BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Many locals viewed the First Lady’s visit to Delano Wednesday as historic, with community leaders praising the White House for visiting the small town on Cesar Chavez Day.
Keeping track of the First Lady after she left Delano Wednesday was a tall task. but it wasn’t long before people noticed some of her motorcade vehicles parked outside a Bakersfield landmark.
“To have her actually come to Bakersfield and stay here at the Padre Hotel, it’s neat,” said Lupe Surrata, a Bakersfield resident.
After visiting Delano for Cesar Chavez Day, the First Lady Dr. Jill Biden didn’t leave Kern County. Her and her motorcade went to the Padre Hotel in downtown Bakersfield, where she spent the night.
Dr. Biden, a community college teacher, spending her morning at the Padre doing classwork, something she referred to during her speech in Delano Wednesday.
“I was actually grading papers on the plane here because I’ll be in the classroom virtually tomorrow,” said Dr. Biden.
A small handful of people showed up to spectate the First Lady’s departure from the Padre. Lupe Serrata saying he’s a fan of Dr. Biden's politics, but he felt he needed to teach the teacher something.
“So, say it with me, si se paw-away,” said Dr. Biden.
After this pronunciation at the end of her speech.
“I want to show her how to actually pronounce Si Se Puede,” said Serrata.
Si Se Puede translates to yes you can, and is the motto of the United Farm Workers.
“So, I wrote it out, because it’s a very powerful slogan and so I want her to know how to pronounce it the right way haha,” said Serrata.
The First Lady left the Padre around 1 p.m., waving to the small crowd of onlookers and media. Some nearby downtown Bakersfield roads were briefly closed as her motorcade made its way through.
Dr. Biden made no other stops in Kern County, aside from her arrival at Meadows Field Airport around 1:30 p.m.
Her plane, dubbed “Executive One Foxtrot”, departed Meadows Field just before 2 p.m.
Before the First Lady’s plane took off, the White House said she took photos with volunteers and local police.
The White House says she’s flying straight to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, which is where the president and his family usually fly to return to the White House.
