Kamala Harris cancels foreign trip due to California wildfires

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

January 9, 2025 11:13 PM EST Updated 9 hours ago


WASHINGTON, Jan 9 (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris canceled her upcoming trip to Singapore, Bahrain and Germany due to the ongoing wildfires in California, the White House said on Thursday after President Joe Biden made a similar decision a day earlier.

Biden canceled an upcoming trip to Italy where he was due to meet Pope Francis, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

"In response to the historic wildfires in Los Angeles, the Vice President has made the decision to cancel her and the Second Gentleman's upcoming trip to Singapore, Bahrain, and Germany," the White House said on Thursday.

The canceled trip of Harris, who is from California, would likely would have been her last as vice president before leaving office on Jan. 20.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/kamala-harris-cancels-foreign-trip-due-california-wildfires-2025-01-10/

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REFERENCE - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143368763

[BeyondGeography]

1. Karen Bass: Why didn't I think of that?

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

2. I'm not sure I understand her reasoning.

What can she do from DC or Los Angeles that she can't do over the phone from Bahrain or Singapore?

A presidential (or vice-presidential) visit to the affected area won't help and may hinder efforts.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. Since we own no media, we would have no way to counter the faux poutrage that the RW loons would unleash

if either of them left the country for any scheduled trips.

[FSogol]

5. Exactly, optics.

[BumRushDaShow]

6. If things were reversed

45 would not only be allowed to be, but lauded for being out on the golf course because "everything is being taken care of and anything being announced as otherwise was "fake news!!!11!!1!!".

[Browndog8088]

4. Browndog8088

I saw her name on a list among those whose Brentwood property was at risk in the Palisades conflagration.

[Tanuki]

7. Welcome to DU! 🐕

[Hekate]

9. Just a word on optics at the local level. When I worked for the County Public Works Director...

…a story was passed along to me about a guy who headed the Roads division and what happened when he first started. Now, this is a job that requires an engineering degree, not an intimate knowledge of heavy equipment operations, altho that skill would not be amiss either.

Bill and his wife had booked a trip to Europe before he accepted the promotion, thinking all would be well. It was not — before he was scheduled to leave, the skies let loose with rains of Biblical proportions and to say the County roads were affected would be an understatement.

In a fatal moment of indecision, Bill decided to proceed to Europe for his already-paid-for trip. My boss and his probably chewed on him when he came back — but the men in Bill’s division never forgave him.

What I’m saying is — sometimes it really pays to show up and stick around for a crisis if you anticipate having a personal future where the crisis is.

Kamala Harris is doing the right thing — both for the people of her home state and for her own future. She has a long history in the politics of California, prior to ever becoming either Senator or VP, and it’s time to remind people of that fact. Far from hindering other people, she’ll be able to pull together the strands of her areas of earned expertise and her contacts in Sacramento, Los Angeles, and Washington, to effectively assist the victims of this utter catastrophe.

And if doing this also makes people consider her as a potential Governor when Gov Newsom terms out — well, what would be wrong with that?

[C0RI0LANUS]

11. Hi Hekate: Your story is rich with many lessons. And recall what happened to Sen. Ted Cruz a few years ago.

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) attempted to defend taking a family trip to Mexico amid a winter storm that left millions in his state without power and water. (Photo: 18 Feb 2021, Cancun Airport, Reuters).



Link:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56117800

[Hekate]

12. Thank you -- my point exactly

Who can forget Cancun Cruz?

[C0RI0LANUS]

13. No one. And didn't Republican Josh Hawley flee from a crisis on 6 Jan 2021? The GOP makes for great leaders.

[cadoman]

10. Harris may be useful on the ground due to her personal connections w/the area

One of her homes is there and she has deep political connections in the area. This may be one of the rare instances where it's worth the inconvenience of providing security for her in order to gain her expertise.

[HereForTheParty]

8. Doesn't she know she should be blame tweeting?