Pool Reports of August 10, 2021

WH travel pool #1 - motorcade rolling

Good morning from Wilmington where POTUS is returning to Washington this morning.

Pool has been COVID tested on this cloudy 79 degree morning.

Motorcade is rolling to DANG at 10:13 am for the flight back. Pool has not laid eyes on POTUS since he went to church on Saturday evening.

WH travel pool #2 - Marine One wheels up

POTUS arrived at DANG at 10:21 am after an uneventful - although at times bumpy - motorcade ride.

Pool was too far to shout questions as he boarded Marine One.

Returning to the White House with the President on Marine One:
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Joshua Geltzer, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Homeland Security Advisor
Stephen Goepfert, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

Marine One was lifting off at 10:25 am.

Travel pool is going back to Washington via Ospreys to JBA so we're handing POTUS off to the in town pool...

In-town pool report #1 - POTUS Arrives, No Q&A

Marine One touched down on the South Lawn at 11:19. POTUS, wearing a dark suit and tie as well as shades, emerged moments later.

Approaching reporters, POTUS said, "I'll talk to you after the vote."

Ignoring shouted questions on Afghanistan and the last time he spoke to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, POTUS proceeded to the Oval Office. POTUS entered at 11:21.

In-town pool report #2- Briefing now 12:45

The press briefing will now begin at 12:45pm, per the White House.

In-town pool report #3- Briefing starts

Jen Psaki started the briefing at 12:50.

In-town pool report #4 - Event attendees

From the White House:

Attending the President's and the Vice President's remarks on Senate passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act are White House senior staff, including:

Shalanda Young, Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget
Steve Ricchetti, Assistant to the President & Counselor to the President
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Brian Deese, Assistant to the President & Director of the National Economic Council
Carmel Martin, Deputy Assistant to the President for Economic Mobility
Kate Berner, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Communications
Robert Etter, Associate Director for Legislative Affairs at the Office of Management and Budget
Erika Poethig, Special Assistant to the President for Housing and Urban Policy
Pronita Gupta, Special Assistant to the President for Labor and Workers
Michael Linden, Senior Advisor to the Director the Office of Management and Budget
Aya Ibrahim, Policy Advisor at the National Economic Council
Ryan Davis, Policy Assistant at the National Economic Council

In-town pool report #5- East Room event starts

POTUS, wearing a dark suit and tie as well as a face mask, entered the East Room at 3:05.

VPOTUS, wearing a dark pantsuit and facemask, accompanied and introduced him.

Because the East Room event is being live-streamed, pool won't provide quotes, but any color if warranted.

In-town pool report #6- East Room event ends

POTUS, after taking questions from reporters, exited the East Room with VPOTUS at 3:40.

In-town pool report #7 - FEMA briefing

Pool was escorted into the State Dining Room at 4:45. POTUS was very seated at very large table for the FEMA briefing socially distanced from others who are present.

POTUS, wearing a dark suit and tie, began the briefing by saying the FEMA director has done an "outstanding job."

Listen: https://otter.ai/u/T0XX_1PgUtCOLxeOvM1TBnU8YHA

POTUS made the case for vaccination on the basis COVID would complicate the response to natural disasters.

POTUS: "If you wind up having to stay in shelter, you don't want to add COVID-19 to the list of dangers..."

"It's likely serious hurricanes are going to come this month." - POTUS

"And the bottom line is this: the more we do to prepare the better off we are when disaster strikes," POTUS said.

Pool escorted out at 4:49. Questions from NBC's Peter Alexander on a message for New York's new governor went unanswered.

In-town pool report #8- FEMA briefing attendees

From the White House:

Attending the President's briefing on how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting hurricane preparedness:

Administrator Deanne Criswell, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Caitlin Durkovich, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for Resilience and Response at the National Security Council
Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases & Chief Medical Advisor to the President
Tim Manning, COVID-19 Response Supply Coordinator
Natalie Quillian, Deputy Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response
Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Deputy Assistant to the President & Director of Intergovernmental Affairs
Liz Sherwood-Randall, Assistant to the President & Homeland Security Advisor and Deputy National Security Advisor
Jeff Zients, Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response & Counselor to the President

In-town pool report #9 - travel-photo lid

The White House declared a travel-photo lid at 5:17 and didn't skimp on the flourish.

"After a successful, great day, we have a travel-photo lid. It's 5:17. Thank you for your service to our country."

In-town pool report #10 - WH note on meet tmrw

From the White House:

One last note on a meeting tomorrow:

Tomorrow, the President will meet virtually with Governors, Mayors, and other state, local, and tribal officials to discuss the importance of the bipartisan infrastructure Investment.

Attendees will include members of the National Governors Association, U.S. Conference of Mayors, National League of Cities, National Association of Counties, National Conference of State Legislatures, and National Congress of American Indians.

Speaking at the meeting will be:
Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan
Mayor Jerry Dyer, Fresno, CA
Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, Jackson, MS
Commissioner Liz Hausmann, Fulton County, GA
Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr., Cherokee Nation