Pool Reports by Sophie Hills, The Christian Science Monitor
| Sent: | Reports: |
| January 19, 2025 08:20 |
Travel Pool Report #1 – Motorcade rolling from WH Hello from a grey morning at the White House. The motorcade is rolling at 8:19 am. This is President Biden's last full day in office. He's headed to Joint Base Andrews to take off for Charleston, SC. |
| January 19, 2025 08:46 |
Travel Pool Report #2 — JBA arrival The motorcade stopped at Joint Base Andrews at 8:42. The ride was uneventful — some small groups of people filming near the White House as the motorcade passed. The president, wearing a navy blue suit, and the first lady, wearing a bright blue dress and jacket, boarded Air Force One at 8:43. There was a plane that said 'Argentina' on the side on the tarmac. We are wheels up shortly for Charleston. From the White House: Traveling with the President and the First Lady via motorcade en route to Joint Base Andrews: Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff |
| January 19, 2025 08:48 |
Travel Pool Report #3 — JBA details Hunter Biden and Melissa Cohen boarded the plane as well. And from the WH: Greeting the President and the First Lady upon arrival to Joint Base Andrews: Colonel Angela F. Ochoa, Commander, 89th Airlift Wing Traveling with the President and the First Lady aboard Air Force One en route to Charleston Air Base: Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff |
| January 19, 2025 10:09 |
Travel Pool Report #4 — Charleston AF1 was wheels up from JBA at 8:52 and landed at Charleston Air Force Base at 10:08. POTUS is going to speak about the ceasefire and hostage deal at 10:30, per the WH. |
| January 19, 2025 10:31 |
Travel Pool Report #5 — rolling (and greeters) President Biden and the first lady deplaned at 10:23. Hunter, Melissa, and their son and Ashley Biden deplaned behind the president. POTUS shook hands and saluted the greeters. He and Rep. Clyburn (wearing a black baseball cap) hugged. The other family members and Clyburn hugged as well. The president and First Lady posed for a photo with a group of the greeters. The president looked for Clyburn who was escorted in a different direction and shrugged, before talking with him briefly. The president got into his SUV at 10:27. The motorcade is rolling at 10:30. From the WH: Greeting the President and the First Lady upon arrival to Charleston Air Base: Rep. Jim Clyburn (SC-06) |
| January 19, 2025 10:44 |
Travel Pool Report #6 — church arrival The motorcade stopped outside Royal Missionary Baptist Church at 10:41. Pool didn't see the president get out of his SUV but saw Hunter and his family. Pool is holding inside the church in a room with a podium and mic set up. The drive was mostly on highways. On back roads closer to the church people waved as the motorcade passed. Someone held a sign that said "Thank You Mr. President" and another person held one reading "Thank U Joe!" |
| January 19, 2025 10:52 |
Travel Pool Report #7 — two mins and link for ceasefire remarks Two minutes till remarks. Remarks are live-streamed here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/ There are blue curtains set up behind the podium. There are two flags in front of the curtains. There are red chairs pushed to the back of the room. |
| January 19, 2025 11:02 |
Travel Pool Report #8 — Ceasefire remarks The president entered the room at 10:53 and began speaking from the podium. He's wearing a red and blue striped tie. He detailed the first phase of the deal, including that 2 American hostages will be released. The remarks are streamed. "The road to this deal has been not easy at all, and a long road" He also spoke about the broader region: "In Lebanon there's an opportunity for a future free from the grip of Hezbollah" Says continuing success of the ceasefire will depend on the next administration, as well "I'm sorry, I'm not going to take any questions," he said, saying the congregation was waiting. He responded to one question, saying he'd gotten a call that 3 hostages had been released. Someone asked if he has concerns about Hamas regrouping. He said no. Someone else asked if he'd remain involved in the deal going forward. He was being the curtain already so it's unclear if he heard the questions, but h leaned back from behind the curtain, smiled, and said "no way out." The president left the room at 10:59. The church choir can be heard singing from inside the room. |
| January 19, 2025 11:15 |
Travel Pool Report #9 — church service The president entered the church sanctuary around 11:06 and shook hands with some people near him before standing at a front pew next to Clyburn. Pool can't see him all the time, but POTUS was smiling as he watched the choir sing. Rev. Dr. Isaac J. Holt Jr. spoke for a couple of minutes about unity and the memory of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The church sanctuary has a balcony of seats around three sides. At the front above a white cross is an alcove in the wall with a stained glass window. Pool is under one of the balconies. The congregation was singing with the choir when pool entered. Royal Missionary Baptist Church is a historically Black congregation, and the church's website says it was formed in 1916. Livestream link here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/ More TK. From the WH: The President is delivering remarks and attending service at Royal Missionary Baptist Church. Program |
| January 19, 2025 11:52 |
Travel Pool Report #10 — church notes People stood, dancing and clapping, when the choir sang. From what pool could seem the president, Rep. Clyburn, and their pew stayed seated. The service is mostly focused on Dr. MLK Jr's legacy. The pastor's nephew read a biography of MLK, detailing his career in Baptist ministry before speaking about his work to advance civil rights. During the second section people in the audience said "yep" and murmured in agreement. Pool couldn't see the president most of the time, but saw him nodding along at points during the biography, especially when the speaker read MLK quotes. When the speaker spoke about an assassination attempt and said MLK "was just 29" at the time, the president flinched and briefly closed his eyes." Pastor Holt introduced a video next, of Dr. King marching in Chicago. When videos played of opposition to the march, including signs with racist and violent messages and video of physical violence towards the marchers, pool could see President Biden cover his mouth with his hand and shake his head. When the video ended he leaned over and said something to Rep. Clyburn. Pastor Holt spoke again, invoking Dr. King's use of "the struggle" to refer to Rep. John Lewis with "good trouble." Holt quoted Galatians: "be not weary in doing what is right." Pastor Holt is preaching about MLK now, at 11:50. The president is still set to speak. |
| January 19, 2025 12:46 |
Travel Pool Report #11 — remarks at church The president began speaking at 12:31. He carried a black folder with him and opened it on the pulpit. "Every time I spend time in a Black church I think of one thing. The word 'hope.'" References two busts in his office: Dr. King and Bobby Kennedy. "I could not be standing here — I would not be standing, that's not hyperbole, here at this pulpit were it not for Jim Clyburn" "My dad used to say the greatest sin of all is the abuse of power" "Faith teaches us that the America of our dreams is always closer than we think." "I'm not going anywhere" — the congregation applauded and most stood. "It's been the honor of my life to serve as your president." The president stopped speaking at 12:44 and returned to his pew for the benediction. — Earlier, around 12 someone passed Rev. Holt a note and he looked at it and said "wrap up the sermon, who said that?" The congregation laughed, including President Biden, who laughed and gestured towards the reverend. Later, Rev. Holt: "The president said to me, where can I put my offering. Can I put it in your hand?" "The president gave his offering before he came through that door. That's the kind of man he is" State Sen. Deon Tedder: "Particularly in the Black community, you will always be known to us as one of the most consequential presidents" — the congregation applauded for President Biden and most stood. Rep. Clyburn spoke at 12:11: "I'm here today, with my longtime friend, thanking him for not being silent" "Joe Biden has been what this country needed," said Rep. Clyburn, seeming to get choked up. "People don't always appreciate it." … "but when people look back, they appreciate. So I want to say to you, good friend. Very little appreciation has been shown recently. But faint not." |
| January 19, 2025 12:55 |
Travel Pool Report #12 — rolling The motorcade is rolling from the church at 12:54. |
| January 19, 2025 13:14 |
Travel Pool Report #13 — museum The motorcade stopped outside the International African American History Museum at 1:11. Pool is holding. Crowds of people waved and filmed as the motorcade passed. There was a 'Thank You Joe' sign on a telephone pole. A group of about 10 people chanted 'Biden is a war criminal' and held a green banner that read 'Biden's Legacy=genocide.' |
| January 19, 2025 | [APP Note: Report #14 was not received by the APP.] |
| January 19, 2025 18:07 |
Travel Pool Report #14a — note Note on pool report #14: At the Gullah Geechee exhibit when the president said "You should have a statue of Joe in here," pool was ushered out as the rest of the conversation was happening. It appeared as though the president was referencing the former mayor of Charleston, Joe Riley, who was in the room, not himself. |
| January 19, 2025 14:27 |
Travel Pool Report #15 — second exhibit The president and first lady entered the Caroline Gold exhibit room at 2:22. Dr. Matthews told them the exhibit talks about "the institution of slavery," "the technology and innovation that the enslaved people brought,"and "individual people." Pool couldn't quite see the president the whole time, but he was standing with his hands clasped as he listened. Pool was ushered out at 2:25. There were images and text on the walls of the room, and small models in display cases of what looked like villages. |
| January 19, 2025 15:34 |
Travel Pool Report #16 — speaking program Rev. Joseph Darby is speaking now, at 3:33. The speaking program is below. The president is speaking outside in a space under the museum, which is on the waterfront. The building sits on columns, and the open spaces between them are blocked by tents. There's a stage with a podium and risers behind it, where a choir performed. The audience is seated in chairs in front. Above the stage there's a blue sign that says "President Joe Biden" and below in larger letters, "Soul of the Nation." There are banners on either side of the stage that say "President Joe Biden" beneath the seal of the President. The remarks are live-streamed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=WJssLFeCG6I From the WH: Participating in a photoline with the President and the First Lady at the International African American Museum: Secretary Lloyd Austin, Department of Defense The President is delivering remarks at the International African American Museum. Speaking Program |
| January 19, 2025 16:14 |
Travel Pool Report #17 — POTUS speaking The president walked onstage at 4:06 after Rep. Clyburn introduced him. The choir sang, and Rep. Clyburn gave President Biden a Carolina maple wood and handwoven sweet grass basket. (It looks like a shallow basket — pool is too far to see). The choir sang again and POTUS began speaking at 4:13. Before the president, Rep. Clyburn and Dr. Biden spoke. The choir sang between speakers. FLOTUS began speaking at 3:37, for about 3 mins. "Thank you for carrying us forward with kindness. With our whole hearts, we love you, South Carolina!" Rep. Clyburn spoke for about 19 minutes starting at 3:47. "We know Joe. But most importantly, Joe knows us. And he has demonstrated in these 4 years how well he knows the American people." Some people in the audience wiped their eyes as Rep. Clyburn talked about Dr. King's legacy, and then the Biden administration's efforts like the infrastructure act and capping insulin costs. |
| January 19, 2025 16:29 |
Travel Pool Report #18 — more from speech President Biden finished speaking at 4:26. He and Dr. Biden hugged and shook hands with some people in the choir before the choir started singing again. They waved to the audience. Pool is heading to the motorcade at 4:29. Reminder that remarks were streamed. A couple notes: POTUS thanked former EPA Administrator Michael Regan and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (both in the audience). "He has a heart as big as his head. An incredibly man." (About Austin) There were loud cheers when POTUS introduced Hunter. "This museum is so important because …. It embodies the truth that Black history is American history" "We must know the good, the bad, the truth about who we are. That's what great nations do." "We know the battle for the soul of America continues" |
| January 19, 2025 16:34 |
Travel Pool Report #19 — rolling The motorcade is rolling at 4:34. Pool didn't see the president get into his SUV. |
| January 19, 2025 16:58 |
Travel Pool Report #20 — motorcade at AF1 The motorcade stopped at Charleston Air Force Base at 4:55. The president and first lady boarded the plane at 4:56. We're wheels up for JBA shortly. There were people lining the road outside the museum waving and filming. Someone held another "Thank You Joe" sign. |
| January 19, 2025 18:06 |
Travel Pool Report #21 — JBA AF1 was wheels up from Charlotte at 5:11 and landed at JBA at 6:04pm. From the WH: Traveling with the President and the First Lady aboard Air Force One en route to Joint Base Andrews: Rep. Jim Clyburn (SC-06) |
| January 19, 2025 18:21 |
Travel Pool Report #22 — rolling The president, wearing a baseball cap, and the first lady walked down the steps of AF1 at 6:18. They talked to the greeters for a moment and got into their SUV. The motorcade is rolling from JBA at 6:21. |
| January 19, 2025 18:49 |
Travel Pool Report #23 — Arrived at WH The motorcade stopped at the White House at 6:47. Pool didn’t see the president go inside. From the WH: Greeting the President and the First Lady upon arrival to Joint Base Andrews: Colonel Angela F. Ochoa, Commander, 89th Airlift Wing |
| January 19, 2025 19:03 |
Travel Pool Report #24 — lid The White House called a lid at 7:01. Thanks to the rest of the pool for their help. Good night everyone! |
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Pool Reports of January 19, 2025 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/375906