Harris Laughs at Refugee Question in Warsaw: 'A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed' (March 10, 2022)

More than a million Ukrainians had poured into Poland, and a reporter asked Vice President Kamala Harris whether America would take some of them. Harris laughed. “Okay. (Laughs.) A friend in need is a friend indeed. (Laughter.)” she said in Warsaw on March 10, 2022, according to the official White House transcript [1].

The question had been direct. “And relatedly, is the United States willing to make a specific allocation for Ukrainian refugees? And for President Duda, I wanted to know if you think and if you asked the United States to specifically accept more refugees,” asked a reporter the White House aide introduced as Asma Khalid of NPR [1].

When Harris finally answered, she did not give a number. “In terms of what we are doing in the United States, we will then take this in terms of what we can do to support and look at those Ukrainians who want to come to the United States,” she said [1].

The video above shows Harris’s joint news conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda on March 10, 2022. Quotes are from the official White House transcripts and Fox Business [1][2][3].

”I Believe It’s March; I Don’t Have the Exact Date”

Harris explained a rule for Ukrainians already in America. “So for Ukrainians that are in the United States whose visa may expire or has expired: If they were in the United States before — I believe it’s March; I don’t have the exact date — they will be able to stay,” she said [1].

Duda had asked Harris for help with the cost. “The prices are growing — of fuel prices are growing; generally, the prices are growing. That is why we do need this support,” he said earlier, as interpreted [1].

Duda also described what his country was facing. “But we have got almost 1,500,000 people who have come to us over the last couple of days. So it’s been 10 days. We have received more than 1 million people within 10 days. Never before have we witnessed such a situation,” he said, as interpreted [1].

”You Go This Time, Please. (Laughs.)”

Harris laughed earlier, too, when a Polish reporter asked about Russian war crimes. “Okay, I’ll go,” Harris said. As Duda pointed to himself, she said: “You go this time, please. (Laughs.)” When the reporter said the question would start with the vice president, Harris answered, “(Laughs.) Okay.” [1]

Her answer included this: “Pregnant women going for healthcare being injured by — I don’t know — a missile, a bomb in an unprovoked, unjustified war, where a powerful country is trying to take over another country.” [1]

“Especially in Light of the Issue With Poland on Jets”

The Biden administration had just turned down Poland’s offer of fighter jets for Ukraine. A reporter asked about it. “Can you (inaudible) plans, especially in light of the issue with Poland on jets?” [1]

“Well, we’re making deliveries every day, in terms of what we can do in terms of assistance and, in particular, when you look at what we’ve been doing, as it relates to anti-tank and anti — defense systems,” Harris said [1].

40-Year-High Inflation

While Harris spoke in Warsaw, the news at home was grim. “Inflation hit a fresh 40-year high in February, largely driven by higher gas prices. The consumer price index climbed 7.9% on an annual basis, according to data released on Thursday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics,” Fox Business reported that day [2].

“For the 12 months ending in February, grocery prices leapt 8.6%, the biggest year-over-year increase since 1981,” Fox Business reported. “Gas prices are up a whopping 38%.” [2]

The same day, President Joe Biden blamed Vladimir Putin. “People already — already feeling Putin’s price hikes at the pump,” he told the Democratic National Committee. “I think they know that as painful as the price is today, the costs are going to be higher if we do not act now to deal with this tyrant.” [3]

He also blamed cars. “One third of all the inflation in America last year was a consequence of automobiles — not having access to computer chips to be able to build their automobiles,” Biden said [3].

And he blamed oil companies. “The CEOs of major oil companies have said they’ll increase investment and production. They have the capacity to do it. They have over 4,000 opportunities,” Biden said. “My message is: It’s time — in this time of war, it’s not a time of profit.” [3]

Fox Business noted that the February numbers came before the war’s spike at the pump: “The February data was taken before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which pushed prices at the pump to $4.31 as of Thursday – a record high.” [2]

By the Numbers

7.9%: annual inflation in February 2022, a 40-year high [2].
8.6%: the rise in grocery prices over the year [2].
38%: the rise in gas prices over the year [2].
1.5 million: refugees Duda said Poland had taken in [1].

What Happened Next

The inflation fight dragged on. For the White House’s answers a year later, when a poll showed only 31% approved of Biden on inflation, see HYGO News’ page on Feb. 27, 2023. For more from Harris, see the page on her Rainbow PUSH speech.