Coastal Georgia’s U.S. Rep. Earl “Buddy” Carter is nothing if not voluble.
He weighs on his social media accounts on subjects ranging from Hunter Biden’s business deals and America’s porous borders to the hiring of a new Atlanta Falcons football coach and the New Year’s Eve party plans of his constituents.
Demonstrating that he’s more than just a legislator interested in dry details of policy, Carter’s accounts in recent days are homages to Sgt. Kennedy Sanders of Waycross and Sgt. Breonna Moffett, the two Coastal Georgia soldiers who were killed in Jordan earlier this month and whose remains were laid to rest following two separate funeral ceremonies on Saturday.
Yet for all the diversity, civic commitment, and frequent charm they reflect, Carter’s social media postings are also revealing for what they don’t address.
As of late Monday, for instance, there was no reaction on his Facebook and X accounts to the discovery of the remains of a young Atlantic right whale 20 miles off the coast of Tybee Island.
An examination of the remains after the carcass was towed ashore showed evidence of blunt force trauma consistent with a vessel strike.
Carter has opposed a proposal by federal officials to beef up protection for the endangered right whale by expanding existing ship speed rules.
As of yesterday afternoon, there also was no mention on Carter’s social media accounts of the death on Friday of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in a prison camp north of the Arctic Circle.
Today, I will be wearing a purple ribbon with my colleagues to honor the sacrifice of Sgt. Kennedy Sanders. We will never forget the brave and selfless sacrifice she made in defense of this great nation. pic.twitter.com/KdrreyLfqz
— Buddy Carter (@RepBuddyCarter) February 16, 2024
Besides the funerals of Sanders and Moffett, Donald Trump has also figured prominently on his accounts in recent days.
On Friday, posted a photo of himself posing with the former president aboard Air Force One over the caption, “Trump showed strength in the face of America’s adversaries. Biden doesn’t remember what he had for breakfast. We must make America great again!”
Last week, the five-term Republican congressman from St. Simons said he wants to help Ukraine and doesn’t want Russian President Vladimir Putin to be “successful.” Security on the U.S.-Mexico border, however, “comes first.”
But any statements lamenting Navalny’s death while in custody or more favorable to Ukraine risk putting Carter squarely on one side of the battle inside the Republican Party over aid to Kyiv.
It would also risk putting him at odds with Trump, who has spoken admirably of Putin and who said recently said he would encourage Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” to any NATO member country that doesn’t meet spending guidelines on defense.
In contrast, U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock on Saturday posted on his official X account a photograph of himself alongside Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy in Munich, where the two were attending a security conference.
“Good to spend some time in Munich today with President @ZelenskyyUa. It is in our own national security interest to stand with Ukraine. I was proud to pass critical funding for Ukraine and our allies for freedom in the Senate this week. Let’s get it done in the House,” Warnock said in the photo caption.
The Tide brings observations and news from The Current’s staff.
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