Pool Reports of April 19, 2024

In-town pool report #1: Press briefing to start at 2 p.m.

Good morning,

The White House announced today's press briefing with KJP will begin at 2 p.m.

In-town pool report #2: Gather for president's departure

Good morning,

We are gathered at the Palm Room Doors for the president's departure en route to the Washington Hilton, where he will deliver remarks at the IBEW Construction and Maintenance Conference.

In-town pool report #3: departure from the South Grounds

The motorcade left the South Grounds at 11:56 a.m. headed for the Washington Hilton.

Pool did not see the president enter the motorcade.

In-town pool report #4: Arrival at the Washington Hilton

The motorcade arrived at the Washington Hilton at 12:01.

In-town pool report #5: Preset for POTUS's remarks

Press were escorted down one set of stairs and into the event space to preset ahead of the president's remarks addressing attendees at the IBEW Construction and Maintenance Conference.

In-town pool report #6: POTUS speaks at the IBEW conference

The president was introduced by IBEW International President Kenneth W. Cooper, who called Biden IBEW's biggest supporter. The organization will do everything possible to reelect the president, he said.

Biden then started his remarks at 12:08 p.m. and spoke for 17 minutes. When he finished, the audience gave a standing ovation with chants of "four more years!"

Biden:

• The reason I got the first four years was because of the IBEW and that's no malarkey
• In Scranton, Pa where I was raised, my grandfather would be proud as hell I've been the most pro-union President in history
• Wall Street didn't build America. The middle class built America, and unions built the middle class
• Thanks to the bipartisan infrastructure law [projects are underway across the country] with IBEW work
• 500k electric vehicle stations will be built by IBEW workers
• Since the 1930s the law establishing the right of unions to organize said the government has to use American products and American labor. The last administration didn't do it, and the last guy didn't even know it.
• My admin uses American products and American labor
• We're making the most significant climate investments ever
• We're keeping existing nuclear plants open and building some of the first new nuclear plants in decades
• For too long we've relied on imports of uranium from countries like Russia. We can't do that anymore.
• Today I can announce the IBEW plant in Ohio has produced the first ever American uranium
• We're reducing reliance on imported oil, creating jobs for IBEW workers
• It takes years of training to become an electrician; that's why you're the best in the world. It's like having to go to college for God's sake
• Once workers are trained they get the well paid jobs and benefits they deserve
• Trump put union busters on the National Labor Relations Board.
• And despite SCOTUS and their Republican friends trying to to stop us [we've forgiven student loans]
• The wealthy don't pay enough taxes
• Do you know what the average tax rate is for the 1,000 billionaires we have? 8.3 percent.
• We've [you've?] created close to 800k new manufacturing jobs since I became president
• More corporations are registered in my state of Del. than all the other states in the union combined.
• We've created $550 billion in investments here.
• Infrastructure week [Trump promised it every year for four years and didn't do a thing]
• I cut the federal defect, [Trump] exploded it
• My predecessor believes the best way to get rich is to inherit it. That's how they look at the world. From park Avenue and Mar-a-Lago. That's not how I see the world
• When I look at the economy I see it through the eyes of working people like you and the values you represent.
• In America, we leave nobody behind.
• I know we can do this because of you—the American worker

In-town pool report #7: Traveling with POTUS to the conference

Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to the Washington Hilton:

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach
Kristen Orthman, Deputy Assistant to the President & Principal Deputy Communications Director
Dilpreet Sidhu, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Deputy Chief of Staff
Megan Rooney, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Presidential Speechwriter
Erika Dinkel-Smith, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Labor Advisor

In-town pool report #8: POTUS participates in photo line

From the White House:

The President is participating in a photoline with members and leaders of the IBEW.

In-town pool report #9: motorcade heads back to the White House

At 12:43 p.m. the motorcade left the Hilton heading back to the White House

In-town pool report #10: motorcade arrives at the White House

The motorcade parked at the South Grounds at 12:48 p.m.

In-town pool report #11: lunch lid until 1:50 p.m.

The White House has called a lunch lid until 1:50 p.m.

In-town pool report #12: two-minute warning for press briefing

The White House gave a two-minute warning ahead of today's press briefing by KJP.

In-town pool report #13: Briefing ends

The press briefing with KJP concluded at 2:48 p.m.

In-town pool report #14: Gather ahead of POTUS departure

Press were instructed gathered at the Palm Room Doors at 4:57 p.m. ahead of the president's departure on Marine 1 for JBA en route to Wilmington.

The light rain we had earlier this afternoon has stopped for now.

In-town pool report #15: POTUS departs from the South Lawn/traveling with POTUS

The light rain had started up again as the president walked past the press to board Marine 1 at 5:09 p.m. He did not address questions from reporters. The chopper lifted off from the South Lawn at 5:11 p.m.

The White House shared the following:

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to Delaware Air National Guard Base:

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Terry Wolff, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Senior Director for the Middle East and North Africa

Out of Town pool report #1

Hello from an overcast AFB.

President Biden arrived here at 5:25pm, disembarking M1 5:26 wearing a blue baseball cap, waved to press but took no questions, and boarded AF 1

AF1 will be wheels up momentarily, bound for Delaware.

Out of Town pool report #2

AF1, having taken off from JBA at 5:37pm, landed at DANG at 6:03pm, taxiing to a standstill at 6:10pm. Flight was uneventful.

President Biden disembarked at 6:14 pm. No questions taken.

Motorcade rolling at 6:17pm.

Out of town pool report #3: lid

The presidential motorcade reached the Biden residence at around 6:28pm.

The motorcade's route featured neither admirers nor detractors of the president, though your pooler did notice a woman and her medium-sized dog peering through their screen door as we passed by.

At 6:31pm, we have a lid.

Have a good evening, everyone.

Out of town pool report #4: Demonstators

Your pooler spoke too soon.

A short distance beyond the Biden residence, there was a small gathering of pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

They numbered around one dozen and several carried Palestinian flags.

There was some chanting. The only discernible chant to your pooler was, "You work for a war criminal."

Others on the other side of the pool bus say there was also a small group of protesters on the way toward the residence.

Out of town pool report #5: Week ahead

Passing along from the White House:

***

WEEK AHEAD 4/22-4/28

On Monday, the President will depart Wilmington, Delaware en route to Virginia. The President will then deliver remarks. In the afternoon, the President will return to the White House.

On Tuesday, the President will depart the White House en route to Tampa, Florida. The President will participate in two campaign events. Afterward, the President will return to the White House.

On Wednesday, the President will participate in a campaign event in Washington, D.C.

On Saturday, the President, the First Lady, the Vice President, and the Second Gentleman will all attend the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, D.C. The President will deliver remarks.