Pool Reports of February 7, 2024

In-Town Pool Report #1 - Gathering

Good Morning,

11:42a — The pool and press has been called to gather for POTUS' South Lawn departure as he prepares to head to JBA then NYC for a trio of campaign fundraisers.

In-Town Pool Report #2 -Travel List

Pool and press waiting on South Lawn for POTUS, in the mean time see below from the WH Press Office....

***

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to Joint Base Andrews:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting

In-Town Pool Report 3 - Departure/No Q's

POTUS walked out of the Oval Office at 12:01p, he did not answer shouted questions from reporters, instead he walked directly to Marine One.

Marine One was wheels up at 12:06p

In-Town Pool Report #4 — Gaggle Link

From the White House Press Office >>>

Please see AF1 Gaggle 2/7 link below:

https://youtu.be/dWWItI-o0EA

Apologies -- your intown pooler missed earlier email with heads up on gaggle start time.

In-Town Pool Report #5 - WH Arrival/Lid

Marine One landed at 9:22pm

POTUS walked into the residence at 9:25pm, he did not stop to take questions

A lid was called at 9:27pm

Good night all

Out of town pool report 1-checking in

Good morning from Andrews. I'll be your pooler for the president's trip to New York. Pool is gathered and has been swept. We're awaiting the president's arrival.

Out of town pool report 2-wheels up soon and travelers

Marine One landed at JBA at 12:16. Two minutes later, POTUS disembarked and immediately boarded the small plane without taking questions.

We'll be wheels up shortly for an up-and-back day trip to New York.

Karine Jean-Pierre and John Kirby plan to gaggle aboard the short, one-hour flight.

From the press office:

Greeting the President upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews:

Colonel Angela Ochoa, 89th Air Wing, Joint Base Andrews

Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to John F. Kennedy International Airport:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Ben LaBolt, Assistant to the President & Director of Communications
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Chief of Staff & Executive Secretary
John Kirby, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications

Out of town pool report 3: wheels down NY

AF1 was wheels up from JBA at 12:28 and wheels down at 1:06 p.m. at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

Karine Jean-Pierre and John Kirby gaggled for 18 minutes. Otherwise, it was an uneventful flight.

Out of town pool report 4:

POTUS disembarked AF1 at 1:16

He did not take questions.

He went directly to Marine One for the ride into Manhattan.

Press shop is aware of audio cut outs and plans to distribute audio asap. Please message me if you want my tape.

Out of town pool 5: gaggle link, into Manhattan and travelers

Marine One landed at Wall Street landing site at 1:42 p.m. POTUS disembarked 1:45 and got into the beast en route to first fundraiser.

From the press shop:

Please see AF1 Gaggle 2/7 link below:

https://youtu.be/dWWItI-o0EA

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to Wall Street Landing Zone:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting

Out of town pool 6: rolling

Motorcade rolled from Wall Street landing site at 1:52p.m.

From the press shop:

Traveling with the President via motorcade:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Ben LaBolt, Assistant to the President & Director of Communications
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Chief of Staff & Executive Secretary
John Kirby, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications

Out of town pool report #7: first campaign stop

At 2:17 p.m., motorcade arrived at intersection of West 76th St and Riverside Drive on upper east side. We're holding in vans.

Uneventful ride through the closed streets of Manhattan.

Will endeavor for more information.

Out of town pool report 8: fundraiser info

From the press shop

On Behalf of the Biden-Harris Campaign:

The President is attending a campaign reception in New York, New York.

Speaking Program
Larry Linden
The President

Out of town pool report #9: fundraiser remarks/Upper WEST side

The president spoke about Trump, the Republican House and climate.

POTUS spoke at the residence of Larry Linden at West 76th Street and Riverside Drive on the Upper West side in a well-appointed, wood-paneled sitting room. It was furnished with a Steinway piano and several couches. After an introduction by Linden, the president spoke to about 17 people for about 13 minutes before pool was escorted out of the residence.

On the GOP House: "Never thought I'd see something like I'm seeing now."

Republicans are "walking away because they've got Donald Trump calling and threatening them."

"There is one existential threat: it's Donald Trump."

"He'll try to undo everything we've done. Make no mistake." …"We can't let that happen."

He spoke about his childhood in Delaware near oil refineries that left his friends with lung diseases. "There is only one existential threat we face in the world: and that's the environment."

"The world's looking to us" to lead on climate and environment, the president said.

"It's amazing to me how much the rest of the world looks to us, the United States- not to Joe Biden- the United States."

He thanked the people gathered for sticking with him over the years. "I've made some pretty tough decisions. I've made some people mad on the environment."

Out of town pool report #10: rolling

The motorcade is rolling from fundraiser 1 on the upper west side at 3:34 p.m.

Out of town pool report #11: arrived at second campaign stop

The motorcade stopped at 3:40 at the Mandarin Oriental near Columbus Circle.

More information TK.

Out of town pool report #12: fundraiser info

We're holding at the Mandarin Oriental.

From the press shop:

On Behalf of the Biden-Harris Campaign:

The President is attending a campaign reception in New York, New York.

Speaking Program
Dr. Ramon Tallaj
The President

Out of town pool report #13: rolling

At 5:20 p.m., the motorcade left the Mandarin and we're rolling to third fundraiser of the day.

Fundraiser remarks TK.

Out of town pool report #14:

Motorcade arrived at third stop at 5:31 p.m. We're at E 82nd St and 5th Ave.

Motorcade passed the Trump hotel on Broadway.

Out of town pool report 15: third fundraiser info

We're in a private residence awaiting remarks.

From the press shop

On Behalf of the Biden-Harris Campaign:

The President is attending a campaign reception in New York, New York.

Speaking Program
Maureen White
The President

out of town pool #16: fundraiser 2 remarks

The second fundraiser of the day took place in a ballroom on the 35th floor of the Mandarin Oriental before roughly 200 people, many of them young (30s, 40s) and diverse. Tallaj said the attendees are physicians who treat underserved populations.

POTUS was introduced by Dr. Ramon Tallaj.

In attendance: Gov. Kathy Hochul, Rep. Gregory Meeks

Biden began speaking at 4:43p and his remarks lasted about 25 minutes. He spoke from prepared remarks on a teleprompter with many asides. The president touched on many topics, including Trump, student debt, drug pricing, immigration, abortion. His voice was scratchy for a while; he said he had swallowed a cough drop. But he regrouped and was shouting by the end.

To Hochul: "You are an incredible governor."

"She has absolute total integrity… incredible leader."

To Meeks: "We're going to get you back at chairman, man."

To the crowd: "You're the reason Donald Trump is a defeated former president

And you're the reason we'll make Donald Trump a loser again."

"We're seeing real evidence that consumers are feeling real confidence in their economy."

"How can anyone, especially a former president, wish for an economic crash that would devastate millions of people?"

"He didn't want to be Herbert Hoover. I got bad news. It's too late. There are two presidents in American history who left office with fewer jobs than when they came into office. Herbert Hoover and, yes, Donald 'Herbert Hoover' Trump."

Immigration deal: Biden says Trump was calling Republicans to tell them to oppose the border deal. Republicans need to ask themselves; "Who do they serve? Donald Trump or the American people?," Biden said. "The only reason the border isn't secure… is Donald Trump and Republican Party."

On guns:

"I'm not going to stop until I ban assault weapons."

"There is so much more we can do together. Now imagine the nightmare of Trump's return."

Biden said that Trump recently responded to a school shooting in Iowa: "He said 'just get over it.' What the hell is he doing-just get over it?" he shouted. "We're not going to get over it. We're going to stop it."

On Roe: "I'm a practicing Catholic. I don't want abortion on demand but I thought Roe v Wade was right."

Out of town pool report #17: Fundraiser 3 remarks

The president's third fundraiser was at the home on Maureen White and Steve Rattner. About 50 people gathered in the large living room -- with ornate, sea foam green walls with ornate molding - for the president's remarks. Actor Robert De Niro was in attendance. Pool was in the room for Biden's 20 minutes of remarks.

The president's voice was quiet initially and it was hard to hear. About halfway through his remarks, he was given a microphone to allow for better audio.

Biden focused heavily on Trump and also brought up Charlottesville, immigration, the modern GOP.

Biden on Trump:

"Trump looked at – I wasn't there, but Trump said and publicly said -- they're a bunch of losers and suckers. This isn't a political criticism. It's a character criticism."

"Name me a president who has encouraged or condoned political violence… in the United States?"

Immigration: "Trump decided that it was something that would help me and hurt him. To take away an issue. So what did he do? … He got on the phone and called people and said, if you do this there will be retribution."

On Sen. Lankford: "They really threw the man overboard."

U.S. on the world stage: "We are the essential nation. We really are," he said, asking what happens if the United States steps away. "What happens? What happens in the Middle East? What happen with the … the Taiwan Strait? what happens in Asia? What happens with Ukraine?"

On Putin: "He is on the balls of his heels and what are we doing? Stepping back? Stepping back?"

Out of town pool #18: Motorcade rolling

At 7:15 p.m., motorcade is leaving the site of the third fundraiser of the day. We're on our way to the Wall Street landing site.

Out of town pool report #19: at helo site

Motorcade arrived at Wall Street landing site at 7:33 p.m.

pool did not see Biden board M1 for the ride to JFK.

Uneventful ride through New Yorkexcept for a handful of protestors near third fundraiser location but we could not see them closely. Otherwise, onlookers were merely watching or taking pictures.

From the press office:

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to John F. Kennedy International Airport:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting

Out of town pool report #20: arrival JFK

Marine One landed at John F. Kennedy International airport at 7:59 p.m.

Three minutes later, Biden disembarked and boarded AF1 without taking questions.

We'll be wheels up for JBA soon.

Out of town pool report 21: travelers

From the press office:

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

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Ben LaBolt, Assistant to the President & Director of Communications
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Chief of Staff & Executive Secretary
John Kirby, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications
Dennis Cheng, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Political Strategy & Outreach

Out of town pool report #22: landed JBA

AF1 took off from JFK at 8:13 p.m. and landed JBA at 8:56 p.m.

POTUS stepped off the plane at 9:04 p.m. and immediately boarded Marine One for the trip back to the White House.

M1 lifted at 9:11 p.m.

Handing off to in-town pool with my thanks to my fellow poolers.

From the press office:

Greeting the President upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews:A

Colonel Angela Ochoa, 89th Air Wing, Joint Base Andrews

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to the White House:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting

Out of town pool report #23: Quote follow up re Helmut Kohl

The president made a new reference to a ~2021 conversation with the late Helmut Kohl of Germany, who died in 2017. Quote from the second fundraiser is below. Apologies for missing it earlier this evening. I sent this report as soon as it was flagged to me.

"When I first got elected president, I went to a G7 meeting with the seven heads of state in Europe and Great Britain. I sat down and I said, 'Well, America's back' and the president of France looked at me and said, 'for how long.' I never thought of it this way. Then Helmut Kohl of Germany looked at me and said, 'what would you say Mr. President, if you picked up the London Times tomorrow morning and learned that 1,000 people had broken down the doors, the doors of the British Parliament and killed some [people] on the way in [to] deny the prime minister to take office."

He made a very similar reference to Kohl in the third fundraiser today.