Pool Reports of January 27, 2024

In town pool report #1 - call time pushed back

Good morning from today's print pooler.

Call time has been changed to 1:45 pm.

POTUS departure is still scheduled for 2:10 pm.

In town pool report #2 - departure/POTUS didn't take questions

POTUS exited the residence at 2:13 pm.

He waved to the pool but did not respond to shouted questions.

He boarded at 2:14 pm and Marine One was wheels up at 2:18 pm.

Handing POTUS off to the out of town pool...

From the White House:

Traveling with the President aboard Marine 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
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting

Travel pool report 1 - POTUS departs JBA for SC

Marine One landed Joint Base Andrews at 2:26 pm. POTUS stepped out of M1 at 2:29, wearing dark suit and light blue shirt. He chatted with a base official while strolling toward Air Force One, and was up and into the plane at 2:30. No gaggle with pool.

AF1 is rolling for Columbia SC at 2:34

Programming note: here's the link to C-SPAN livestream of South Carolina Democratic Party dinner, starting at 6 pm:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?533214-1/president-biden-campaigns-columbi...

From the WH:

Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to ColumbiaMetropolitan 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
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
John McCarthy, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor for Political Engagement
Terry Wolff, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Senior Director for the Middle East and North Africa

Travel pool report 2 - AF1 lands Columbia SC

AF1 landed Columbia Metro Airport in West Columbia, SC, at 3:43pm. It's 71 degrees and cloudy.

Potus stepped down stairs of AF1 at 3:54, weeping light blue top zip pullover. Greeted by Rep Jim Clyburn, huddled and chatted with a family (names below). POTUS posed for a photo w Rep Virginia Newman, taken by Rep Clyburn.

POTUS then climbed into the Beast.

Motorcade rolling at 4:00 pm.

From WH:

Greeting the President upon arrival at ColumbiaMetropolitan Airport:

Representative Jim Clyburn (SC-06)
Virginia Newman, Guest of Representative Clyburn
Tem Miles, Mayor of West Columbia
Catherine Miles, Wife of Tem Miles
Cate Miles, Daughter of Tem Miles

Travel pool report 3 - travelers in motorcade

From the WH:

Traveling with the President via motorcade:

Representative Jim Clyburn (SC-06)
Virginia Newman, Guest of Representative Clyburn
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
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
John McCarthy, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor for Political Engagement
Terry Wolff, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Senior Director for the Middle East and North Africa

Travel pool report 4 - OTR at barbershop

Motorcade made an OTR stop 4:19 at a barbershop in Columbia.

More TK

Trip to OTR was uneventful until we got a big pocket of shouting protesters in downtown Columbia. One sign said Gaza Is Starving. People waved Palestinian flags.

Travel pool report 5 - barbershop visit: Regal Lounge

At 4:20, pool was escorted into the packed Regal Lounge, a predominantly African American men's barbershop and salon in Columbia.

As we entered, POTUS was already greeting customers, stylists and staff. Accompanying him were WH press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, former Columbia Mayor Stephen Benjamin (now WH Director of Public Engagement), Quentin Fulks (principal deputy Biden campaign manager), Rep Clyburn.

Pool was escorted back to van at 4:26.

Travel pool report 6 - barbershop color

In the barbershop, a Secret Service agent told a barber to put down his razor - shaving cream still on the customer's head. The barber looked momentarily confused, then (judging by the expression on his face) understood why he was asked to do that, and complied. Thank you to Mike Memoli of NBC, who saw this unfold.

Pool still holding in motorcade.

Travel pool report 7 - greeters at barbershop

The President is stopping by Regal Lounge – Men's Barber & Spa.

Greeting the President upon arrival:

Landry and Chynna Phillips, co-owners of Regal Lounge – Men's Barber & Spa

Travel pool report 9 - Biden emerges from barbershop

POTUS emerged from the Regal Lounge at 4:49.

Motorcade on the move again at 4:51. Ten minute ride to state fairgrounds, where potus will address the South Carolina Democratic Party dinner.

Side note: there were two pool tables inside the Regal Lounge. Two guys were playing pool during Biden's visit.

Travel pool report 10- state fairgrounds arrival

Motorcade arrived at SC state fairgrounds at 4:57 pm.

(Last pool report (9) should have been number 8 so picking up here with 10. Apologies for that!)

Travel pool report 11- run of show/CSPAN link

From the WH:

On behalf of the Biden-Harris campaign:

The President is delivering remarks at a political event at the South Carolina Democratic Party's First in the Nation Dinner. Here is the link to the livestream: https://www.c-span.org/video/?533214-1/president-biden-campaigns-columbi...

Pre-Program
Christale Spain, Chair, South Carolina Democratic Party
Reverend Becky Shirley, Senior Minister, Washington Street United Methodist Church, Columbia
Cody Lidge
Michelle Brandt, South Carolina Democratic Party 3rd Vice Chair
Representative Dean Phillips (MN-03)
Anisha Green

Speaking Program
Secretary Marcia Fudge, Department of Housing and Urban Development (appearing in a personal capacity)
Jaime Harrison, Chair, Democratic National Committee
Representative Jim Clyburn (SC-06)
The President

Travel pool report 12 - Rep. Ro Khanna gaggled with press

Right before the SC Democratic Party dinner program started, Rep. Ro Khanna of California -- on the speaking program here right after POTUS – gaggled with assembled press. Otter link:

https://otter.ai/u/uNaLMWrX2Phy3H89ivoYoBBeB6w

A few excerpts:

"Donald Trump being the nominee has given clarity to the stakes. And I'm seeing people really being enthusiastic about the president's reelection."

"The party is now realizing the stakes. They realize that abortion is on the ballot. They realize that the economy for the working class is on the ballot, and they're unified behind the president. And you're going to have a lot of progressive leaders like me go out and make the case that young voters, the progressives, the independents, that we've got to rally around the President as the best chances for peace in the Middle East, the best chance to have a progressive agenda for the working class.

q. Biden seems to be losing ground in the black vote:

"I don't see it here! I think he's doing very, very well. And once the economic message starts to come through, in the contrast, I think he's gonna win that overwhelmingly."

Travel pool report 13 - Dean Phillips gaggle

After addressing the SC Democratic Party dinner, Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota - candidate for president - gaggled with reporters. Your pooler was too far away to hear, but Ken Thomas of WSJ kindly shared his Otter recording:

https://otter.ai/u/yqBTscamnX55RLXBZCg36vTOxwg?utm_source=copy_url

Travel pool report 14 - 2 minute warning to POTUS

Two minute warning to Biden.

Before POTUS takes the stage, a bit of color:

"First in the nation" is a big theme at this dinner, a celebration of South Carolina's new status as host of the first Democratic primary that will award delegates (unlike New Hampshire). Every table has a stack of souvenir mugs labeled "First in the Nation."

DNC Chair Jaime Harrison, a South Carolinian, began his introduction of Rep. Jim Clyburn, also of SC, with this message: "To our national press, welcome to the first in the nation." Rep. Clyburn is introducing POTUS.

There are several hundred attendees at this dinner, taking place at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds.

Travel pool report 15 - POTUS remarks begin

After a 24-minute introduction by Rep. Jim Clyburn, Democrat of South Carolina, POTUS took the stage to a standing ovation at 7:37 pm.

C-SPAN is livestreaming here:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?533214-1/president-biden-campaigns-columbi...

Travel pool report 16 - color/protesters/"I'd shut down the border right now" if bill becomes law

POTUS took the stage to a standing ovation and chants of "four more years." He started off speaking softly, and gained volume as he kept talking.

At 7:42, a pro-Palestinian protester disrupted POTUS' speech, but she was drowned out by chants of "four more years."

At 7:44, more disruption from protesters. Crowd chants "four more years."

At 7:56, Biden said of border security legislation: "If that bill was a law today, I'd shut down the border right now."

At 7:58: Protester shouted repeatedly "Declare a climate emergency, I'm scared for my future." Security dragged the young man out.

Other highlights (check against transcript):

"Jim [Clyburn] is the reason I'm president, because he endorsed me and got all of you to help me."

"We're tired of being played for suckers, we're going to get these prices down."

"Record employment, including the lowest number of Black unemployment in history"

"Promises made and promises kept" - we defeated Big Pharma. $35 a month insulin. "Today, more Americans, more Black Americans, have health insurance than ever." Highlights additional student loans that will be forgiven. Talks up HBCUs of South Carolina and their students. "I've invested so far $7 billion in HBCUs."

"I'm proud we have the most diverse administration in history." Talks up his nomination of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, says she is "smarter than all the rest."

"The only loser I see is Donald Trump." Some in crowd chant "Loser Trump, loser Trump."

"By the way, have you noticed, he's a little confused these days. He can't tell Nikki Haley from Nancy Pelosi."

Promises to restore "Roe v. Wade as the law of the land.'

"We'll stand with the truth to beat the lies."

"America's democracy was at risk, and we saved it. Are you with me?"

At 8:02, POTUS brought the crowd to its feet as he wrapped his remarks.

Travel pool report 17 - motorcade rolling

Motorcade rolled from state fairgrounds at 8:14.

Travel pool report 18 - lid

Motorcade pulled into RON at 8:20. We have a travel/photo lid. Good night!