The White House defended Vice President Kamala Harris’s recent trip to a bakery in Chicago amid criticisms she has still not visited the border after being tapped to lead the administration’s effort to address the “root causes” of migration.
“She hasn’t visited the border or Central America or spoken with leaders of El Salvador or Honduras,” New York Post correspondent Steven Nelson told Psaki Wednesday during a press briefing. “She traveled this week, took time to visit a bakery in Chicago. I’m wondering, is she still working on this [border issue], and can you address the perception that she’s kind of quietly backing off?”
“There’s a whole lot packed in there,” Psaki replied. “The vice president was visiting Chicago actually to talk COVID and the importance of communities getting the vaccine when it’s available and accessible to them.”
“And so while she was there, like many Americans, she got a snack,” she added. “I think she’s allowed to do that.”
KAMALA HARRIS HASN’T VISITED BORDER SINCE BEING NAMED MIGRATION POINT PERSON
“Like many Americans, she got a snack. I think she’s allowed to do that.”
— WH Press Sec. Jen Psaki on VP Kamala Harris’ stop at a bakery in Chicago during trip to a vaccination site. pic.twitter.com/fBgWK4HA72
— The Recount (@therecount) April 7, 2021
Harris was spotted at the Brown Sugar Bakery in Chicago’s South Side on Tuesday, where she picked up a slice of German chocolate cake.
“She could have gone to a million other places, but she came here, and I’m grateful for that,” one bakery worker said of the visit.
President Joe Biden tapped her to lead the administration on addressing migration on March 24, with her focusing on long-term efforts in Central America.
“I can think of nobody who is better qualified to do this,” Biden said at the time.
“When she speaks, she speaks for me. She doesn’t have to check with me,” he said.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Harris’s lack of a visit to the border or holding a press conference on the issue has sparked the ire of Republicans, with many sounding off on social media.
Kamala Harris could take that plane from Los Angeles & be on the Southern border in less than an hour but she’d rather avoid her responsibilities as the crisis manager for the border & fly all the way to Chicago to avoid taking about the #BorderCrisis
— PARIS (@PARISDENNARD) April 6, 2021
12 days and counting without a news conference from Kamala Harris…
This is since she was tasked with overseeing the border crisis.
Telling, isn’t it? She doesn’t have a plan or answers for the American people on what the Biden administration is doing to fix this.
— Madison Cawthorn (@CawthornforNC) April 5, 2021
