Pool Reports by Jeff Mordock, The Washington Times
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| January 31, 2023 09:11 |
In-town Pool Report #1 -- Checking in Good morning from a rain soaked last day of January in Washington, D.C. I'll be your In-Town pooler and I've been tested. There appear to be no changes to POTUS schedule, which includes a trip to NYC. Here is the schedule below 9:o0 AM THE PRESIDENT receives the Presidential Daily Briefing 9:30 AM In-Town Pool Call Time 10:05 AM THE PRESIDENT departs the White House en route Joint Base Andrews 10:25 AM THE PRESIDENT departs Joint Base Andrews en route Queens, New York 11:20 AM THE PRESIDENT arrives in Queens, New York 11:30 AM THE PRESIDENT departs en route New York, New York 11:45 AM THE PRESIDENT arrives in New York, New York 12:30 PM THE PRESIDENT discusses how Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for the Hudson River Project will improve reliability for the 200,000 passenger trips per weekday on Amtrak and New Jersey Transit 3:30 PM THE PRESIDENT participates in a reception for the Democratic National Committee 4:45 PM THE PRESIDENT departs en route John F. Kennedy International Airport, Queens, New York 5:10 PM THE PRESIDENT departs en route Joint Base Andrews 6:15 PM THE PRESIDENT departs Joint Base Andrews en route the White House 6:25 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives at the White House |
| January 31, 2023 09:56 |
In-Town Pool Report #2 — Gathering for departure Gathering at the Palm Room doors for M1 departure |
| January 31, 2023 10:17 |
In-Town pool Report #3 — Departure POTUS exited at the residence at 10:06 M1 lifted off at 10:13. When asked what he would say to Speaker McCarthy when they meet on Wednesdays, POTUS replied, "Show me your budget." When asked about his decision to end the COVID -19. Said it was extended until May to "get everything done." He ignored a question about whether or not he'll sit down with the special counsel. POTUS also answered a question about about Zelenskyy but was walking away from press toward M1 and it answer was inaudible. Always check against the transcript. |
| January 31, 2023 10:22 |
In-Town Pool Report -- #4 -- Full COVID Quote Thanks to Kristen Welker and the NBC News staff for catching this one When asked about the COVID-19 emergency, He said, "The COVID Emergency will end when the Supreme Court ends it. We've extended it to May the 15th to make sure we get everything done. That's all." |
| January 31, 2023 11:04 |
In-Town Pool Report #5 — AF1 Gaggle begins AF1 gaggle started at 10:50. It can be streamed here |
| January 31, 2023 17:22 |
In-Town Pool Report #6 — gathering for arrival We are gathering at the Palm Room Doors at 5:20 for POTUS' expected arrival on the South Lawn |
| January 31, 2023 17:41 |
In-Town Pool Report #7 — Arrival Marine One Touched down at 5:38 POTUS exited the plane and walked straight into the residence, ignoring questions shouted at him. |
| January 31, 2023 17:47 |
In-Town Pool Report #8 -- Lid We have a lid at 5:45!! Enjoy your evening. It has been a pleasure being your pooler. |
Pool Reports below by Alexander Roarty, McClatchy
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| January 31, 2023 10:34 |
Travel pool report #1 — Biden arrival at JBA Good morning, I will be your travel pooler on this blustery and rainy January day in DC. The weather is supposed to be a little bit drier at the trip's destination, in New York City. Marine One touched down at Joint Base Andrews at 10:24. It taxi'd for a minute before arriving near the front of AF1. President Biden disembarked at 10:28, wearing blue jacket over his blue suit. He waved to the press but did not stop to take questions. We will be wheels up for NYC presently. From the White House: Greeting the President upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews: Colonel Gregory Adams Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route John F. Kennedy International Airport: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (NY) Pool saw Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Cory Booker board AF1 more than a half-hour before Biden arrived. Sen. Booker took lots of pictures with his phone of the plane but did not appear to see the pooler waving at him for an interview. A reminder of the rest of the day's schedule, including the press briefing that take place on Air Force One en route to NYC and feature Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator Mitch Landrieu. 11:20 AM THE PRESIDENT arrives in Queens, New York 11:30 AM THE PRESIDENT departs en route New York, New York 11:45 AM THE PRESIDENT arrives in New York, New York 12:30 PM THE PRESIDENT discusses how Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for the Hudson River Project will improve reliability for the 200,000 passenger trips per weekday on Amtrak and New Jersey Transit 3:30 PM THE PRESIDENT participates in a reception for the Democratic National Committee 4:45 PM THE PRESIDENT departs en route John F. Kennedy International Airport, Queens, New York 5:10 PM THE PRESIDENT departs en route Joint Base Andrews 6:15 PM THE PRESIDENT departs Joint Base Andrews en route the White House 6:25 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives at the White House Briefing Schedule Principal Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Dalton and Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator Mitch Landrieu will gaggle aboard Air Force One en route Queens, New York |
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| January 31, 2023 10:39 |
Travel pool report #2 wheels up We are wheels up from JBA at 10:37 for the roughly 55-minute flight to JFK Airport. |
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| January 31, 2023 11:16 |
Travel pool report #3 wheels down at JFK AF1 touched down at John F Kennedy International Airport at 11:15. One note for the day's first event: Pool has been informed there is no expectation of wi-fi or cell signal for the Hudson tunnel event, so expect a gap in pool reports when the president is underground. |
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| January 31, 2023 11:37 |
Travel pool report #4 Osprey lift off President Biden disembarked from AF1 at 11:24, amid a light flurry of snow here at JFK. He waved briefly to the press before making the short walk to Marine1. He ignored shouted questions from the press Pool was soon escorted to waiting ospreys located on another end of the airfield from Marine1. Pool was unable to see the president board Marine1 or watch it lift off. Osprey lifted off at 11:32, en route to Manhattan. |
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| January 31, 2023 11:55 |
Travel pool report #5 Marine One touchdown in Manhattan // motorcade rolling Marine One landed at the Wall Street LZ at 11:46 (pool landed in an Osprey a few minutes earlier.) Pool was unable to see Biden disembark from Marine One, was ushered out of LZ beforehand and directed to the motorcade. The Beast was pulling around the far side of Marine One when we were moved out. Motorcade is rolling at 11:53 Reminder that we have been told not to expect connectivity of any kind at the first event at Hudson Tunnel. From the White House: Traveling with the President aboard Marine One from John F. Kennedy International Airport en route Wall Street Landing Zone: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (NY) |
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| January 31, 2023 12:08 |
Travel report #6 arrival at Hudson Tunnel Motorcade arrived 12:06. Uneventful ride, with only intermittent small groups of people gathered to watch the president go by. With traffic stoped on 12th avenue running parallel to the Westside Highway one minivan had its door slid open to let the kids inside see the motorcade. |
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| January 31, 2023 12:18 |
Travel pool report #7 pre-Biden program underway Pool was escorted from the motorcade through a series of underground tunnels to the West Side Rail Yard in the Hudson Tunnel, where the announcement is taking place. Secretary of Transportation was addressing the assembled dignitaries when the pool walked in. Note: Pool did not see POTUS leave the motorcade upon arrival. Reminds the president's remarks can be seen live here: https://whitehouse.gov/live |
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| January 31, 2023 12:40 |
Travel pool report #8 — Biden begins speaking Biden began speaking at 12:39 He entered the space from behind a rail car off to the side of the lectern. You can watch it here:
Biden was preceded as a speaker by Buttigieg, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, Sens. Gillibrand and Booker, Sen. Bob Menendez, and, finally, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Aides adorned the presidential seal to the lectern before Biden spoke. One note: Booker said Biden's first two years in office presided over the most "successful" in "50, 75 years." He later took a picture of the assembled audience, admonishing Sen. Menendez to put down his phone and "smile." Some notes on the scenery: one of the train cars serving as a backdrop for the president's speech has two presidential emblems in its windows. Thirteen railway workers are also standing above him. |
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| January 31, 2023 13:17 |
Travel Pool Report #9 Biden speech ends The POTUS' speech ended at 12:58. Biden shook hands with lawmakers and other officials for a few minutes. He stopped to talk briefly with another group of railway workers before leaving but was out of earshot for the assembled reporters. Again, apologies if the event's reports have been on a delay — the pool had very limited internet connectivity during the event. Pool is now rushing back to the motorcade for departure to the DNC reception. |
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| January 31, 2023 13:28 |
Travel pool report #10 — motorcade rolling Motorcade is rolling as of 1:28 Pool was escorted once again through a series of tunnels back up to the waiting motorcade. Pool held for more the. 15 minutes but did not glimpse Biden before the motorcade started moving. From the White House: Participating in a photoline with the President at West Side Rail Yard: Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Department of Transportation |
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| January 31, 2023 14:06 |
Travel pool report #11 — arrival at DNC event Motorcade arrived at its destination on the Upper East side at 2:00, 32 minutes after departing from the Hudson tunnel event. Biden is scheduled to attend a DNC reception |
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| January 31, 2023 14:16 |
Travel pool report #12 pool holding Pool is holding inside an indoor basketball half-court — with what appears to be sunlight coming through the partially obfuscated windows above. No basketball provided. We are in the building where Biden's DNC event will take place and awaiting entry. |
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| January 31, 2023 14:29 |
Travel pool report #13 — DNC fundraiser details Democratic donor and former hedge fund exec Jeffrey Weber will introduce Biden, per the White House. Sen. Schumer is also in attendance. |
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| January 31, 2023 14:56 |
Travel pool report #14 Biden remarks first cut After being introduced by Weber, Biden spoke to a packed room of a little more than two dozen people attendees, many of them seated on a pair of couches in the middle of the room. Biden spoke near the front of the room with a microphone. Biden said he ran in 2020 to restore the soul of the country, rebuild the middle class, and unite the country. "The third is turning out to be the hardest thing to do, but we're getting there." Biden chided Republicans for, in his view, trying to cut Social Security and Medicare. He then talked about the threat of climate change. "It is the single most existential threat to humanity we have ever faced, including nuclear weapons." He said succeeding Trump was a "pretty low bar to climb" but said there was nonetheless a lot of work to do. He criticized House Speaker Kevin McCarthy for making "off-the-wall" promises to GOP leaders to secure his position and criticized the policies of his predecessor in the White House. Pool was then escorted out of the room. Much more to come |
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| January 31, 2023 15:03 |
Travel Pool report #15 — pool holding Pool is now back holding in the motorcade, awaiting POTUS' exit. One small update: a basketball eventually was found for the basketball court. |
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| January 31, 2023 15:23 |
Travel pool report #16 motorcade rolling Motorcade is rolling back to the Wall Street LZ as of 3:22. Pool did not see Biden enter the motorcade. |
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| January 31, 2023 15:27 |
travel pool report #17 more Biden remarks on McCarthy Biden called McCarthy a "decent man" but said he has to cater to cave to an extremist wing of his party to become speaker. "He had to do to get commitments that are just absolutely off the wall for speaker of the House to make in terms of the being able to come in. I can't imagine, Chuck, you making one of those commitments." Schumer, seated just feet from Biden, retorted: "It took us one vote, and it was unanimous." Biden reiterated criticism that the GOP had changed. "Look, this is not your father's Republican Party. No, I mean it, this is a different breed of cat." He said under his predecessor, the deficit increased by 25% in just four years. His administration, meanwhile, had reduced it by $1.7 trillion. "We paid for everything and grew the economy at the same time." Biden talked about what Democrats need to do sicceed in future elections. "But there's two things that I think we have to run on: what we stand for, what we did, and what we need to do more of." Biden highlighted education as one issue he and his administration needed to make more progress on. |
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| January 31, 2023 15:51 |
Travel pool report #18 — back at Wall St LZ // Marine One take-off Motorcade reached Marine One at the Wall St. LZ at 3:42. Pool did not see POTUS enter Marine One. Pool loaded into Ospreys and lifted off at 3:51 on our way back to JFK and Air Force One. Marine One took off at 3:49. |
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| January 31, 2023 16:11 |
Travel pool report #19 — back at JFK marine one landed at JFK at 4:05 before taxiing to near the front of AF1. Biden disembarked at 4:08. A light snow was falling at the airport. Biden saluted two members of the Air Force at the start of the steps up to AF1, and was followed by Sens. Schumer, Gillibrand and Booker. We will be wheels up shortly, back to JBA. |
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| January 31, 2023 16:22 |
Travel pool report #20 — wheels up from JFF Wheels up at 4:22, en route back to JBA. |
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| January 31, 2023 17:09 |
Travel Pool report #21 — wheels down Wheels down at JBA at 5:09 |
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| January 31, 2023 17:27 |
Travel Pool report #22 — Marine One lift off Biden de-planed at 5:19, saluted the members of the Air Force, and turned to walk to Marine One. Marine One, after taxiing away from AF1, lifted off at 5:26, en route to the White House. And that's it for your travel pooler today, handing off duties to the in-town pooler. Enjoy this fine January evening. |
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| January 31, 2023 17:36 |
Travel Pool Report #23 — traveling with Biden From the White House: Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route the White House: Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff |
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Pool Reports of January 31, 2023 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/359667