It’s been 30 days since President Joe Biden tapped Vice President Kamala Harris as the “most qualified person” to find a way to stem the tide of migrants at the southern border. While she hasn’t been to the southern border, the vice president did travel to the northern border on Friday during a visit to New Hampshire to promote a so-called infrastructure bill. But that priority hasn’t gone unnoticed by the NHGOP and others, who have pointed out that Harris has ended up at the “wrong border.”
.@vice president Now that you’ve taken the time to explore one of the northernmost states of the US, will you finally take a trip to the southern states that desperately need your attention?
I’m asking on behalf of all Americans. #nhpolitics #CrisisBorders #bidensbordercrisis #BadBorder photo.twitter.com/O6ctBoHCuQ
— NHGOP (@NHGOP) April 23, 2021
.@KamalaHarris continues his nationwide “be anywhere but abroad” tour, heading north to visit New Hampshire, home to an impressionable Democrat @Maggie_Hassan. https://t.co/sH0KhP4lcx
— Senate Republicans (@NRSC) April 23, 2021
Welcome to #BadBorder, @vice president @KamalaHarris! Since you are traveling more than 2,300 miles from El Paso, it would be better for our country to make an official visit to our southern border rather than a campaign trip for @Maggie_Hassan. #BidenBorder crisis #NHPolitics https://t.co/ZzNOVHegCD
— NHGOP (@NHGOP) April 23, 2021
RNC spokeswoman Rachel Lee on @vice president Visit to NH.
“30 days ago, Joe Biden nominated Kamala Harris to address the growing border crisis, but instead of finally going to the border, she came to NH to use Granite Staters as a political prop.” #fit #nhpolitics— Kevin Landrigan (@KlandriganUL) April 23, 2021
Bad border condition, Kamala! pic.twitter.com/aXiHtiKmte
— GOP (@GOP) April 23, 2021
Vice President Harris was there to promote the American Jobs Plan, which is the so-called infrastructure bill, coined in various ways by various members of the administration and their supporters, and is effectively a partisan spending bill. Although almost everything is considered “infrastructure” under the regulations, only about 6 percent actually goes to infrastructure.
In her remarks, Harris congratulated Democratic state Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who is running for reelection in 2022. The vice president said the bill is about “investing in the skills” of Americans. She also referred to “building better voices” from President Biden. Saying that “the American Jobs Plan is about infrastructure” and that “it’s about roads and bridges,” she also said that “it’s about child care, it’s about a lot of things.”
Spencer included more of her comments and the infrastructure bill in his report here.
It appears that critics of Harris’ role in containing the surge in migrants at the border were right, as the vice president did not travel to the southern border or hold a news conference there.
Known for her bizarre fits of giggles, the vice president laughed when asked if she was going to the border, to which she replied, “not today.” That was a month ago.
Apparently the border crisis is now a laughing stock for the Biden administration.
WATCH: Vice President Kamala Harris laughs when asked if she has plans to visit the border. pic.twitter.com/z3AdoFX0Dq
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) March 22, 2021
More recently, Republican Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, John Katko of New York and James Comer of Ky. sent a letter to Vice President Harris on Monday, the same day she traveled to North Carolina, where she also promoted the legislation.
?? #BREAKING: : @Jim_Jordan, @RepJohnKatkoAND @RepJamesComer ask for a meeting with @vice president Kamala Harris to discuss how the Biden-Harris administration plans to end #BidenBorder Crisis. photo: twitter.com/rMPddD5Qh6
— House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) April 19, 2021
The vice president has spoken to Guatemalan presidents, and Mexico will visit those countries at some point, Reagan reported, or at least that’s what Harris says.
Harris on Thursday he did address border crisis during a philanthropic roundtable, but with a mention of climate change. “We’re looking again at the issue of climate resilience and then the concern about the lack of economic opportunity,” she proposed, while suggesting: “We need to give people a sense of hope that help is on the way, a sense of hope that if they stay, things will get better.”
To address the key drivers and root causes of migration, we are working with governments, international institutions, the private sector and civil society organizations to develop a comprehensive strategy. I met with foundation leaders to discuss their critical work in the Northern Triangle. pic.twitter.com/FjTxLRKOoA
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) April 22, 2021
The comments come as the vice president becomes the latest member of the administration to include climate change, link it to other issues or even prioritize climate change over those issues.
Climate czar John Kerry traveled to China last weekend, where he clearly and repeatedly mentioned that he was prioritizing climate change agreements with his Chinese counterparts and that “it’s very important to try to stay away from other issues.”
