Pool Reports by Zachary Petrizzo, The Daily Beast
| Sent: | Reports: |
| August 17, 2023 11:38 |
August 17th In-Town Pool Report #1 Good morning, This morning at 11:31 am, President Joe Biden departed the White House via the South Lawn and boarded Marine One. "Mr. President" was shouted at Biden over the engines of Marine One by this in-town pooler, but Biden waved off questions. Biden did not take a single question. Marine One lifted at 11:34 am. |
| August 17, 2023 12:30 |
August 17th In-Town Pool Report #2 Good afternoon, The following people traveled with Biden aboard Marine One to Joint Base Andrews, per the White House. Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations |
Pool Reports below by Erin B. Logan, Los Angeles Times
| Sent: | Reports: |
| August 17, 2023 11:52 |
Travel pool report #1: POTUS arrives at JBA, wheels up momentarily Greetings from JBA. I’ll be your print pooler today. POTUS had wheels down at JBA at 11:43am, emerged from M1 at 11:46. He briefly spoke with press before ascending up to AF1 and entering at 11:49. He saluted before walking in. He said Casey was a remarkable woman and played a very important role in his life. He said he would speak about his goals for the summit soon. I’ll send more quotes when we land. We will be wheels up momentarily. We are in the small plane so I’ll send the official wheels up when we are wheels down in Avoca, Penn. From the WH: Greeting the President upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews: Colonel Matthew Jones, 89th Air Wing, Joint Base Andrews Here is the schedule for today: 11:25 AM THE PRESIDENT departs the White House en route to Joint Base Andrews 11:45 AM THE PRESIDENT departs Joint Base Andrews en route to Avoca, Pennsylvania 12:35 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives in Avoca, Pennsylvania 12:55 PM THE PRESIDENT privately pays respects to former Pennsylvania First Lady Ellen Casey in advance of a viewing 2:10 PM THE PRESIDENT departs Avoca, Pennsylvania en route to Hagerstown, Maryland 3:05 PM THE PRESIDENT departs Hagerstown, Maryland en route to Camp David 3:15 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives at Camp David |
| August 17, 2023 12:56 |
Travel pool report #2: POTUS wheels down in Avoca, Penn., more quotes from Biden on the summit, Casey comments in JBA, more in Penn. POTUS had wheels down in Avoca at 12:39. He emerged from AF1 at 12:49, descended AF1 and spoke with the pool for roughly two mins and entered the beast at 12:52. The motorcade began rolling at 12:53. I will send more quotes on his gaggle in Pennsylvania. Here are some quotes from his very brief gaggle at JBA. He spoke highly of Casey and declined to comment on his trip to Maui. Casey "played an enormous role not just in my life but in everyones'," he said. He added: "Every time I'd go to Scranton over the years, I've stopped to see her. She was a friend." He called her an "incredible woman," "decent," and "honorable." When asked by a member of the pool if he would share his plans for the summit, he replied, "Not until I finish them." At JBA, wheels were up at 12:00pm. From the WH: Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport: Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations |
| August 17, 2023 13:17 |
Travel pool report #3: arrival, quotes from gaggle in Avoca Motorcade arrived the Cathedral of St. Peter at 1:07pm. Press is holding in vans for now. Your pooler did not see POTUS enter the cathedral. On the tarmac in Pennsylvania, Biden said that Casey "loved with a fearlessness and tenderness that was incredible. That was the Irish of her. She was just was incredible." At JBA, Biden began to highlight a quote about Michelangelo his sister would often say. He used the gaggle in Pennsylvania to expound on it. He said that he and his sister were discussing Casey and that she reminded him of the quote on the Italian renaissance artist: "He saw the angel in the marble and carved him to set it free. That's what she did with everybody. I mean she really did if you knew her." He said that he's known the Casey family "for the bulk of my life." "I don't remember when I didn't know the Casey's. And Bobby's dad was older than me and I'm older than Bobby. We loved not far from one another," he said. "We lived not far from one another. He was on Wyoming Avenue and I lived on North Washington Avenue. We went to the same parish- St. Paul's," he said. Casey was an "incredible woman and she raised an enormously successful decent family." "All of the values I learned, I learned them here in Scranton. And she was the embodiment of them." Biden said he is not attending the funeral tomorrow to avoid attendees from going through Secret Service security. "I'd mess everything up," he said, later adding he would "become an impediment." "I just want to show my respect for the family." Biden said he also have to meet with two world leaders at camp David tomorrow. On Maui, A member of the pool asked: "Can you tell us about your Hawaii trip," Biden declined to comment. From the WH: Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to St. Peter's Cathedral: Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations The President is privately paying respects to former Pennsylvania first lady Ellen Casey at St. Peter's Cathedral. |
| August 17, 2023 13:50 |
Travel pool report #4: departure from cathedral, clarification on Maui Biden emerged from Saint Peter's Cathedral at 1:45. He shook hands with four men at the frontdoor before walking down stairs to the beast, which he entered at 1:46. He waved to a few dozen onlookers before he got into his car. Shortly before his exit, the pool was moved out of the vans and to the front of the church in the opposite side of the street to capture his departure. The motorcade started rolling at 1:48. One point of clarification on Maui comments on the Pennsylvania tarmac: Biden did decline to comment on Maui but said he would be there on Monday. Here is the full exchange: Q: Can you tell us about your Hawaii trip? A: "No, not now," he said, adding that he would be in Hawaii on Monday. |
| August 17, 2023 14:24 |
Travel pool report #5: motorcade arrives at Avoca airport, departure shortly POTUS’ motorcade arrived at the airport near Scranton, Penn. at 2:21 POTUS emerged from the beast at 2:21 ascended AF1 and entered at 2:22. He turned around and waved before entering. He did not stop to speak with the pool, many of whom were scrambling to stand under the wing as he moved to the plane. As the motorcade glided through Scranton, dozens of onlookers captured the movement from the sidewalk on their smart phones. The motorcade also slowly drove by what is believed to be Biden’s favorite sandwich shop, Hank’s Hoagies, after driving by his childhood home. Dozens of onlookers stood close by on the sidewalk throughout all of this, though, one construction worker was seen giving an enthusiastic thumbs down with both hands. We will be wheels up momentarily. I will send the exact departure time when we land and exit the small plane, which blocks my signal upon entry. From the WH: On the way to Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport, the President drove by his childhood home on North Washington Avenue in Scranton, PA. |
| August 17, 2023 15:18 |
Travel pool report #6: departure, arrival in Hagerstown AF1 had wheels down in Haggerstown at 2:59. He emerged from AF1 at 3:09, walked down stairs and went to M1, entering at 3:10. M1 had wheels up at 3:16. He did not stop to speak with the pool. Per the WH guidance, he is en route to Camp David. AF1 had wheels up in Avoca, Penn. at 2:32. While en route to MD, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Comms Director Ben LaBolt came to the back of the plane to speak with the press pool off the record for around 15 minutes. From the WH: Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Hagerstown Regional Airport: Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to Camp David: Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations |
| August 17, 2023 16:31 |
Travel pool report #7: Camp David arrival From the WH: The President arrived at Camp David at 3:25 PM. That’s it from me! |
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Pool Reports of August 17, 2023 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/364036