug.
‘Nothing out of his mouth except – well would you like to get a photo with me?’
Ever heard the phrase, “actions speak louder than words”?
Well, let’s dive deeper into this situation; warning – this perspective might just have you re-evaluating where President Biden places his allegiances.
Remember those 13 heroes who gave everything in Kabul?
The brave hearts who stood tall even as chaos erupted around them? Their sacrifice resonated across the nation, touching every heart, every home.
But did it touch the heart of our President?
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) thought it might be a good idea (and we agree!) for Biden to meet with the Gold Star families of these heroes.
To offer condolences, perhaps. To show them that their country, represented by its highest office, remembers and grieves with them.
Yet, as the days roll on, and Biden’s vacation counter ticks up (Is it four vacations now? Or five?), there seems to be a conspicuous absence of such a meeting.
Biden silent on offer to meet Gold Star families: Rep. Darrell Issa https://t.co/PVEiXYwiYv pic.twitter.com/IPItIzQ6Ca
— New York Post (@nypost) August 17, 2023
With Gold Star families demanding accountability, botched Afghan exit could spell Biden's end https://t.co/q5MPuRT69w via @americanwire_
— Bo Snerdley (@BoSnerdley) August 14, 2023
"For the media, Gold Star families are only there to be exploited. If they criticize Democrats, they can be written off and ignored." https://t.co/z51IHMJz5s
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) August 12, 2023
And while our southern border issues brew and our economy teeters, billions are flowing out to Ukraine.
And is it a coincidence that Hunter Biden made millions from a Ukrainian energy company?
But one can’t help but wonder: If our administration can’t even take a moment to stand with the families of our fallen, how do they perceive the rest of us?
It’s easy to release statements about mourning and remembering, as the White House has.
But when it comes to the real, human moments?
The face-to-face, heart-to-heart interactions? Crickets.
The New York Post confirms Biden’s cold, calculated move:
President Biden has yet to respond to an offer to meet with Gold Star families who lost loved ones during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, according to a Republican member of Congress.
Last week, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) proposed a sit-down between the president and relatives of the 13 service members killed in the Aug. 26, 2021, Kabul airport suicide terror attack.
“I can confirm that between his four (or is it five?) summer vacations, Biden hasn’t found even a few minutes to meet with these Gold Star families,” Issa spokesman Jonathan Wilcox told The Post Thursday, confirming an initial report by Fox News.
The ISIS-K attack at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport’s Abbey Gate took place as US forces scrambled to evacuate hundreds of Americans and thousands of Afghans as the Taliban regained control of the country.
“The President and first lady will always honor the sacrifices of the 13 servicemembers who were killed in that attack. We mourn with them, we remember their loved ones, and we will continue to support these Gold Star families,” a White House spokesperson told The Post Friday.
Take a moment.
Reflect.
Think about the kind of leadership that truly resonates with your vision of America.
Because 2024 is just around the corner, and it’s never too early to dream of an America that cherishes its heroes and stands firmly by its people.
Do you want a cold, callous commander in chief like Joe Biden?
Or do you want someone who champions our heroes and champions America?
Someone like President Donald Trump?
Join the conversation!
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