Pool Reports of January 24, 2024

In-town pool report #1

Good afternoon! It's an overcast day here at the White House.

The motorcade began rolling from the WH at 1:18 pm for the Marriott Marquis where POTUS will deliver remarks at a political event.

From the White House:

Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to the Marriott Marquis:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Steve Ricchetti, Assistant to the President & Counselor to the President
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
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Lael Brainard, Assistant to the President & National Economic Advisor
Gene Sperling, Senior Advisor to the President & White House American Rescue Plan Coordinator
Andrew Bates, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Press Secretary & Senior Communications Advisor for Strategic Response
Dilpreet Sidhu, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Deputy Chief of Staff

In-town pool report #2 – arrival at event

The motorcade passed a protestor on the drive holding up a sign calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, and a little later a small group of protesters chanting "ceasefire now."

The motorcade stopped at the Marriott at 1:25. Pool didn't see POTUS enter. He's set to give remarks at the annual conference of the United Auto Workers union, according to Bloomberg.

There's a link to the president's remarks on C-SPAN: https://www.c-span.org/video/?533159-1/president-biden-remarks-united-au...

In-town pool report #3 – speaking program

From the White House:

The President is delivering remarks at a political event. Here is the link to the livestream: https://www.youtube.com/uawunion

Speaking Program
Shawn Fain, President, United Auto Workers (UAW)
The President

In-town pool report #4 – remarks, UAW endorsement

UAW President Shawn Fain stepped up to the podium at 1:56 and the audience stood and applauded and chanted "UAW."

A few quotes from Fain:

"Everything we do as a union must be about taking back our power as a working class. That's what being UAW really means."

"We've got to start looking to the future and making sure that working people, not just the wealthy, are gonna be secure."

"Advances in technology don't have to lead to plant closings … we should be the masters of technology, not let it master us and force us to work even more for less."

"I know there are some people that want to ignore this election… elections aren't about just picking your best friend for the job….. elections are about power."

"This November, we can stand up and elect someone who stands with us and supports our cause, or we can elect someone who will divide us and fight us every step of the way. … the question is, who do we want in that office to give us the best shot at winning?" — to that, people in the audience cheered and clapped and yelled "Joe Biden"

Fain pointed to a Biden quote projected on the screens in support of auto unions and the audience cheered. Fain highlighted quotes from Donald Trump, including one about the unions "hurting" the auto industry, and many in the audience booed.

"President Biden, on the other hand, has made changes at the National Labor Relations Board that have opened new opportunity for organizing…"

"Rarely as a union do you get so clear of a choice between two candidates"

A blank white square was projected onto the screens at one point, which Fain said was a picture of what Trump did for American auto workers.

"During our standup strike, [Biden] heard the call and he stood up," said Fain, — "the first time a sitting president has ever done that" (stepped out on the picket line)

"Joe Biden bet on the American worker while Donald Trump blamed the American worker…. So if our endorsements must be earned, Joe Biden has earned it."

"Today I'm proud to stand up here with your international executive board and announce that the UAW is endorsing Joe Biden for president of the United States," said Fain to more chants of "UAW"

POTUS stepped onstage at 2:29 wearing a black suit and blue and red striped tie. He and Fain shook hands, and the audience chanted "Joe Joe Joe." Biden put on a black UAW ball cap.

A few POTUS quotes:

"It's great to be home."

"I kept my commitment to be the most pro-union president ever."

"I'll say I was so damn proud to stand on that picket line with you… it's not the first time I've stood on a picket line in my home state of Delaware. I've done it many times. But it was the first time a president did it, I found out later."

"You make sure the auto future of the world will be made in America," he said to cheers.

"Since I came into office, with your help we've created 14 million new jobs."

"We have a big fight in front of us. We're fundamentally changing the economy of this country," said Biden, as people in the audience nodded.

"Thank you. I could not be more proud or more honored that you've chosen to stand with me," said Biden, and the audience shouted "four more years."

Around 2:36 Biden's speech was interrupted by chants of UAW, but it seemed as though the audience chanting UAW was trying to drown out other noise, and it looked as though people were ushered out of the room. Pool was too far away to see and hear clearly. Some posts on X show Gaza protesters being taken out of the room, but again, pool did not see firsthand. (Post from Katie Rogers: https://x.com/katierogers/status/1750241971514273898?s=46&t=4XsJER0Vl3T-ZfYXom0D-A)

POTUS finished his remarks at 2:51, put the UAW ball cap back on, shook hands with Fain again, turned back to the mic once more to say "let's spread the faith," and then walked off stage at 2:52.

The stage had blue curtains on either side behind projector screens showing photos of people holding signs from UAW strikes. Directly behind the president was a big UAW banner reading "Stand up for our future"

The rest of the room was filled with people wearing red UAW t-shirts and sitting around tables.

Please check quotes against transcript or video.

In-town pool report #5 – motorcade rolling

At 3:02 the motorcade is rolling back to the White House.

In-town pool report #6 — back at White House

On the way back the motorcade passed a couple small groups of protesters yelling "Ceasefire now," and someone holding a yellow sign with the words "full ceasefire in Gaza now."

The motorcade rolled up to the White House at 3:08 and POTUS walked inside at 3:09.

In-town pool report #7 — lid

We have a travel/photo lid at 5:14.

Good night!