As of Wednesday morning, 22 Americans were confirmed to have perished at the hands of Hamas terrorists during Saturday's attack on Israel, with a still unknown number being held hostage within the Gaza Strip. That news represented an escalation of U.S. interests in the matter, though it wasn't immediately clear what the result of that would be.

A State Department spokesperson confirms that at least 22 Americans have now died in the Hamas attack on Israel, per @jmhansler. That has risen from 14 yesterday.

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) October 11, 2023

So what was Joe Biden doing as that news was breaking? He was giving a speech on junk fees. No, I'm not kidding. The President of the United States was smiling and laughing, complaining about junk fees on the same day it was revealed that a terrorist organization (and the ruling government of Gaza) murdered at least 22 Americans. 

BIDEN: "I continue to call on Congress to pass what my friends in the front row here mostly support — Junk Fee, the Junk Fee Prev— Junk Fee Prevention Act. Hard to say. Anyway." pic.twitter.com/Wt8zmYSbE4

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 11, 2023

No, no it's not hard to say. But senility aside, what comms director in their right mind thought this was a good idea? Americans are being held hostage by people who behead babies, and the president is mumbling about the "Junk Fee Prevention Act." That takes tone-deafness to another level.

Just in case Karine Jean-Pierre is reading this, let me give her some advice. When Americans are being brutally murdered by terrorists, take the day off from talking about junk fees. Find literally anything else to talk about. Never mind that the push to eliminate them will just cause prices to rise further on things like airline tickets. 

BIDEN: "Bidenomics is working!"

Under Biden, 61% of Americans say they're living paycheck-to-paycheck. pic.twitter.com/2PmWiuJPuV

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 11, 2023

No, Bidenomics is not working. On the contrary, it has been an abject failure that has left most Americans poorer, with far more people living paycheck-to-paycheck. No amount of part-time jobs being created (because people aren't making enough at their regular jobs) to skew the employment situation will change that reality. The cost of living has sky-rocketed and interest rates have made building wealth nearly impossible for the middle-class. That's Bidenomics. 

Regardless, even if Bidenomics was a grand success, this is not the time to make it a topic of discussion. The president was oblivious to that, though, cracking weird jokes about women. 

BIDEN: "None of the women in the front row here have been around for more than two or three years, but some of the guys have been here for a hell of a long time..." 🤔 pic.twitter.com/h6aolleA4K

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 11, 2023

"All kidding aside," Biden says, but I have no idea what that is supposed to mean. If someone smarter than I am can figure it out, drop me a line. Is it just the president being old and having no sense of timing? I don't know, but you'd expect his handlers to understand that telling jokes and talking junk fees is not something you do while Americans are mourning loved ones killed by terrorists. 

Worse, like with the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal, Americans are also trapped, either being held hostage in Gaza or with no way out of Israel. This is the time to be serious and somber, not whatever this is. 

Biden is all smiles after delivering remarks on "junk fees," even as American citizens are being held hostage by Hamas terrorists pic.twitter.com/CQcjrBKSEZ

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 11, 2023

Perhaps he's truly unaware of how bad this looks, but isn't that a case for why he shouldn't be president? If Biden is this aloof, can he be trusted to actually handle the explosion of violence going on in the world? That's rhetorical. We all know the answer because the results of the Biden administration provide them to us. America has become weak, and weakness begets chaos.