Pool Reports by Emily Goodin, Daily Mail
| Sent: | Reports: |
| February 22, 2023 17:52 CAT |
FLOTUS travel pool #1 - Namibia arrival and events Executive One Foxtrot landed at Hosea Kutako Intl. (YWH) Windhoek, Namibia, at 2:31 pm local time (+7 eastern time). Flight here was bumpy at times but otherwise uneventful. A crowd of a few dozen people were waiting at the airport to greet FLOTUS including a troop of about 20 dancers - shirtless men in grass skirts, women in pink tanks and skirts, and another group of women in red, white and blue tanks and skirts. Three men played wooden drums. They are traditional dancers representing the different ethnic groups in the country. FLOTUS disembarked at 2:52 pm with Naomi Biden walking behind her. She was greeted by singing, dancing and drum playing. Dr. Biden wore a purple skirt suit and white shirt. Naomi Biden wore a black dress. Dr. Biden was greeted by the First Lady of the Republic of Namibia Monica Geingos and other officials. She was given flowers and shook hands. FLOTUS is the first U.S. official to visit Namibia since then Vice President Al Gore. Geingos led Dr. Biden to watch the dancers. FLOTUS reached behind her to grab Naomi's hand and pull her to her side. They stood and watched the performances with each of the three groups taking time to do an individual dance. When it was done, Dr. Biden waved to the dancers in thanks and boarded her car. It is hot and sunny. The airport is pretty empty with only a couple other planes on the tarmac. The ground around it is flat and dry with a few palm trees. There are mountains in the distance. At 3 pm the motorcade is rolling to Heroes' Acre, an official war memorial of the Republic of Namibia. Drive time is 45 minutes. The roads were emptied out for the motorcade. Drive was uneventful and mostly through rural areas. There were pockets of other cars and people at a few points along the way - all pulled over to watch the motorcade go by. Also seen were a few places to book a car for safaris and one business had a sign offering to "taxidermy your souvenirs." Road signs warned to watch out for crossing warthogs. Another sign pointed the way to the town of Rehoboth (a turn the motorcade did not take). Rehoboth is a town about 90 km north of Windhoek. Motorcade went through part of Windhoek, where, again, roads are shut down for motorcade traffic only. Lots of people standing along the sides watching the cars go by. Motorcade arrived at the Heroes' Acre at 3:51 pm local time. Cars drove under a marble arch reading "Heroes' Acre." The memorial is an obelisk with a statue of a man holding up one arm with a gun rifle in his other hand. Marble stairs lead up to it. At the bottom of the stairs was an eternal flame with a sign showing the Namibian seal. The American and Namibian flags flew. Dr. Biden stepped out of the car at 3:55 pm and was greeted by Monica Geingos and other officials, including a woman in a bright pink top and turban. That woman spoke about the memorial to FLOTUS but pool was not close enough to make out the conversation. Dr. Biden asked questions but exact words could not be made out. She did turn to Naomi and say "Naomi do you have any questions?" Naomi did not. Three female soldiers in black pants, red jackets and gold braid were present. One led the other two, who carried a wreath of white flowers. Dr. Biden walked behind the soldiers - it was just her walking a red carpet that led to the eternal flame. The two soldiers laid the wreath. Dr. Biden stood before it with her hands clasped and head bowed. The three soldiers saluted. At 4:07 pm the motorcade is rolling to the state house. Drive time is about 15 minutes. Motorcade arrived at 4:19 pm at the state house. A group of about six dancers - in native costumes similar to those worn by those at the airport - danced and sang in greeting. FLOTUS and Naomi stopped to watch. The group is called Multi and these are the ethnic groups they represent. Each was wearing traditional clothing of their ethnic group: President Hage Geingob was waiting a top a series of escalators to greet FLOTUS, who was being accompanied by Naomi and Monica Geingos. Please check video and official transcripts as it was hard to hear. "Hello Mr President," Dr. Biden said. "We are very honored to have you. It's always a pleasure," President Geingob said. FLOTUS: "Thank you." Geingob: "How is the president?" FLOTUS: "He's great. I will tell him you were asking for him." Asked his message for the U.S., Geingob said: "Thank you for PEPFAR. It helped us a lot. And also for the grant. Namibia is regarded as higher middle income county and we do not qualify for grants but the United States waved that. We got a grant of about $200 million U.S. dollars - in the schools, school books, and classrooms and libraries and other areas. So I said thank you." He also noted: "I brought George Bush here. For a dinner. He was quite jovial." FLOTUS: "Yes he was a jovial president." Former President Bush and Laura Bush visited Namibia in April 2017. Bush started PEPFAR and Biden administration is trying to reauthorize it. Asked what else he'd like to see from the U.S., Geingob: "Good cooperation is there." He said they could use scholarships and mentioned the country's housing problem and poverty. "Otherwise we are happy so far." Asked why she wanted to come to Namibia, Dr. Biden: "We wanted to come because this is a young democracy and we want to support democracies around the world." She said of Monica Geingos: "We met each other in December and we just continued the relations. Monica and I - I think it's safe to say we became good friends instantly. It was one of those things where you meet somebody and you connect and we work on the same issues. And that's why it was important I continue my work and come and show support for Namibia." Monica Geingos, asked what she wanted to show FLOTUS: "There's a lot in Namibia. I know it's her first visit to Namibia. I know it's the first time an incumbent First Lady has come to the country. And I think what she talked about was very true. It is a very vibrant democracy. We have a very large youth population who drives that democracy- very energetic and it's very enabled by our constitutional values of our leadership." Geingos said of her husband: "He's really the ultimate Democrat." President Geingob laughed. He then left. Dr. Biden and Geingos posed for a photo with Naomi Biden and the two Geingos daughters. The daughters stood by Dr. Biden who pulled them closer to her: "You girls need to stand close." Naomi stood by Monica Geingos. Pool is holding in the state house while FLOTUS meets with the president and First Lady. FLOTUD is also going to have a separate meeting with the deputy prime minister that is closed press. Please note this was pool's first access to Wi-Fi. Huge thanks to co-poolers Jada Yuan, Darlene Superville, Anita Powell and the Fox News TV pool for their help with details and audio. |
| February 22, 2023 17:53 CAT |
FLOTUS travel pool #2 - background from East Wing on Namibia Day One Reportable from the Office of the First Lady WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2023 Arrival in Windhoek, Namibia The First Lady will be greeted by: Visit to Heroes' Acre The First Lady will be greeted by: About Heroes' Acres Namibia's Heroes' Acre was built to foster a spirit of patriotism and nationalism, and to pass on the legacy of independence to the future generations of Namibia. The Heroes' Acre monument site centers on the tombs for 174 Namibian national heroes, whose names and pictures are engraved in black marble; some tombs are still vacant providing space for future heroes. Arrival Ceremony with the President of Namibia Hage Geingob and First Lady Monica Geingos The First Lady will participate in an arrival ceremony and meet with the President of Namibia Hage Geingob and First Lady Monica Geingos at the State House. This arrival ceremony will be open press and the meeting will be closed press. Meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah |
| February 22, 2023 18:55 CAT |
FLOTUS travel pool #3 - departing State House At 5:50 pm Dr. Biden came to the state house exit. The same group of dancers and singers at the arrival performed for FLOTUS upon her departure. She paused to watch the performance. An all female military honor guard of eight soldiers lined the red carpet for FLOTUS departure. She and Monica Geingos hugged a goodbye. FLOTUS did not acknowledge a question on a report President Biden may not seek a second term. At 5:56 pm the motorcade departed the state house. At 6:05 pm the motorcade arrived at the RON. That's all for today. More tomorrow. |
Jill Biden, First Lady Pool Reports of February 22, 2023 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/359809