Pool Reports by Emily Goodin, Daily Mail
| Sent: | Reports: |
| January 14, 2022 10:39 EST |
FLOTUS travel pool #1 - departure for Kentucky Good morning from JBA where FLOTUS is wheels up shortly for Kentucky, where she will view damage from the December tornadoes. Her motorcade departed the White House at 10:02 am and arrived at JBA at 10:23 am after an uneventful ride. It was lights and sirens the whole drive. FLOTUS is wearing black pants, boots and jacket with a purple scarf and face mask. Flight time to Nashville is 1 hour 50 minutes. From there FLOTUS will motorcade to Creekwood. Here is her schedule for today: On Friday, January 14, First Lady Jill Biden and Deputy FEMA Administrator Erik Hooks will travel to Bowling Green, Kentucky where they will join Governor Andy Beshear and First Lady Britainy Beshear to survey recovery efforts following the devastation from recent tornadoes and volunteer at a local FEMA State Disaster Recovery Center. The First Lady will highlight the partnership between federal and local agencies that ensures Kentuckians are receiving the aid and relief they need. At 11:15 AM CT, the First Lady and Deputy Administrator Hooks will arrive at Nashville International Airport in Nashville, Tennessee. This arrival will be open press and registration has closed. At 1:00 PM CT, the First Lady, Deputy Administrator Hooks, and Governor and First Lady Beshear will survey storm damage in the Creekwood neighborhood of Bowling Green, Kentucky. This event will be open press with limited capacity, and registration has closed. At 1:30 PM CT, the First Lady, Deputy Administrator Hooks, and Governor and First Lady Beshear will visit a FEMA State Disaster Recovery Center in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The First Lady will volunteer and deliver remarks. This event will be open press with limited capacity, and registration has closed. |
| January 14, 2022 12:21 CST |
FLOTUS travel pool #2 - Nashville arrival/driving to Kentucky Executive One Foxtrot was wheels down at Nashville International Airport at 11:06 am CT. FLOTUS disembarked from the plane at 11:24 am. There was a large gap between the bottom stair and the ground so senior adviser Anthony Bernal was waiting at the bottom to give FLOTUS a hand stepping down. Tarmac Greeters: FLOTUS shook hands with the greeters before boarding her car. FLOTUS is headed to the Creekwood neighborhood outside Bowling Green, Kentucky, to view tornado damage. Drive time is 1 hour and 20 minutes. We are rolling. A note we are now in Central Time and pool reports going forward will be in that time zone. Here is background on the trip, courtesy of the East Wing: BACKGROUND The First Lady will be joined in the Creekwood neighborhood by Erik Hooks, FEMA Deputy Administrator; Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky (D); Britainy Beshear, First Lady of Kentucky (D); Rep. Brett Guthrie (R, KY-02); Mike Buchanon, Warren County Judge-Executive (R); Mayor Todd Alcott (R, Bowling Green); Jeff Meisel, City Manager (Bowling Green); State Rep. Patti Minter (D, KY-20); Gracia Szczech, FEMA Region 4 Regional Administrator; and John Brogan, FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer. After surveying storm damage, the First Lady will visit a Disaster Recovery Center in Bowling Green, which is operated by FEMA and the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management. Federal, state, county, and local partners work on-site to provide direct relief to Kentuckians and connect them to federal and other assistance programs. The First Lady will receive an overview of the Disaster Recovery Center before getting to work and volunteering. After that, she will visit the Donated Goods Center where people impacted by the storms can select from donated items. The First Lady will then receive a briefing on the services and assistance programs provided by FEMA and other partners, and receive an update on recovery efforts. After the briefings, the First Lady, FEMA Deputy Administrator Erik Hooks, Rep. Brett Guthrie (R, KY-02) and Governor Andy Beshear (D, KY) will deliver remarks to press. FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers are accessible facilities set up after a disaster to coordinate with community and recovery partners, and assist those affected by storms. At the Disaster Recovery Center in Bowling Green, FEMA is working closely with federal, state, county, and local partners, including the SBA and the American Red Cross. This Disaster Recovery Center opened on December 19, just over a week after the storms occurred. Several recovery functions are hosted at the Disaster Recovery Center, including: At the Disaster Recovery Center, the First Lady will be accompanied by the same group from the Creekwood neighborhood: Erik Hooks, FEMA Deputy Administrator; Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky (D); Britainy Beshear, First Lady of Kentucky (D); Rep. Brett Guthrie (R, KY-02); Mike Buchanon, Warren County Judge-Executive (R); Mayor Todd Alcott (R, Bowling Green); Jeff Meisel, City Manager (Bowling Green); State Rep. Patti Minter (D, KY-20); Gracia Szczech, FEMA Region 4 Regional Administrator; and John Brogan, FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer. Traveling with FLOTUS |
| January 14, 2022 13:34 CST |
FLOTUS travel pool #3 - Creekwood neighborhood visit FLOTUS motorcade arrived in the Creekwood neighborhood of Bowling Green, Kentucky, at 12:39 pm CT after an uneventful ride. Dr. Biden was here for about about 45 minutes. She spoke to about 20 people, all of whom are residents of the neighborhood. All the houses in the neighborhood had some level of damage. As we approached the stop, the motorcade passed several houses that were partially or fully destroyed. Trash and debris was in yards and on side of road. There is a lot of broken glass on ground. As we approached there were a few people roadside to wave at motorcade. Local judge Mike Buchanon, who lives a few miles a from here and was in the path of the tornado, greeted Dr. Biden when she exited her car. FLOTUS then shook hands with this list provided by East Wing: Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky (D); Britainy Beshear, First Lady of Kentucky (D); Rep. Brett Guthrie (R, KY-02); Mike Buchanon, Warren County Judge-Executive (R); Mayor Todd Alcott (R, Bowling Green); Jeff Meisel, City Manager (Bowling Green); State Rep. Patti Minter (D, KY-20); Gracia Szczech, FEMA Region 4 Regional Administrator; and John Brogan, FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer. FLOTUS and the group spoke to the two women - the Ford family - whose home had boarded up windows and patches on the roof. The house next door is half destroyed with only one wall standing and 80 percent of the roof caved in. Pool was not close enough to hear the conversation. FLOTUS hugged the two women at the end of their talk. Dr. Biden then went to talk to another group of residents who walked over to see her but pool is being held too far to hear words. FLOTUS then walked over to talked to a mom and two little girls who were waiting across the street. She knelt down to talk to them. Names are mom Mirjeta Mustafa and daughters Ambla and Ajla. The mom thanked FLOTUS for coming and said the eldest daughter Ambla, who is 4, got "a little bit injured" in the tornado. She said the tornado was a "nightmare." "We are getting help," the mom said, adding "we are so grateful." Another man brought his son to meet FLOTUS. He told her they live a few houses down. She posed for pics with them. Names: Mohammed Alkadhim and son Awadh More people gathered, walking up to speak to FLOTUS - about a half a dozen. Again conversations are hard to hear but FLOTUS put her hand on one woman's shoulder and is posing for photos. One man is helping rebuild the houses - a construction team is working on a house further down the block and pool can hear the hammering and sawing. FLOTUS asked about the rebuilding process. At 1:23 pm we are back in vans and heading to visit a recovery center. Thanks to co-pooler Kate Bennett for help and to the East Wing staff for getting names of residents. |
| January 14, 2022 15:16 CST |
FLOTUS travel pool #4 - FEMA recovery center/FLOTUS quote and remarks FLOTUS arrived at recovery center at 1:33 pm CT. She spent about 90 minutes at the center and visited several stations where different help was offered. She took one question and made formal remarks - details below. At the first stop, there were massive boxes filled with clothes. "We are BG Strong" reads two signs on the wall. Bowling Green Strong is the name of the donation center. One of the staff told FLOTUS the clothes have been sorted by types and need to be put on hangers. FLOTUS started putting shirts on hangers - they are little kids shirts. She is working on a box of clothes with Republican Rep. Brett Guthrie. Gov. Andy Beshear is working on the box next to her. FLOTUS held up a red and black one with a spider and its web on it. "Somebody is going to love that," she said and put it on a hanger. She also came across a green T-shirt that said Philadelphia Eagles. "That's my fit," she joked holding it up to her. It was a tad bit small. "It's your team," Guthrie said. FLOTUS put it on a hanger and added it to the grocery cart that she is hanging clothes on. Pool asked her message to the people of Kentucky: "FEMA has been incredible. So I think really this is who we are as Americans. And, you know, we come together and we help one another. And that's exactly what I saw when Joe and I last week, you know, over in Colorado. So all these natural disasters that are occurring are so tragic and there's also you know, the residual I think mental health is going to be needed as time goes on here, especially for these little children who have experienced such trauma. But we come together." The next stop was a shop area of food, toys and clothes for people to get supplies. It is a large open space. The items are donated and free for those in need to take. There is one side filled with racks of clothes. Shelves of toys, books and towels are across the aisle. There is also a large section of nonperishable food items. FLOTUS is getting a tour of the floor area and stopped to talk to a few shoppers and volunteers staffing the center. She met a six year old boy Maddox. "Hi I'm Jill," FLOTUS said. Maddox is a volunteer at the center. "I'm a big fan," one of the volunteers told FLOTUS. Next stop was a FEMA area with laptops set up and FEMA staff to meet with survivors and to help them apply for funds. There is a mental health services area and a place to get COVID tested. There is also a Small Business aide area. Oscar Salvatier, the task force lead for FEMA on the ground here, greeted FLOTUS. Oscar described the process people go through to apply for aide and said people are asked to wear face masks. If they don't have one, one is provided. Everyone is wearing masks that pooler can see. The final stop is a Red Cross area where FLOTUS made remarks. Quotes from FLOTUS: "A month ago, the President visited Dawson Springs to make Kentucky a promise that we would help you rebuild. He told you that we wouldn't walk away and that we're in this for the long haul and, since then, you have never left our thoughts. As we held our holiday dinner, as we said our Christmas prayers, the families of Kentucky were on our minds. And today, at the start of MLK Day weekend, a time where we come together to serve in our own ways, helping build Dr. King's Beloved Community, I want you to know that we are going to keep that promise." "When Bowling Green woke up on January 1, you weren't met with the bright dawn of a new day but the dark skies of yet another storm and when the winds died down this town, still reeling from the deadly tornadoes just a few weeks earlier. I know it probably felt more like an end than the beginning. Yet something new has begun. Not the quick turn of a calendar page. But the slow movements of the seeds deep in the earth climbing toward the light that will come with spring. It's a beginning that looks like the people that the lines of people donating blood for those most in need. It tastes like the hot meals from the food trucks that we saw that traveled miles and miles to feed the hungry. It feels like the warmth of a borrow generator for families with no power. And it sounds like the soft prayers of comfort and healing from friends and strangers alike. The book of Hebrews tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for - the evidence of things not seen. There is grief all around us for the destruction of the homes and the hometowns for every light lost. It will take time to make this beautiful place home again. But what we've seen - what we've all seen today - is there is faith here too. And there's so much strength and there is so much hope." "We all have been changed by this tragedy, but not diminished - instead we grow becoming strong enough to hold both our greed and our joy. And we bear the unbearable together with mercy and kindness, turning our faces to the glow of dawn and looking for the sunlight of hope that we know we'll come." Also local a TV station has posted footage of FLOTUS' visit: https://youtu.be/5hhwwsR1c0M Motorcade left at 2:56 pm CT to make the drive back to the Nashville airport. |
| January 14, 2022 16:19 CST |
FLOTUS travel pool #5 - departing Nashville FLOTUS motorcade arrived at Nashville International Airport at 4:01 pm CT after an uneventful drive. She boarded the plane and waved at the top of the stairs. We are wheels up shortly for the New Castle, Delaware, airport, which is FLOTUS' destination. POTUS is scheduled to head to Wilmington this evening. Flight time is approximately two hours. |
| January 14, 2022 19:09 EST |
FLOTUS pool report #6 - Delaware arrival Executive One Foxtrot was wheels down at New Castle airport at 6:53 pm ET. During the flight FLOTUS gave a box of cupcakes to a Secret Service agent who was on his last flight as part of her detail. Dr. Biden also helped pass out cupcakes to the rest of the plane. The vanilla cupcakes with buttercream icing had the United States Secret Service logo on them. Upon landing, FLOTUS left in her motorcade at 7:05 pm and pool stayed on the plane. Pool is dead heading back to JBA sans FLOTUS. Since we have dropped her off this is all from your FLOTUS pool. Thanks again to co pooler Kate Bennett of CNN. Please reach out with any questions. Have a nice weekend. |
Jill Biden, First Lady Pool Reports of January 14, 2022 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/354114