Pool Reports of December 10, 2023

WH travel pool report 1 — motorcade ready

Good morning from just two blocks from Beverly Hills but technically Los Angeles.

Pool has been COVID tested and swept and loaded into the press vans in preparation for the drive to the airport and the trip home.

After a couple of chilly days here, it is finally back to the seasonal warmth, just in time for our departure.

WH travel pool report 2 — departing hotel en route LAX

The president's motorcade left the hotel at 1247 on the way to Los Angeles International to board Air Force 1.

WH travel pool report 3 — arrival at LAX

The motorcade pulled up beside Air Force 1 at 1311. The president and first lady were out of their SUV and up the built-in staircase as pool was walking/jogging up from the back of the motorcade. He did not respond to a shouted question about Zelenskyy's coming visit.

Drive was without incident, except for a mechanical problem with one of the press vans.

More onlookers along the route today, somewhat higher ratio of supportive waves to thumbs down than the last two days. One person had a giant blown up poster of one of the "kidnapped by Hamas" leaflets.

We are again on the large plane, a modified Boeing 747, tail number 29000.

We should be aloft shortly, with a flight time of about five hours to Joint Base Andrews.

WH travel pool report 4 — JBA arrival

Air Force 1 landed on Joint Base Andrew's runway 01L at 2045 after a 4 hour 19 min flight from LAX's 24L.

The flight was fairly smooth until the end, when he had moderate bumps.

We had an off the record visit from a National Security Council staff member about half-way point of the flight.

WH travel pool report 4a — travelers

Per the WH press office:

Traveling with the President and the First Lady via motorcade en route to Los Angeles International Airport:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Mike Donilon, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Anthony Bernal, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the First Lady
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Emmy Ruiz, Assistant to the President & Director of the Office of Political Strategy & Outreach
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Mitch Landrieu, Senior Advisor & Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator
Josh Geltzer, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Homeland Security Advisor
John Kirby, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications
Jordan Montoya, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the First Lady
Rachel Chiu, Special Assistant to the President & Chief of Staff for the Office of Political Strategy & Outreach
Kristin Lynch, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Presidential Speechwriter for the First Lady
Ambassador Rufus Gifford, former Chief of Protocol of the United States

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

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Mike Donilon, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Anthony Bernal, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the First Lady
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Emmy Ruiz, Assistant to the President & Director of the Office of Political Strategy & Outreach
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Mitch Landrieu, Senior Advisor & Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator
Josh Geltzer, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Homeland Security Advisor
John Kirby, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications
Jordan Montoya, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the First Lady
Rachel Chiu, Special Assistant to the President & Chief of Staff for the Office of Political Strategy & Outreach
Kristin Lynch, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Presidential Speechwriter for the First Lady
Ambassador Rufus Gifford, former Chief of Protocol of the United States

WH travel pool report 5 — motorcade departure

The president emerged from the plane and came down the built-in staircase in the rain and wind at 2056. He wore a ball cap and leather jacket and held a large black golf umbrella for himself and the first lady as they got into the motorcade.

At 2058 it is rolling.

Handing off to in town pool for the drive home.

Stay dry.

In-town pool report #1: Gathering

Hey all,

I'm your in-town pooler on this rainy evening. We've had a bad weather call and the pool is gathering to motorcade to JBA for POTUS arrival.

In-town pool report #2: Arrival at JBA

Pool arrived at Joint Base Andrews at 8:10 pm, awaiting POTUS arrival from LAX.

In-town pool report #3: En route to WH from JBA

Air Force One touched down at Joint Base Andrews at 8:45 pm.

POTUS and FLOTUS exited the plane in a steady rain at 8:54 pm, out of clear view of the pool.

The motorcade departed en route to the White House at 9:00 pm.

In-town pool report #4: Arrival at White House/lid

The motorcade arrived at the White House at 9:26 pm after a smooth drive from JBA.

A lid was called at 9:34 pm. Good night, everybody.