OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
The feud between President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris is the talk of Washington DC, and now they are not even attempting to hide it.
The pair appeared together, for the first time in more than a week, at a DC soup kitchen for a photo op as they helped to prepare meals for those less fortunate. But during the visit the president appeared to snub Harris, The New York Post reported.
Biden made no attempt to demonstrate any fondness for his VP in front of the cameras after Harris allies slammed Biden to CNN last week for giving her tough jobs, such as handling the border crisis, and accused the West Wing of giving her less support than white members of the administration.
When asked by a reporter what he was grateful for, Biden put an arm around DC Central Kitchen chef Dawain Arrington — who was standing to the president’s left with Harris at Biden’s right — and said, “The people I’m standing next to are what I’m thankful for. He got up. He was knocked down, but he got up.”
Moments earlier, first lady Jill Biden directed Harris to a spot next to her husband, but the president didn’t appear to greet his second-in-command.
“Come on, Kamala!” Jill Biden said, pointing the vice president to a tray of green beans that the VP was put in charge of scooping.
“I’m here!” Harris responded gleefully as she approached.
But this is going to be the most expensive Thanksgiving in history and the White House has had a tough time giving a decent answer for it.
Fox News White House Correspondent Peter Doocy asked White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki about the president’s trip to Nantucket for the holiday as many citizens struggle.
“What message does it send to the middle-class Americans President Biden says that he’s trying to help, who are struggling this week to cover the cost of the most expensive Thanksgiving ever, that the President is going to take a few days off at a billionaire’s compound in Nantucket?” he said.
“Well, first, I would say — I don’t know if you’ve cooked a turkey before, but a 20-pound turkey is a pretty big turkey. I think we can all agree. They’re about one dollar more. So, not to minimize that — any increase in prices is something the President is concerned about, as is evidenced by his announcement today and as his efforts to push forward on additional relief for the American people,” the press secretary responded.
“But I just want to be clear that there are abundance of turkeys available. They’re about one dollar more for a 20-pound bird, which is a huge bird if you’re feeding a very big family. And that’s something that, again, we’ve been working to make sure people have more money in their pockets to address it as the economy is turning back on,” she said.
But Doocy did not take that answer, and pressed Psaki.
“But the President said today that he was “sent here” to look out for these working- and middle-class families who are strained right now. So, what should they read into him leaving now at this time of great personal and financial hardship for so many to go to Nantucket for the week?” he said.
“Well, first, I would say, Peter, that I hope you’re spending time with your family. I’m spending time with my family, and I hope everybody in here is spending time with their families,” she said mockingly.
“This is a time to put politics aside, spend time with your loved ones, and talk about what you’re grateful for.
“I will also tell you, from spending some time working for this President and a past President, that: You are President no matter where you are. He will conduct his work from wherever he is, on any vacation, on any time he is in Delaware, at Camp David, or wherever he may be spending time with his loved ones,” the press secretary said.
“He has secure phone capabilities. He has staff traveling with him. And I think the American people can be assured that he will continue to press to lower their costs and ensure they have more breathing room,” she said.
