First Lady Pool Reports of October 11, 2024

FLOTUS pool #1 - FLOTUS departure and POTUS sighting

POTUS came out to see FLOTUS off on her five-day, five-state campaign swing for VP Harris.

FLOTUS' car was at the diplomatic room door exit and then pulled forward toward the Oval and stopped.

Pool did not witness FLOTUS get in her car but saw POTUS standing outside the Oval watching the motorcade drive away. He waved as the motorcade departed.

The motorcade left the White House at 3:25 pm for JBA.

We are rolling ...

FLOTUS pool report #2 - JBA departure

FLOTUS motorcade arrived at JBA at 3:54 pm.

Ride was uneventful.

FLOTUS is wearing a navy-blue dress and blue jacket. She spoke to Air Force staff who greeted her and then boarded.

FLOTUS is headed to Yuma, Arizona, the first stop on her five-day, five-state campaign swing for VP Harris.

We are on a small blue and white C40/737.

Executive Foxtrot One is wheels up shortly.

FLOTUS pool report #3 - Yuma arrival

Executive One Foxtrot was wheels down at Yuma International Airport at 5:37 pm PT.

FLOTUS deplaned at 5:47 pm. She had changed into a light blue dress with a floral pattern and navy blue blazer.

Motorcade is rolling at 5:49 pm to the campaign event. Pool does not believe it will be live streamed.

Background from the Harris-Walz campaign:

The First Lady is participating in a political event in support of the Harris-Walz campaign in Yuma, Arizona.

Remarks program:

1. Yolanda Bejarano, Chair, Arizona Democratic Party
2. Arturo Rodriguez, Former President, United Farm Workers
3. First Lady Jill Biden

FLOTUS pool report #4 - Yuma campaign event

Motorcade arrived at the Yuma Arts Center at 6:01 pm.

Much of FLOTUS's remarks were focused on telling the crowd about Kamala Harris and what she will do as president. She attacked Donald Trump several times by name. She addressed "lies" being told about Harris. She discussed the Harris she knows. She got personal a few times, noting she and Harris have talked about losing their mothers to cancer.

The event took place in a large room with local art on the walls. About 350 people were present. Lots of Harris-Walz signs, hats and stickers. One elderly gentleman wore a Biden-Harris baseball cap.

Arturo Rodriguez, Former President, United Farm Workers, introduced FLOTUS. He is the father of Harris campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez.

FLOTUS spoke before a large sign that reads "Arizona Votes Early." The crowd shouted "thank you Joe" as the event started.

Given this is the first tine FLOTUS on the campaign trial since POTUS dropped out and her first speech for Harris, pooler is including many quotes.

FLOTUS noted this is her fourth time in Arizona this year.

FLOTUS said the election will be decided by "a handful of votes in battleground states like this one. Every conversation we have with friends and family matters. We must elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz."

She talked about her 40 years of teaching and noted on the flight here she was grading midterms.

She then transitioned into a personal story about how she told her class she was going to have to miss some time because her sister Jan was having her first cancer treatment - a stem cell transplant - and would be in the hospital over six weeks.

FLOTUS: "So I tried to explain that to my students with as much composure as I could muster. But, you know, the words caught in my throat, so I turned to white whiteboard, just trying harder to hold back my emotions, but when I turned back around the entire class was standing and they lined up to give me a hug."

"They realized how much I was struggling."

More: "At the end of the day, all of us need that community, whether we're in a red state or a blue state. None of us can survive this life on our own. Our communities give us strength when we need it most, and we've seen that these past two weeks, with so many people in North Carolina and Georgia and Florida dealing with the devastation of hurricanes or the extreme heat here in Arizona."

FLOTUS: "Like you my heart has been broken by seeing so much pain but I'm so proud of how our country comes together in times of tragedy, how Americans find ways to collect food and help their neighbors keep going no matter what they themselves have lost. We need leaders who can do the same - like my husband Joe and Kamala Harris."

More: "You're probably already hearing all sorts of lies about Kamala."

"So let me tell you about Kamala Harris."

"Let's go back to her time now, before her time as vice president, back when she was a US senator or the Attorney General of California. Even before she joined law enforcement as district attorney, she was putting away dangerous criminals and making our community safer."

FLOTUS then proceeded to tell a story Harris herself has told about helping her friend in high school who was being abused: "So I want to tell you a story from when Kamala was in high school and she began to notice that her friend Wanda never seemed to want to go home."

She said Harris got Wanda to tell her that her step father was molesting her: "She did something about it instinctively, and she said, Wanda, you have to come and stay with us."

More: "Kamala Harris went into public service to protect women and girls in like Wanda."

"That's the Kamala Harris I know a quick, tough, compassionate, decisive leader, and that's the kind of President you deserve Arizona."

She noted Kamala will address the high price of groceries: "She will fight back against greedy corporations and crack down on price gouging."

"Donald Trump wants to give those same corporations a tax cut. That is unacceptable."

More: "Let's talk about what's at stake for women in this election. When the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade I was devastated. I see a lot of you shaking your heads."

"No one has to abandon their faith or their deeply held beliefs to agree that the Government should not be telling women what to do with their bodies."
(This was her biggest applause line of the speech).

"Donald Trump's abortion ban has taken away that ability for women to make their own health care decisions."

"As President, Kamala Harris is going to fight for you. Donald Trump still wakes up every day thinking about one person: himself."

"Another Trump presidency would lead to more chaos."

Now, as Kamala and I have gotten to know each other these past four years, you know, we bonded over many things, but one of the things that we talked about is how we lost our mothers, both to cancer, both long before we were done needing them."

She added that Kamala still hears "her mother's voice still rings in her ears, motivating her. Apparently, Kamala's mom was pretty tough. She had high expectations. And growing up, when Kamala was upset about something, her mother would turn her back to her to say, Well, what did you do? That was one of the biggest lessons Kamala's mother taught her that within Kamala was the power to create change. It started with her. It's why Kamala Harris is the decisive leader she is today. Within all of us is the power to stand up for what we believe in."

"Remember, we won Arizona in 2020 by just 10,457 votes, and in 2024 every single vote is going to count vote."

She reminded them to vote early and said "if you're voting by mail, drop off your ballot by October 29.

"We have to meet this moment as if our rights are at stake. With determination, with persistence, with urgency we will elect a new generation of leaders. We will choose a new way forward. Let's elect Kamala Harris."

Her speech was about 15 minutes. A local station posted footage of event. https://www.youtube.com/live/DodG6S2AUXQ?si=Y0LZZsDC13Yo-zB-

FLOTUS then worked the rope line with a heavy presence of Secret Service agents around her.

It was a quick ride back to Yuma airport. Motorcade arrived at 7:02 pm. Executive One Foxtrot is wheels up shortly for Phoenix where FLOTUS will RON.

FLOTUS pool report #5 - Phoenix and RON

Executive One Foxtrot was wheels down Phoenix airport at 7:57 pm.

Motorcade was rolling at 8:13 pm and arrived at the RON at 8:32 pm.

That's it for tonight. More tomorrow!