Pool Reports of August 30, 2023

WH pool report — supplemental, POTUS call to Steve Scalise

Late last night, the WH press office released the following:

This afternoon, President Biden called House Majority Leader Steve Scalise to express his best wishes for a swift recovery.

(Your yesterday pooler did not see it until just now. Apologies.)

In-town pool report #1 -- breakfast lid

The White House has called a breakfast lid until 12:30 p.m.

The president's schedule for the day:

10:00 AM In-Town Pool Call Time

10:00 AM THE PRESIDENT receives the Presidential Daily Briefing
Closed Press

1:45 PM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks on the whole-of-government response and recovery efforts on Maui, Hawaii and the ongoing response from the federal government to Hurricane Idalia
Roosevelt Room
In-House Pool Spray (Gather 1:35 PM – Brady Press Briefing Room)

Briefing Schedule

EDT

12:45 PM Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre

In-town pool report #2 -- briefing note

The press office passes this along:

Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Deanne Criswell will join Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at the press briefing today.

In-town pool report #3 -- background on Hurricane Idalia response

From the White House:

Ahead of Hurricane Idalia making landfall in Florida, President Biden directed the federal government to pre-position personnel and resources to immediately support the response and recovery efforts in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. This morning, President Biden was updated on the hurricane's path and his senior team continues to brief him regularly.

Under the President's leadership, the federal government has coordinated:

• More than 1500 federal personnel on-the-ground;
• More than 540 Urban Search and Rescue personnel;
• The U.S. Coast Guard has positioned teams and assets to help support Search and Rescue efforts.
• Three Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams deployed to Florida;
• Pre-staged critical supplies, including more than 1.3 million meals, 1.6 million liters of water, that are available pending requests from the states
• The Red Cross has prepositioned resources to support sheltering a minimum of 20,000 survivors
• USDA Food & Nutrition Services approved early issuance of September SNAP benefits to all households that receive benefits;
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers pre-positioned teams to support any power restoration needs.

The President will deliver remarks this afternoon and address the ongoing response from the federal government to Hurricane Idalia.

In-town pool report #4 — two-minute warning for briefing

We have a two-minute warning for the press briefing.

In-town pool report #5 -- briefing underway

The press briefing started at 1:09 p.m.

In-town pool report #6 -- background on POTUS calls on with DeSantis, other govs

Per the White House:

Today, President Biden called Governor DeSantis of Florida, Governor Kemp of Georgia, Governor McMaster of South Carolina, and Governor Cooper of North Carolina. He told each of the Governors that they and their states have his administration's full support. Prior to landfall, the President directed the federal government to pre-position personnel and resources to immediately support the response and recovery efforts in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The President told the Governors that federal teams will continue to work closely with the first responders and local officials in their states as the storm progresses.

In-town pool report #7 -- Gathering for POTUS remarks

The pool is gathering now for President Biden's remarks on the federal response to the Maui wildfires and Hurricane Idalia.

In-town pool report #8 — two-min warming for POTUS remarks

Two-minute warning for POTUS remarks. Pool is in the Roosevelt Room, waiting for Biden to appear.

In-town pool report #9— Remarks underway

POTUS entered the Roosevelt Room at 2:44 p.m.

The president began his remarks flanked by Defense Sec. Austin, FEMA administrator Criswell and other officials.

The speech is being live-streamed on the White House site.

In-town pool report #10 -- remarks over

President Biden concluded his remarks and took a few questions. He left the Roosevelt Room at 3:04 p.m., and pool was ushered out right after.

A few highlights:

Biden said "we're doing everything we can" to help with the Maui wildfire recovery.

The recovery effort is "going to be frustrating as the devil for people," Biden said. "It's really tough."

He also cautioned that the recovery might be slow. "I want to be clear with the people of Maui about what to expect. The work we're doing is going to take time."

Biden also touched on the federal response to Hurricane Idalia, and his calls today with the governors of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Biden said 2024 politics did not come up during his call with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

In-town pool report #11 -- note on Maui meeting attendees

The White House shares the following:

In attendance for the President's meeting with Cabinet and agency officials to further direct the Administration's ongoing efforts on the ground and the work underway to support the people of Maui:

Secretary Lloyd Austin, Department of Defense
Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Department of Homeland Security
Jeff Zients, Assistant to the President & Chief of Staff
Jen O'Malley Dillon, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Administrator Deanne Criswell, Federal Emergency Management Agency
Liz Sherwood-Randall, Assistant to the President & Homeland Security Advisor & Deputy National Security Advisor
Tom Perez, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
Caitlin Durkovich, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Homeland Security Advisor for Resilience and Response
Mitch Landrieu, Senior Advisor and Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator
Lieutenant General Scott Spellmon, Chief Engineer of the U.S. Army Corps, Department of Defense

Virtual Participants:
Secretary Deb Haaland, Department of the Interior
Secretary Thomas Vilsack, Department of Agriculture
Secretary Xavier Becerra, Department of Health and Human Services
Secretary Marcia Fudge, Department of Housing and Urban Development
Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Department of Energy
Secretary Miguel Cardona, Department of Education
Administrator Michael Regan, Environmental Protection Agency
Administrator Isabella Guzman, Small Business Association
Bob Fenton, Chief Federal Response Coordinator for Maui & FEMA Regional Administrator for Region 9

In-town pool report #12 -- Sen. Sanders to speak

Senator Bernie Sanders is headed to the stakeout location to speak with the press.

In-town pool report #13 -- Sanders remarks

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont took a few questions after meeting with President Biden.

"We just had a good meeting with the president," Sanders said.

The Vermont senator touted Biden's record in office, saying the country has "come a long way" since Biden took office in the midst of the pandemic.

Still, "much more needs to be done," Sanders said, before ticking through a list of priorities – addressing climate change and income inequality, lowering the cost of prescription drugs, among others -- and sounding many of the themes from his 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns.

Sanders also took issue with media coverage of Biden, blaming the press for some public polls that show a majority of Americans disapprove of the president's handling of the economy.

The senator was also asked about Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who appeared to momentarily freeze today during an event in Kentucky, the second such apparent medial episode in recent months.

"I certainly wish him the best" and a "full recovery," Sanders said.

In-town pool report #14 -- lid

A travel/photo lid was called at 6:14 p.m.

Have a good evening,