Pool Reports of April 8, 2024

Out of town pool report #1 / rolling

We are rolling in Wilmington out of POTUS’ residence and heading for DANG, where he will take Marine One to Philadelphia for the trip today to Wisconsin and Chicago.

Out of town pool report #2 / DANG departure

After an uneventful motorcade — and one that, for the first time this weekend, didn’t have protesters outside of POTUS’ neighborhood — we arrived at DANG at 10:44am and POTUS immediately boarded Marine One, before pool got set or attempted to shout questions over the loud engines.

Marine One lifted at 10:50am and POTUS is en route to link up with Air Force One.

Passing the pooling baton over to colleagues awaiting POTUS in Philadelphia, who will cover his trip today. Happy eclipse day all!

Out of Town Pool Report #3 — Arrival in Philly
[APP Note: This is "Supplemental Report #1. See reporter's note in Supplemental Report #3 (below).]

Taking the baton from the Wilmington crew, I’ll be your out of town pooler for POTUS trip to Madison and Chicago.

Here’s what’s happened at Philadelphia International Airport so far

M1 arrived at 11:06

POTUS stepped off M1 at 11:09 and boarded AF1 at 11:10 using the shorter stairs.

He waived to the press but did not take questions.

Out of Town Pool Report #4 - Wheels up
[APP Note: This is "Supplemental Report #2. See reporter's note in Supplemental Report #3 (below).]

AF1 wheels up at 11:18

The press gaggle with Karine is scheduled for 12:00 EST and you can live stream it at whitehouse.gov/live.

On to Madison!

Supplemental Pool Report #3 — Wheels down in Madison

AF1 Wheels down at 12:07 local time in Madison

Please note that my pool Reports are now Supplemental Pool Reports, not out of town pool reports to avoid confusion with the Wilmington crew.

Consider my first two reports as #1 and #2. The next one will be report #4. Sorry for the confusion.

Supplemental Pool Report #4 - Travelers

Per White House

Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Dane County Regional Airport:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Natalie Quillian, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Ben LaBolt, Assistant to the President & Director of Communications
Lael Brainard, Assistant to the President & National Economic Advisor
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Chief of Staff & Executive Secretary
Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach
Tori Taylor, Special Assistant to the President & Director of Political Outreach

Supplemental Pool Report #5 — Arrival

POTUS stepped off AF1 at 12:18 and immediately began chatting with the greeters. They all posed for a group photo together and then continued to talk.

He entered the limo at 12:23.

Here’s who greeted POTUS and posed in the photo.

Greeting the President upon arrival at Dane County Regional Airport:

Governor Tony Evers (WI)
Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02)
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, Madison, Wisconsin
Joe Parisi, County Executive, Dane County
Colonel Bart T. Van Roo, 115th Fighter Wing, Wisconsin Air National Guard

Supplemental Pool Report #6 - Rolling

The motorcade is rolling at 12:26 to Madison College for POTUS remarks on student debt.

Supplemental Pool Report #7 -Arrival at Madison College

Motorcade arrival at Madison College at 12:30 after an extremely short motorcade ride.

Lots of onlookers videotaping and photographing motorcade but no pro-or ant-Biden signs to be seen.

A group of pro-Palestinian protesters waiving Palestinian flags could be seen in the distance but were too far to be heard.

Supplemental Pool Report #8 - Photo line

Here’s who participated in a photo line with POTUS at Madison College.

Also note. A slip of the fingers incorrectly labeled last pool report as 11 when it should have been 7. The numbering is back to being correct

Participating in a photoline with the President:

Governor Tony Evers (WI)
Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02)
Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski (WI)
State Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein (WI-27)
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, Madison, Wisconsin
Lambert Cleveland Jr., District 3 Legislator, Ho-Chunk Nation

Supplemental Pool Report #9 POTUS remarks start

POTUS began speaking at 1:26.

We did not get a two minute warning.

Supplemental Pool Report 10 - POTUS remarks end

POTUS wrapped up his remarks on student debt relief at 1:40 local time.

The event was live-streamed so plenty of opportunities to get quotes from his remarks.

Supplemental Pool Report #11 - Rolling

The motorcade is rolling back to Madison Airport at 1:48.

Your pooler did not see POTUS exit the college or enter the limo

Supplemental Pool Report #11 — Airport arrival

Motorcade arrived at Madison Airport at 1:50.

POTUS boarded AF1 at 1:52. He again waived to the press but did not take questions.

Motorcade ride was uneventful

Supplemental Pool Report 12 - Eclipse note

Note: POTUS had special glasses to view the eclipse in his hand as he boarded AF1 but he did not stop to look up in the sky to view the eclipse.

Out of Town Pool Report #13 — Wheels up

AF1 wheels up at 2:01

Off to Chicago for a campaign fundraiser.

Out of Town Pool Report #15 — Wheels down in Chicago

AF1 Wheels down in Chicago at 2:32 local time.

Please note that do to a numbering error there were two #11s sent. That makes this one #15 and the next one #16 so there order will be correct from here on out. There will be no number #14.

Supplemental Pool #16 — travelers

Per White House, here’s who traveled with POTUS to Chicago

Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Chicago O’Hare International Airport:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Natalie Quillian, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Ben LaBolt, Assistant to the President & Director of Communications
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance

Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Chief of Staff & Executive Secretary
Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach
Tori Taylor, Special Assistant to the President & Director of Political Outreach

Supplemental Pool Report -#17 - Chicago arrival

POTUS stepped off AF1 at 2:49. He was wearing his trademark aviators and a dark blue baseball cap.

He walked into M1 at 2:50. POTUS did not take questions.

We are now departing Chicago O’Hare airport. The pool will be following POTUS in the ospreys.

Supplemental Pool Report #18 — M1 lands at loading zone

M1 landed at loading zone in Chicago at 3:12. POTUS departed at 3:15 to talk with the greeters.

For those who are interested, the landing zone is the parking lot of Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears.

The pool was too far from POTUS to shout questions. He entered the limo at 3:18.

Here are the travelers and greeters per WH

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to Soldier Field Landing Zone:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Natalie Quillian, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
And now the greeeters

Greeting the President upon arrival at Soldier Field Landing Zone:

Rep. Danny Davis (IL-07)
Mayor Brandon Johnson, Chicago, Illinois
Toni Preckwinkle, County Board President, Cook County

Supplemental Pool Report 19 - Rolling

The motorcade began rolling to the Biden fundraiser at 3:22.

Supplemental Pool Report #20 — Arrival at fundraiser

The motorcade arrived at the location at 3:31 for a fundraiser at the Drake Hotel in downtown Chicago.

The ride was uneventful with some pedestrians taking photos or videoing the motorcade. No political messages.

Your pooler did not see POTUS exit the limo or enter the drake.

Supplemental Pool Report 21 -- Meeting

On behalf of the Biden-Harris campaign

The President is participating in a political meeting.

The pool is currently holding at the Drake Hotel

Supplemental Pool Report 22 — Movement

The pool has left the Drake Hotel and walked to a residence that sits two buildings south on the same block.

We are told this is the fundraiser at a private residence. The meeting at the Drake Hotel was the campaign meeting.

Your pooler has not laid eyes on POTUS since the Soldier Field parking lot.

A group of protesters are at the other end of the street chanting "Free Palestine." They are shouting other pro-Palestinian slogans but it's hard to hear inside the residence.

We are holding in the building's lobby.

Supplemental Pool Report #23 — POTUS remarks start

POTUS remarks began at 5:27.

The event is hosted by Michael Sacks

On behalf of the Biden-Harris campaign:

The President is participating in a campaign reception.

Speaking Program
Michael Sacks
The President

Also the last pool report should have been #22, not 21. I’ve started the correct numbering at 22. The next one will be 23 and so forth.

Supplemental Pool Report 24 — Remarks

POTUS wrapped up his remarks at 5:41

The pool was ushered out of the room at 5:43

Here are some highlights from his remarks.

"This is an election I feel more obliged to win than I want to win." "I'm genuinely excited about our momentum."

Said there are 18 polls where he is ahead of Trump since his State of the Union, but the press isn't reporting it. Said one poll has him up by 10 points over Trump in PA.

"Trump is in trouble and he knows it. He's worried voters will hold him accountable," POTUS said talking about abortion and referencing Trump's video this morning.

"For 50 years women had a right…and Trump took it away. It was outrageous."

"No one trusts Donald Trump. He made a political deal to get rid of Roe v. Wade." POTUS said he'd ban any national abortion ban.

"His presidency was chaos," POTUS said adding that no one will forget "him lying about COVID"

POTUS said Trump is full of "anger and hate" adding there is "no place for political violence" and Trump wants everyone "to forget about Jan. 6."

Supplemental Pool Report 25 — Rolling

The motorcade is rolling back to soldier field at 5:54. Your pooler did not lay eyes on POTUS.

Supplemental Pool Report 26 - Arrival at landing zone

Pool arrived at Soldier Field landing zone at 6:03.

We arrived as POTUS boarded M1.

Pool is now headed to Osprey

Supplemental Pool Report 27 - Arrival at O'Hare/one more quote

M1 touched down at O'Hare at 6:23. POTUS stepped out at 6:30.

He boarded AF1 at 6: without taking questions.

One quote from the fundraiser. POTUS said his camping is hiring "staff all across the country" and opening "hundreds of offices."

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to Chicago O'Hare International Airport:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Natalie Quillian, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting

Supplemental Pool Report #28 — Wheels Up

AF1 Wheels up out of O’Hare at 6:40

Next stop JBA.

Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Joint Base Andrews:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Natalie Quillian, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Ben LaBolt, Assistant to the President & Director of Communications
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Chief of Staff & Executive Secretary
Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach
Tori Taylor, Special Assistant to the President & Director of Political Outreach

Supplemental Pool Report #29 -Wheels Down

AF1 Wheels down at JBA at 8:54.

The ride was uneventful and we did have one guest for an OTR chat, Dan Kanninen, battleground states director for the Biden Harris campaign

Supplemental Pool Report 30 - M1 departure

POTUS stepped off AF1 at 9:04

He entered the limo at 9:05

The motorcade departed JBA on way to the White House at 9:08.

POTUS did not take any questions.

Now kicking it over to In-Town pool. That’s all for me. It was a pleasure being your pooler.

In-Town Pool Report #1- Updated Call Time

Just a quick programming note...

The Press Office advises that the in-town pool call time has been moved to 8p.m.

In-Town Pool Report #2 — Gathering

In-town call has been called to gather earlier than previously stated, we will be heading to JBA to meet POTUS there.

In-Town Pool Report #3 - Rolling + Travel List

Motorcade rolling as of 9:08pm

White House Press Office passes along the following:

Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to the South Grounds:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Natalie Quillian, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Ben LaBolt, Assistant to the President & Director of Communications
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Chief of Staff & Executive Secretary
Tori Taylor, Special Assistant to the President & Director of Political Outreach

In-Town Pool Report # 4 — Arrival + Lid

Motorcade arrived at WH South Grounds at 9:29pm

A lid was called at 9:41pm

good night!