Vice President Harris returns to the U.S. after his first overseas visit in office. I have returned. She stayed in Guatemala and Mexico. She was there talking about the root causes of the migrant crisis at the US-Mexico border, and Harris came up with some minor compromises. But as NPR's Tamara Keith reports, this first trip wasn't entirely smooth.
Tamara Keith, Byline: The trip was just 20 minutes into the air when spokeswoman Simone Sanders arrived at the press cabin on Air Force Two.
Simone Sanders: Sorry, I have to hurry.
Keith: There was a problem with the landing gear.
Sanders: It's a technical issue. There are no major security concerns, and we will be able to...
Keith: We got back to where we started without incident. And 90 minutes later, a different plane got on the wheels, a bumpy start to a journey that would have a few more bumps along the way. This was Harris' first diplomatic trial as vice president, aimed at a daunting challenge - addressing the natural disasters, violence and poverty that have driven so many people to flee.
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Unknown Person #1: Her Excellency, Mrs. Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States of America.
Keith: At the ornate National Palace in Guatemala, she stands with President Alejandro Giammattei after a difficult conversation about corruption. She said she wanted to help Guatemalans find hope at home, and then said something that made waves in America.
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VP Kamala Harris: I want to be clear to those in the region who are thinking about making that dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border. Do not come.
Keith: Harris was just restating the administration's policy, but Progressive Congressman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted that it was disappointing. Later that day, Harris took time out to meet with civil society leaders, women farmers and entrepreneurs.
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Harris: They have the ability to see what might have happened, free from what has happened.
Keith: It was a variation on a line Harris used at the Democratic convention last year. Joel Payne, who worked on Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, says Harris's international debut was met with unusually high scrutiny.
Joel Payne: We have to remember how audacious this is, right? She is the first woman to do so. She is the first African American, Asian American woman to do so. And I know it may sound a bit routine to say that, but it's not.
Keith: He says Harris has been an easy target for Biden's political opponents. And so since she took office, Republicans have been relentless, questioning why she isn't going to the border to see the problems there in the first place. And that question popped up over and over on this trip, including in an exclusive interview with NBC's Lester Holt.
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Lester Holt: Do you have any plans to go to the limit?
Harris: I - at some point, you know - we're going to the border. We have gone to the border. so...
Holt: You...
HARRIS: This whole thing about the border - we've gone to the border. We have gone to the border.
Holt: You haven't gone to the border.
Harris: Me -- and I didn't go to Europe.
Keith: This answer rocked the political world and threatened to affect his travels. And later, Harris, who visited the border as a senator, tried again to explain what he meant.
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Harris: Listen. I have gone to the border before. I will go again But when I'm in Guatemala (laughter) dealing with the root causes, I think we should have a conversation about what's happening in Guatemala.
Keith: She went to Mexico, met with President Andres Manuel López Obrador and agreed to work together to protect and help Central Americans. Incremental steps - but in a news conference Harris said progress has been made.
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Harris: Do I declare this trip a success? yes i do
Keith: There will be another collision before the journey ends.
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Unknown person #2: Thanks. Our next question will come from Maria Fernanda at Univision.
Keith: It turns out she wasn't actually a reporter or from Univision, which quickly became clear when she started asking her question.
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Maria Fernanda: Thank you, Madam Vice President. For me, it is an honor because I actually got to vote as a nationalized citizen for the first time and I voted for you.
Keith: Harris employees said the woman misrepresented herself, but went through security checks and was not a threat. Payne, who Was watching from, said that overall, Harris did a solid job.
Payne: I don't think he achieved everything, but I don't think most principals do everything aces. I think there are going to be some things that she might want to do for which she would do better in six months. And she'll do even better in a year.
Keith: And she'll have many chances to try again, as Harris herself said, the problems she's trying to tackle aren't going to be solved in one visit in two days.