Texas unimpressed by Biden’s fundraising visit during border chaos

NEWS AND OPINION:

President Biden was on a fundraising mission to Texas this week, seeking to expand his campaign purse as Election Day grows nearer. Mr. Biden raised $2.5 million at one event in Dallas alone, according to The Dallas Morning News.

Some observers are not impressed. The Texas border with Mexico is, after all, a prime entry site for aliens to enter the U.S. illegally. Mr. Biden was in Texas on Wednesday and Thursday, even as officers from U.S. Customs and Border Protection continued their efforts to stem the tide of immigrants.

“Texas is on the front lines of the Biden border crisis. But instead of working to stop the flow of deadly fentanyl and migrant crime, Joe Biden is rubbing elbows with elite donors. Texans deserve better than Biden’s absent leadership, and they will hold him accountable by voting for President Donald J. Trump this November,” said Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley in a written statement.

“Illegal aliens shouldn’t be in the country at all, but that’s no concern for President Biden — it’s all part of his ‘catch, release, and resettle’ plan,” said Jake Schneider, the RNC’s director of rapid response.

“Border security is the top issue for Americans, but nobody tell President Biden, who has tripped over himself to appease his open borders base. Americans know President Trump will deliver,” Mr. Schneider said.

So what was going on in the state when Mr. Biden was busy raising money? Plenty.

On Wednesday, for example, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations officers at the McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge intercepted 101 pounds of alleged methamphetamine worth $1.4 million.

On Thursday, a group of over 100 migrants attempted to enter the U.S. illegally and rushed a border wall, breaking through razor wire and knocking over officers, according to the New York Post — which has video from the scene.

“The Post witnessed around 600 migrants massed at the international border, whom Texas National Guard troops were attempting to push back in small groups. The situation grew tense as groups were separated out, and video shows the migrants crying out for help and rushing to the border gate. A group of men with hoodies, gloves and winter jackets pull the fencing away as a group of five guards stand in a defensive formation to fill the gap,” the news organization said in its account.

THE LATEST GAUGE

Nearly half of voters say they’ve been personally hurt by President Biden’s policies, according to a Rasmussen Reports survey that indeed had 49% of U.S. voters saying that.

“Just 28% say Biden’s policies have helped them, while 21% say Biden’s policies have not made much difference for them personally,” an analysis said.

The survey of 1,149 likely U.S. voters was conducted by telephone and online response on March 13-14 and 17.

OUTKICK SCORES

OutKick — an online multimedia sports platform owned by Fox Corp. — drew 24 million views in February. Some 20.2 million visitors came to the site last month, and they spent 22 million minutes perusing the lively fare, according to the industry source Comscore.

OutKick, by the way, is “the antidote to the mainstream sports media that often serves an elite, left-leaning minority instead of the American sports fan,” according to its mission statement.

“OutKick continues its great start to 2024 with growth across the platform and remains the destination for all the news where sports and culture intersect,” Gary Schreier, senior vice president and managing editor, said in a written statement.

BY SEA AND SPACE

Let us offer another round of applause for the U.S. Coast Guard, which swore in NASA astronaut Andre Douglas as a commander in the Coast Guard Reserve at a commissioning ceremony in the nation’s capital this week.

The new astronaut is a 2008 U.S. Coast Guard Academy graduate, served as an active-duty Coast Guard officer from 2008 to 2015, holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and in naval architecture and marine engineering from the University of Michigan, has a master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from Johns Hopkins University, and received a doctorate in systems engineering from George Washington University.

Prior to selection as an astronaut candidate, he served as a senior professional staff member at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab working on maritime robotics, planetary defense and space exploration missions. He completed NASA astronaut candidate training on March 5, the third Coast Guard member to do so.

WEEKEND REAL ESTATE

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POLL DU JOUR

• 41% of U.S. adults consider China the United States’ greatest enemy today; 67% of Republicans, 40% of independents and 18% of Democrats agree.

• 25% consider Russia the nation’s greatest enemy; 10% of Republicans, 21% of independents and 48% of Democrats agree.

• 9% cite Iran; 11% of Republicans, 8% of independents and 9% of Democrats agree.

• 5% cite the U.S. itself; 1% of Republicans, 11% of independents and 2% of Democrats agree.

• 4% cite North Korea; 3% of Republicans, 4% of independents and 4% of Democrats agree.

• 2% cite Israel; 1% of Republicans, 1% of independents and 3% of Democrats agree.

• 2% cite Ukraine: 0% of Republicans, 1% of independents and 3% of Democrats agree.

• 1% cite the Middle East in general; 1% of Republicans, 0% of independents and 0% of Democrats agree..

• 1% cite Iraq; 1% of Republicans, 0% of independents and 0% of Democrats agree.

SOURCE: A Gallup Poll of 1,016 U.S. adults conducted by telephone Feb. 1-20 and released Monday.

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