Pool Reports of January 30, 2023

Travel pool report #1 — Biden-Netherlands PM call

From the WH: "President Biden spoke this morning with Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands as part of our ongoing close coordination on regional security issues, including Ukraine."

Travel pool report #2 — en route DANG

POTUS and pool are en route to DANG, motorcade rolling at 12:49 p.m.

Travel pool report #3 — takeoff from DANG

Motorcade arrived at DANG at 12:59 p.m. Your pooler was not able to catch a glimpse of POTUS boarding Marine One, which took off at 1:05 p.m

Here's who's traveling with the president to Fort McHenry, per the WH:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Chief of Staff and Executive Secretary

The pool baton is now handed off to the supplemental pool, who are waiting for POTUS' arrival in Baltimore.

Supplemental Travel Pool Report #1: Checking in from Baltimore

Hello,

I will be your print pooler today. The supplemental travel pool has been swept and is awaiting POTUS in a holding area at Fort McHenry.

I spotted Maryland Gov. Wes Moore speaking with former NOLA Mayor and current WH Senior Advisor and Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu near the pool holding area.

This is on the schedule for today per the WH advisory.

Time

12:50 PM THE PRESIDENT departs New Castle, Delaware en route Baltimore, Maryland
Delaware Air National Guard Base, New Castle, Delaware
Out-of-Town Pool

1:25 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives in Baltimore, Maryland
Fort McHenry Landing Zone, Baltimore, Maryland
Supplemental Pool

2:45 PM THE PRESIDENT discusses how Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding will replace the 150-year old Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel; The Secretary of Transportation attends
Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel North Portal, Baltimore, Maryland
Open Press

3:45 PM THE PRESIDENT departs Baltimore, Maryland en route the White House
Fort McHenry Landing Zone, Baltimore, Maryland
Supplemental Pool

4:05 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives at the White House
South Lawn
Open Press (Gather 3:55 PM – Palm Room Doors)

Supplemental Travel Pool Report #2: M1 lands in Baltimore, motorcade rolling

M1 landed at 1:37 on a patch of grass at Fort McHenry.

POTUS emerged from M1 at 1:40 and at spoke briefly with Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and MD Gov. Wes Moore. At 1:41, they all entered the same car in the motorcade, which began rolling at 1:42 en route to the Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel North Portal.

From the WH:

Greeting the President at Fort McHenry Landing Zone, Baltimore, Maryland:

Governor Wes Moore, MD
Brandon Scott, Mayor of Baltimore, MD

Supplemental Travel Pool Report #3: motorcade arrives

The motorcade arrived at the location at 1:58.

Your pooler did not spot POTUS exit his vehicle.

Press has peeled off from POTUS and is in a the outdoor press holding area.

POTUS' remarks will be livestreamed on YouTube.

The ride to the location was uneventful.

Dozens of onlookers and about 2 dogs near Fort McHenry stood on the sidewalks holding their iPhones recording the motorcade as it drove by. Two people stood with an American flag and an "I stand with Ukraine" flag. Near the event location, a member of the pool spotted a woman stick her head out the window to look at the motorcade near the event.

From the WH:

Participating in a photoline with the President at Lazarus Center, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland:

Senator Ben Cardin (MD)
Senator Chris Van Hollen (MD)
Representative John Sarbanes (MD-03)
Representative Steny Hoyer (MD-05)
Representative Kweisi Mfume (MD-07)
Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimore, MD
Brooke Lierman, Maryland Comptroller
Secretary Paul Wiedefeld, Maryland Department of Transportation
John "Johnny" Olszewski Jr., County Executive, Baltimore County, MD
Holly Arnold, Administrator, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
Barbara Mikulski, Former Senator, State of Maryland

Traveling with the President via motorcade en route Lazarus Center, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland:

Governor Wes Moore, MD
Brandon Scott, Mayor of Baltimore, MD
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Chief of Staff and Executive Secretary
Carla Frank, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of the Office of Political Strategy & Outreach
Sheila Grant, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Presidential Speechwriter
Travis Dredd, Special Assistant to the President & Trip Director
Mitch Landrieu, Senior Advisor & Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator

Supplemental Travel Pool Report #4: POTUS remarks begin

At 2:44pm ET.

From the WH: The President is delivering remarks on how Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding will replace the 150-year old Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel to address the largest bottleneck for commuters on the Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C. and New Jersey.

Attendees
Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Department of Transportation
Governor Wes Moore, MD
Senator Ben Cardin (MD)
Senator Chris Van Hollen (MD)
Representative Kweisi Mfume (MD-07)
Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller (MD)
Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimore, MD
Local elected officials, labor leaders and advocates, union members, and longtime supporters.

Pre-Program
Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller (MD)
Stephen Gardner, CEO of Amtrak
Representative Kweisi Mfume (MD-07)
Senator Chris Van Hollen (MD)
Senator Ben Cardin (MD)
Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Department of Transportation
Governor Wes Moore, MD

Speaking Program
The President Note— your pooler has been told that Barbara Mikulski, Former Senator, State of Maryland is NOT in attendance.

Supplemental Travel Pool Report #5: POTUS remarks end

POTUS' remarks ended at 3:06pm.

Supplemental Travel Pool Report #6: motorcade rolling

At 3:11pm en route to Fort McHenry

Your pooler did not see POTUS enter his vehicle.

Supplemental Travel Pool Report #7: motorcade arrives, M1 wheels up

The motorcade arrived to Fort McHenry at 3:25.

Your pooler did not see Biden emerge from the beast or enter M1. A member of the pool spotted Mitch Landrieu, Senior Advisor & Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator enter M1.

M1 had wheels up at 3:31.

Per the WH guidance, M1 is en route to the South Lawn. I'm handing it off to the in town pooler.

The ride to the fort was uneventful. About a dozen people stood on the sidewalk neat the fort holding iPhones. Your pooler spotted one woman wearing a Biden shirt and a man holding an American flag.

Supplemental Travel Pool Report #7a: details on M1 travel

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

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Chief of Staff and Executive Secretary

In-town pool report #1 - checking in

Hello from sunny Washington. I'm your in-town pooler today.

The White House says POTUS is running a few minutes ahead of schedule for his arrival back at the White House this afternoon. He was scheduled to arrive at 4:05 pm. I'll send a new time when we have it.

In-town pool report #2 - gather

We are gathering now for President Biden's arrival at the White House.

In-town pool report #4 - arrival

President Biden, donning his aviators, arrived on the South Lawn at 3:57 pm. He walked toward a crowd of who your pooler thinks are staffers and shook hands for about five minutes.

He then walked over to the press and took several questions. Your pooler had a hard time hearing so thanks to several reporters who helped piece this together. These are not direct quotes. I'll try to send cleaner quotes when I have them.

Q: Will the US provide F-16s to Ukraine?

A: No.

Someone asked about the conversation with the Dutch PM today and Biden said the conversation was private.

Q: What are you going to discuss with McCarthy?

A: (not direct quote) - show me your budget and I'll show you mine.

Q: Have your views on community policing changed?

A: No ... We need community policing ... we need to have a relationship with the community .. have psychologists and psychiatrists.

Biden was also asked if he will visit Europe for the one-year anniversary of the Ukraine war and he said "I'm not sure."

In response to a separate question, Biden said he was planning to visit Poland but didn't yet know when.

Q: Would you be willing to meet with the CBC on police reform?

A: Yes

He also said he still wants the George Floyd Act passed.

In-town pool report #5 - lid

The White House called a lid at 4:26 pm.

Have a great night, everyone!