President Joe Biden on Tuesday refused to conduct a first-time inspection of the southern border invasion, claiming there were “more important things going on.” Yet the president has found the opportunity to vacation 271 times in the past two years.
Biden, ending his second year as president, has yet to inspect the invasion on the southern border. In fact, Biden has never reportedly toured the border in his life.
The president has made time, however, to go on vacation for all or part of 271 days to destinations including Camp David, Delaware, and Nantucket, according to the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) research team’s so-called Big Guy Tracker.
Delaware seems to be where Biden spends most of his time off. The RNC estimates he has visited his home in Delaware for all or part of 188 days (58 trips). Those trips have cost American taxpayers more than $11 million, Fox News reported.
When Fox News’s Peter Doocy asked Biden on Tuesday when he might finally find time to inspect the southern border, Biden responded that it was not his highest priority.
“There are more important things going on,” he said.
Allies of Biden have defended Biden’s priorities. “It is 2022, not 1922. If the rest of the country can work from home, so can the president of the United States,” Michael LaRosa, former press secretary to first lady Jill Biden, told CNN in October.
Others have noted that perception is reality. “Perception is important in American politics,” historian Tim Naftali told CNN.
“A special challenge that Biden faces, because of his age, is that people will assume the worst if he’s not always visible. That is something that comes with being the oldest president in office,” he added.
Establishment media reports suggest Biden’s priorities are normal. Biden reportedly likes to golf, ride his bike, and sunbathe outside their house on the beach.
Media reports have also captured Hunter Biden, a member of the Biden family business, often vacationing with the president. On Thanksgiving, Hunter and Joe Biden were spotted shopping together in Nantucket.
Joe and Hunter Biden have been traveling together for years, often to foreign countries in Asia, Europe, and North America.
Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.