President Joe Biden, who is presently on vacation with his family, spent more than 36 hours to issue a comment in reaction to Friday's attack in New York on author Salman Rushdie.
On Saturday evening, the president voiced his dismay, saying that he is praying for Rushdie's health and recovery and praised both first responders and Rushdie's refusal to be intimidated.
Biden Still on Vacation Amid Salman Rushdie Attack
The president is now on vacation with his family on South Carolina's quiet Kiawah Island, he was seen leaving church with his son Hunter Biden, 52.
According to DailyMail.com, the First Family is living in a $20 million beachfront mansion leased to them by Maria Allwin, 66, the affluent widow of New York hedge fund magnate James Allwin. Allwin has long been a Democratic Party donor with the ear of Presidents and VIPs.
The White House has not stated how long the Bidens will remain on the private island, although FAA aviation restrictions are in effect until Tuesday (normal operating practice when a president visits a region). On Wednesday, the family landed on the island. The White House called the attack on Rushdie "appalling" on Friday, emphasizing that the Biden-Kamala Harris Administration was praying for the famed author's quick recovery.
Rushdie remained hospitalized on Saturday with critical injuries as authorities investigated the reason for the attack, which garnered international criticism. Hadi Matar, 24, of Fairview, New Jersey, entered a not guilty plea at a court hearing on Saturday.
Rushdie, 75, was scheduled to give a lecture on artistic freedom at the Chautauqua Institution in western New York when Matar stormed the stage and stabbed him. Rushdie has lived with a bounty on his head since his 1988 novel 'The Satanic Verses' spurred Iran to encourage Muslims to murder him, Daily Mail reported.
Critics Urge Biden To End Nuclear Talks With Iran
Rushdie remained on a ventilator and unable to talk as of Friday evening, according to his agent, Andrew Wylie, after hours of surgery. Wylie claimed the writer was likely to lose an eye, as well as nerve damage in his arm and liver sores.
The stabbing was denounced as an attack on freedom of expression by writers and politicians all around the world. On Saturday, neither local nor federal officials provided any more information on the inquiry. On Friday, police said they had not determined a motive for the attack.
Meanwhile, according to NDTV, US Vice President Kamala Harris expressed astonishment at the attack on author Salman Rushdie on Sunday, saying that individuals should be allowed to "exchange views without fear" and that "violence and hatred have no place" in society.
The attempted assassination of author Salman Rushdie, social media users, including many members of Congress, criticized the Biden administration's pursuit of a nuclear agreement with Iran, citing the country's previous endorsement of a fatwa against Rushdie's life.
Following the stabbing, Iran's official media labeled Rushdie a "apostate" who had written "blasphemous" material. Furthermore, as the sick author struggled for his life on a ventilator, Iranian news channels cheered the attack. According to reports on Friday, a top Iranian official stated that Tehran may be open to accept a fresh proposal from the European Union to negotiate a nuclear agreement provided its criteria are satisfied.
After former President Trump withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and slammed Iran with harsh penalties, Tehran requested assurances from the US that no future president would breach the agreement, according to Fox News via MSN.
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