Pool Reports of April 22, 2024

Out of Town pool report #1: Checking in

Good Monday morning from Delaware!

Your pool has just completed the customary security checks near the Biden residence.

Weather: 51 degrees and sunny with a very slight whisper of a breeze.

Next update, barring news, will be once motorcade is moving.

Out of Town pool report #2: Rolling

The pool bus joined up with the presidential motorcade at 12:15pm.

Out of Town pool report #3: DANG

The presidential motorcade reached the tarmac at DANG at 12:24pm.

The President did not speak with the pool.

He walked up the steps and entered the plane at 12:25pm

The motorcade's journey from the residence to DANG was uneventful.

AF1 to take off soon.

Out of Town pool report #4: JBA

AF1, having taken off from DANG at 12:35pm, landed at JBA at 1:10pm.

President Biden emerged at 1:19pm, walking down the steps, saluting, and proceeding to the nearby Marine One, which he boarded at 1:20pm.

M1 to lift in moments.

No actual news in-flight on AF1, though at one point Baltimore's collapsed Key Bridge was clearly visible from the left-side windows.

Your pooler was thwarted in sending the WH's list of travelers earlier by the lack of cell signal once AF1's doors are closed. Apologies.

Here it is:

****

Traveling with the President via motorcade 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.

****

Now here's the later list, also from the WH:

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico:

Chair Brenda Mallory, Council on Environmental Quality
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Ali Zaidi, Assistant to the President & National Climate Advisor

***

With that, I am passing along the Out of Town pool baton. It's been a pleasure being your pooler this weekend.

WH supplemental pool report 1 – Check in from Andrews

Good spring morning. The president is traveling to Triangle, Virginia, today to commemorate Earth Day. The event at Prince William Forest Park will be open press, currently set for 1415.

Pool will provide color from the event and a few quotes. The president's remarks will be carried live on the WH web site as well as C-SPAN.

WH supplemental pool report 2 – Biden arrives in Quanitico

The president's helicopter set down at Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico at 1345 and taxied to the near the front of his motorcade.

He climbed down from Marine 1 and, saluting the Marines on either side of the staircase, walked the few steps to the waiting SUV.

At 1351, the motorcade is underway.

WH supplemental pool report 3 – Arrival at Price William Forest Park

The presidential motorcade arrived at Prince William Forest Park Visitor Center at 1404.

Pool is holding in a roped area by the small stage where the president will speak.

The president is scheduled to speak at 1415, although we are about a half hour late. It will be carried live at the White House web site and C-SPAN.

WH supplemental pool report 4 — per WH

Per the WH:

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico:

Chair Brenda Mallory, Council on Environmental Quality
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Ali Zaidi, Assistant to the President & National Climate Advisor

And:

Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to Prince William Forest Park:

Chair Brenda Mallory, Council on Environmental Quality
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Ali Zaidi, Assistant to the President & National Climate Advisor
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
John Kirby, Assistant to the President & National Security Communications Advisor
Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach
Dennis Cheng, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Political Strategy & Outreach
Dilpreet Sidhu, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Deputy Chief of Staff
Terry Wolff, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Senior Director for the Middle East and North Africa
Herbie Ziskend, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Communications
Megan Rooney, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Presidential Speechwriter
Andrew Wallace, Special Assistant to the President & Senate Legislative Affairs Liaison

And finally:

Participating in a photoline with the President at Prince William Forest Park:

Deb Haaland, Secretary of the Interior
Michael Regan, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
Senator Bernie Sanders (VT)
Senator Ed Markey (MA)
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14)
Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger, Manassas, Virginia
Mayor Derrick Wood, Dumfries, Virginia
Chair Deshundra Jefferson, Prince William County, Virginia

WH supplemental pool report 5 – scene

The president's Earth Day event is being staged in a small grassy clearing surrounded by both pines and, well, non-pines in a picnic area at the park visitor center.

There are 130 white folding chairs filled with invited guests arranged in front of a small stage. Teleprompter screens are on either side of the lectern. A large green sign with white lettering reads: "PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN," and in larger letters: "HISTORIC CLIMATE ACTION."

Sen. Bernie Sanders is currently on stage, touting the $7 billion grant program, "Solar For All."

Also per the White House press office:

Greeting the President upon arrival at Prince William Forest Park:

Senator Ed Markey (MA)
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14)

WH supplementa pool report 6 -- 2 min warning to Biden

Per the WH press office.

WH supplemental pool report 7 -- Biden takes stage

President Biden took the podium at 1454.

Remarks being live streamed at WH web site and C-SPAN.

WH supplemental pool report 7a -- run of show

Per the WH press office:

The President is delivering remarks to commemorate Earth Day

Program
Chair Deshundra Jefferson, Prince William County, Virginia
Senator Bernie Sanders (VT)
Senator Ed Markey (MA)
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14)
Za'Nyia Kelly, Michigan Healthy Climate Corps and Introducer
The President

WH supplemental pool report 9 — Biden took three questions

The president, walking past the pool, took questions on Columbia protests and abortion.

Pool is trying to find broadcast audio to get the quotes.

Pool was hustled into the press vans for the ride back to Quantico.

WH supplemental pool report 10 — motorcade rolling, Biden quotes

At 1321 the motorcade was underway back to Quantico.

The questions and answers:

Q: Do you condemn the antisemetic protesters:

"I condemn the antisemitic protests. That's why I have set up a program to deal with that. I also condemn those who don't understand what's going on with the Palestinians."

Q: Do you need the abortion issue to win the election:

"No I need the abortion issue to follow what's right."

Q: What will be your legacy on abortion

(Smiling) "What's your legacy as a newsperson."

WH supplemental pool report 11 — back at Quantico

The presidential motorcade was back at Quantico at 1531.

The base is home to the fleet of "white top" Marine helicopters the president uses, and President Biden is meeting with Marines stationed here at a rope line.

WH supplemental pool report 12 — Biden en route WH

After posing for a picture with hundreds of Marines in front of one of the helicopters in a hanger, the president walked out to his own on the tarmac as pool was led to its Osprey.

At 1543, Marine 1 is taxiing toward the runway for the flight to the White House.

Handing off to the in-town pool.

It's been a pleasure, as mostly always.

WH supplemental pool report 12a — Marine 1 travelers

Per the WH press office:

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to the South Lawn:

Chair Brenda Mallory, Council on Environmental Quality
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Ali Zaidi, Assistant to the President & National Climate Advisor

In-Town Pool Report #1 -- Gathering

The pool is gathering at the Palm Room Doors at 3:58 ahead of POTUS' expected arrival.

In-Town Pool Report #2 — Arrival

M1 touched down on the South Lawn at 4:03.

In Town Pool Report 3 - POTUS heads to Oval

POTUS stepped off M1 at 4:06 and walked right to the Oval Office accompanied by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

He did not take questions shouted at him.

In-Town Pool Report #4 Lid and an update on last pool report

We have a lid at 5:07

Also, Rep. Ed Markey was walking with Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and Sen Sanders back to the WH with POTUS. He was obscured from your pooler's vision by POTUS and Sen Sanders.

All three left the WH relatively early and did not take questions at the sticks.