President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were both criticized on Saturday for messages they tweeted about Memorial Day that did not mention the soldiers who lost their lives for which the holiday honors.
“Stay cool this weekend, folks,” President Biden tweeted with a picture of himself speaking to a young lady.
Stay cool this weekend, folks. pic.twitter.com/Z2xOTekvUZ
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 29, 2021
Biden: “stay cool this weekend.”
Kamala: “enjoy the long weekend.”
Trump and Pence: pic.twitter.com/PphhoHsWfp
— ForAmerica (@ForAmerica) May 30, 2021
Anything else you wanted to mention about this weekend, Mr. President? https://t.co/g0iCsv61pD
— Nan Hayworth, M.D. (@NanHayworth) May 30, 2021
Stay [grateful to be alive and Remember those who died to keep you that way] this weekend Folks! https://t.co/ZU3a4o6RzB pic.twitter.com/fnJHtAj7OJ
— Joey Jones (@Johnny_Joey) May 30, 2021
Vice President Harris also was criticized for a tweet of herself smiling with the caption, “Enjoy the long weekend.”
Enjoy the long weekend. pic.twitter.com/ilGOrod4AW
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) May 29, 2021
Florida Sen. Rick Scott found the tweet “insulting.”
On Memorial Day, we reflect on and honor the service and sacrifice of the American heroes who have given their lives to defend our freedoms. @VP’s failure to recognize our fallen soldiers and Gold Star families is insulting. https://t.co/YJBONU0Glk
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) May 29, 2021
Others criticized Harris for not mentioning those who have lost their lives. (RELATED: Do People In DC Know Why We Celebrate Memorial Day?)
I’m sure they would if they could. https://t.co/ggjHBpOiW7 pic.twitter.com/LGNLf2Ainb
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) May 29, 2021
Vice President Kamala Harris under fire for ‘disrespectful’ tweethttps://t.co/GvOoLm1Wky
— Lou Dobbs (@LouDobbs) May 30, 2021
Real misfire here. It is a long weekend. It’s also Memorial Day weekend, which means far more that our government officials should acknowledge: a time to remember and honor the millions of Americans who lost their lives in our nation’s defense https://t.co/RCPwPf4TdL https://t.co/xKyyaOkkQA
— Paul Szoldra (@PaulSzoldra) May 29, 2021
Memorial Day was first observed on May 30, 1868 to honor those who died in the Civil War and was known as Decoration Day. Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in 1971 which established Memorial Day to be commemorated on the last Monday of May.