Pool Reports of August 16, 2022

Out of town pool 1 - pool gather

Good morning from Charleston, SC. Your pool has gathered and is boarding a bus for the approximately one hour drive to the Biden vacation residence on Kiawah Island. We're then scheduled to journey back to the White House, where POTUS will sign the IRA, before heading to Wilmington to continue his vacation.

Here's the day's schedule. Stay tuned!

EDT

9:15 AM Out-of-Town Pool Call Time
Charleston, South Carolina

11:40 AM In-Town Pool Call Time
Stakeout Location

11:40 AM THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart Charleston Executive Airport
Charleston Executive Airport, South Carolina
Out-of-Town Pool

12:05 PM THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart Charleston, South Carolina en route Washington, DC
Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina
Out-of-Town Pool

1:20 PM THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY arrive in Washington, DC
Joint Base Andrews
In-Town Travel Pool

1:50 PM THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY arrive at the White House
South Grounds
In-Town Travel Pool

3:30 PM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks and signs into law H.R. 5376, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022
State Dining Room
Pre-Credentialed Media and Pooled for TV (Gather 3:20 PM – Palm Room Doors) [RSVP here by 9:00 AM]

5:35 PM Supplemental Pool Call Time
Stakeout Location

7:00 PM THE PRESIDENT departs the White House en route Fort Lesley J. McNair
South Grounds
In-Town Travel Pool (Gather 6:30 PM — Palm Room Doors)

7:20 PM THE PRESIDENT departs Washington, DC en route New Castle, Delaware
Fort Lesley J. McNair
In-Town Travel Pool

8:15 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives in New Castle, Delaware
Delaware Air National Guard Base
Supplemental Pool

Out of town pool 2 - FLOTUS Covid

You'll have seen the White House statement about the first lady testing positive for Covid. A White House spokesman says the president tested negative today and will return to Washington per schedule, while the first lady remains in South Carolina to self-isolate.

Here is the further White House statement on POTUS: "The President tested negative for COVID this morning on an antigen test. Consistent with CDC guidance because he is a close contact of the First Lady, he will mask for 10 days when indoors and in close proximity to others. We will also increase the President's testing cadence and report those results."

Out of town pool 3 - hold and alligator

Pool has been swept and is holding on the road near the Bidens' Kiawah Island residence. Earlier, while waiting, we were entertained by sightings of an impressive alligator which appeared to be quite at home in a small pond wedged between expensive houses. I tweeted a picture if anyone curious.

Travel pool 4 - rolling

At 11:18 am the POTUS motorcade is rolling. Pool did not lay eyes on the president. We are bound for Charleston Executive Airport.

Out of town pool 5

Biden's motorcade reached Charleston Executive Airport at 11:50 am after winding past ponds, swamps, golf fairways, large houses, and periodic knots of bystanders waving or filming on phones, with one "Biden 2024" banner sighted.

POTUS boarded Marine One, with pool following in an Osprey. Lift off shortly. We are bound for Charleston Air Force Base to catch AF1.

The White House sends this info on travelers:

"Traveling with the President in the motorcade en route Charleston Executive Landing Zone:

"Anthony Bernal, Assistant to the President & Advisor to the First Lady
Liz Sherwood-Randall, Assistant to the President & Homeland Security Advisor and Deputy National Security Advisor
Chris Meagher, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Press Secretary"

Out of town pool 6 - AF1

Marine One landed at Charleston Air Force Base at 12:07 pm.

The president, wearing a mask, boarded AF1 (the "small" version) at 12:14 pm, accompanied by Baby Beau, Hunter and Melissa Cohen.

He did not stop to talk to pool under the wing. To shouts of "how's the First Lady?" he gave a thumbs up.

We are wheels up shortly for JBA, with a flight time of approximately one hour and 15 minutes.

The WH sent this note:

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route Charleston Air Force Base:

Anthony Bernal, Assistant to the President & Advisor to the First Lady
Liz Sherwood-Randall, Assistant to the President & Homeland Security Advisor and Deputy National Security Advisor

Out of town pool 7 - JBA

AF1 landed at 1:25 pm. POTUS emerged at 1:36, carefully leading Baby Beau down the red carpeted stairs. He didn't come over to pool. However at a distance of some 10 yards (further complicated by his semi-in-place mask, a fresh breeze, and the idling engines of AF1) he responded to two shouted questions:

Q: "How's Dr Biden?"

A: "Doing well."

The second Q: "Any national security concerns over the Mar-a-Lago situation?" and the response was unfortunately inaudible.

The motorcade left at 1:39 pm.

With that, handing over to in-town pool. Thanks as always to Emily Goodin and other poolers.

In-Town Pool Report #1: POTUS departure from JBA

Good afternoon from JBA.

Motorcade is rolling back to the White House at 1:39pm.

The in-town pool was pre-positioned at JBA for POTUS arrival and saw AF1 touch down at 1:26 pm EDT. It was too far back in vans to describe much of the scene on the tarmac.

As indicated on the daily guidance, the president is taking the motorcade, not Marine One, back to the White House, where he is scheduled to sign the Inflation Reduction Act this afternoon.

In-town pool report #2: WH arrival

Uneventful trip back to the White House in the motorcade. Tourists snapped pictures and pool saw two young boys waving as the motorcade snaked through the National Mall.

Tail end of the motorcade pulled up to the South Lawn at 2pm EDT. Pool did not see the president exit the Beast or enter the White House.

Traveling with the President in the motorcade en route White House:

Anthony Bernal, Assistant to the President & Advisor to the First Lady
Liz Sherwood-Randall, Assistant to the President & Homeland Security Advisor and Deputy National Security Advisor
Chris Meagher, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Press Secretary

In-Town Pool Report #3: Inflation Reduction Act signing

President Joe Biden entered the State Dining Room at 3:38 pm to applause from a group of seating guests who stood for arrival. He is accompanied by Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader, and Rep. Jim Clyburn, the House Majority Whip.

Clyburn is introducing the president now.

Just before the president entered a couple of lawmakers, including Sen. Joe Manchin walked into the room.

Pool also spotted:
Secretaries Granholm, Buttigieg, Regan and Becerra
Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jha
CEA Chair Rouse
Senior Advisor Neera Tanden

Also: the White House informs pool that FLOTUS aide Anthony Bernal remained in South Carolina with the first lady. He was mistakenly included in the list of officials the White House said was traveling with the president today.

In-town pool report #4: guests & IRA signing background

Background on the event and guests from the White House is below.

The President will deliver remarks and sign into law H.R. 5376, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 in the State Dining Room.

In attendance:

Secretary Xavier Becerra, Department of Health and Human Services
Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Department of Transportation
Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Department of Energy
Administrator Michael Regan, Environmental Protection Energy
Ambassador Katherine Tai, United States Trade Representative
Chair Cecilia Rouse, Council of Economic Advisers
Administrator Isabel Guzman, Small Business Administration
Leader Chuck Schumer (NY)
Senator Joe Manchin (WV)
Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (SC-06)
Representative Kathy Castor (FL-14)
Representative Frank Pallone (NJ-06)

In-Town Pool Report #5: IRA signing over

President Joe Biden began his remarks on the Inflation Reduction Act at roughly 3:49pm by thanking Schumer, Clyburn, Manchin and Vice President Harris, who is not present.

"Joe, I never had a doubt," he told Manchin.

At one point, President Biden received applause from aides and officials after his assertion that he was keeping his promise not to raise taxes on Americans making less than $400,000 a year.

Another time he was lauded for bringing up the CHIPs legislation and investments in manufacturing.

"And now I'm going to take action that I've been looking forward to doing for 18 months," President Biden said as he concluded his remarks.

He then moved to a nearby table to sign the bill, with Democratic leaders at this side. He reached over to give Manchin his pen and shake his hand.

Biden notably spoke and signed the bill without a mask on. He put it back on immediately after and before walking down from the stage to greet members of his Cabinet.

He left the room at 4:02 pm without taking questions.

Roughly 50 guests were in seated, including Biden aides and officials.

Event was livestreamed and open to pre-credentialed press.

In Town Pool Report #6: Manchin coming to the stakeout

WH advises that Sen. Manchin is coming to the stakeout location imminently.

In-town Pool Report #7: Dinner Lid until 6:30

Dinner Lid until 6:30 pm.

Also, Manchin did come to the stakeout location earlier. He gaggled for a little more than 30 minutes with assembled reporters.

In-town pool report #8: dinner lid now until 6:15

The WH says the dinner lid will lift slightly earlier than previously advertised at 6:15 pm.

In-Town Pool Report #9: departing WH for McNair

The motorcade was rolling from the White House for McNair at 7:34pm, a little more than half an hour behind schedule.

Pool was pre-positioned in vans and only saw POTUS from afar as he entered the Beast. Fewer onlookers along the motorcade route at this time of night, but a few folks were snapping pics.

Supplemental travel pool report #1: Marine One arrival

Marine One was wheels down at Delaware Air National Guard Base at 20:45

POTUS disembarked on the far side from pool's location where the motorcade pulled up. As a result we caught only a brief glimpse of him in dark blue suit getting into an SUV.

Motorcade rolling at 20:53.

Also White House has sent along the following correction to travelers info:

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

Liz Sherwood-Randall, Assistant to the President & Homeland Security Advisor and Deputy National Security Advisor

Stephen Goepfert, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

Correction: Liz Sherwood-Randall also accompanied the President in the motorcade en route Fort McNair. Jon Finer was not in the motorcade.

Supplemental travel pool report #2: Lid

Pool van peeled off motorcade at 21:05 as it pulled into Biden residence. White House called a lid simultaneously.

That's it from your second travel pool of the day. We'll be back to do it again tomorrow. Good night.