The presence of photographs of women and children densely packed within Border Patrol tents has prompted opponents to draw parallels between President Biden’s border policy and the previous “kids in cages” criticisms directed at former President Trump. “It was a panic,” one former Biden official remarked.
Internal conflict erupted among members of Biden’s staff.
Susan Rice, the Domestic Policy Advisor, had a crucial role in coordinating the administration’s strategy to the border, which generated both praise and criticism.
500 illegal aliens from Islamic African nations, the M.E., and others breached the border wall by the Lukeville port of entry the night it closed & hundreds rushed through the unmanned port. BP agent rolled up and started yelling at them. I was sleeping in my Jeep at the port.… pic.twitter.com/fQ8oXCb2SM
— Just Jeff From Cali (@liberty_clarion) February 1, 2024
Several authorities perceived her as unnecessarily confrontational and held divergent views on her policy positions. However, even numerous individuals who oppose her acknowledge that she has assumed greater accountability for border-related matters, while many other prominent officials in the Biden administration have been avoiding such responsibilities.
Axios reports that Rice was basically at war with some in the administration, including VP Kamala Harris:
There was — and still is — deep animosity toward Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra for what was seen as his reluctance to find more space in child migrant shelters, which are overseen by HHS, according to several sources familiar with the dynamics.
Rice referred to Becerra as a “bitch-ass” and privately called him an “idiot,” according to multiple sources.
During one meeting when Biden was tearing into Becerra, Rice passed Mayorkas a note that read: “Don’t save him,” according to two people familiar with the meeting.
“The Trump administration severely restricted [the Office of Refugee Resettlement] capacity to serve children referred to our care,” HHS spokesperson Jeff Nesbit told Axios in a statement.
“We worked quickly, but under any circumstances you can’t stand up licensed child-care beds overnight, much less in the middle of a pandemic.”
Rice also clashed repeatedly with Sherwood-Randall and had tension with Vice President Harris, according to people familiar with the dynamics.
The tension between Rice and Harris had origins in the summer of 2020, when both were being vetted for vice president. Rice later told people she thought Harris and her team were partly responsible for opposition research that resulted in negative coverage of Rice.
Rice appeared to others to take pride in being more informed on the border than Harris.
Some Harris aides found Rice to be disrespectful toward the vice president and dismissively referred to the former UN ambassador as just a “staffer.”
Rice declined interview requests. A spokesperson said she “categorically denies” the reporting about her relationship with Becerra and Harris.
Carmel Martin, a policy adviser to Rice and then Harris before leaving last year, disputed that there was tension: “As a former senior staff member for both Vice President Harris and Ambassador Rice, I know firsthand that they and their teams worked hand in hand to address the complex issues of migration.”
Since Rice left her position last year, the new head of the Domestic Policy Council — Neera Tanden — has been less engaged on the border.
Read the full article here.
republic-brief.com/all-out-brawl-breaks-out-between-kamala-harris-and-susan-rice-in-the-wh/
