Pool Reports by Philip Wegmann, RealClearPolitics
| Sent: | Reports: |
| July 20, 2022 11:16 |
In-Town Pool Report #1: Hello It is Wednesday. The weather is hot. I am your in-town print pooler. President Biden is expected to depart the White House at 11:45AM. Otherwise, per the public schedule, it seems like a quiet day here on campus. |
| July 20, 2022 12:04 |
In-Town Pool Report #2: Departure President Biden exited the Oval Office at 11:48am in a blue suit and strolled to Marine One with his hand in his pocket. The press shouted questions. The president waved and kept walking. Kate Bedingfield and her family braved the heat to watch the president depart. Marine One offered a much welcome breeze. Wheels were up 11:53am. Per the White House, traveling with the President on Marine One with the President: |
| July 20, 2022 12:33 |
In-Town Pool Report #3: AF1 Gaggle The White House advises that there will be a gaggle at 12:45 PM aboard AF1. |
| July 20, 2022 13:19 |
In-Town Pool Report #4: Technical Difficulties Just now the White House passes along the following: "Due to technical issues, we were unable to livestream the gaggle. We will provide a link to the audio shortly." |
| July 20, 2022 14:01 |
In-Town Pool Report #5: Gaggle Audio White House passes along the audio from the gaggle: |
| July 20, 2022 17:49 |
In-Town Pool Report #6: Arrival Marine One landed at the White House at 5:38pm. President Biden, sans tie, stepped onto the South Lawn at 5:41pm. He walked past shouting reporters, indicating that he previously took questions from our out-of-town pool colleagues, and entered the Oval Office at 5:42pm. |
| July 20, 2022 17:51 |
In-Town Pool Report #7: Lid Just now, the White House called a lid for the night. |
Pool Reports below by Eli Stokols, Los Angeles Times
| Sent: | Reports: |
| July 20, 2022 12:10 |
Out of town pool report #1 - JBA ?Marine One touched down at JBA at 12:03 p.m. and rolled to a stop moments later. POTUS, wearing in a blue suit and tie and his aviator sunglasses, stepped off and walked across a steamy tarmac to Air Force One. He waved to the pool and boarded using the front stairs at 12:08 after a salute and wave from the top. No remarks to the pool. Pool did see a contingent of Massachusetts Democrats — Senators Markey and Warren, as well as Reps. Auchincloss and Keating — boarding AF1 at 11:46. They declined to come talk to the pool. We are on the smaller AF1 today for the flight to T.F. Green International Airport in Warwick, RI. We’ll be wheels up very shortly. From the WH: Greeting the President on arrival at Joint Base Andrews: Traveling with the President on Air Force One en route Somerset, MA: |
| July 20, 2022 13:32 |
Out of town pool report #2 - AF1 wheels down ??AF1 was wheels up from JBA at 12:17 p.m. and wheels down at 1:11 at T.F. Green International Airport just east of Providence, RI. POTUS stepped off at 1:28. He has lost the necktie but is still wearing the aviators. The contingent of Massachusetts lawmakers, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, came down the steps behind him and waited as he chatted with the official greeters. They are riding separately to the event, not with POTUS in his SUV. We are hustling to vans now and will be motorcading shortly to Brayton Point Power Station in Somerset, which is about 25 minutes away. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and climate adviser Gina McCarthy gaggled for about 20 minutes toward the end of the flight. It sounds like there was an issue with transmitting the audio live, but the WH says they will send it out ASAP. Here is a short summary thanks to co-poolers Seung Min Kim and Ken Thomas: McCarthy previewed Biden remarks today, describing how the POTUS EO will fund new cooling centers to help vulnerable populations take shelter from extreme heat. On a climate emergency declaration said Biden and WH are still researching the option, no details as to the hold up. The intent is to still meet emissions targets without legislation, "wait and see" if possible. Karine took over the gaggle for the final seven or so minutes. She said Biden wants to sign the same sex marriage bill into law, legislative affairs in touch with Congress on bill. Pennsylvania trip tomorrow will build on successes of gun law; WH will likely have backgrounder later tonight on preview. Still considering public health emergency on abortion. On whether those two are competing priorities when it comes to declaring an emergency, both issues are important to POTUS. From the WH: On background from a White House official: The President will make clear today that climate change is an existential threat to our nation and to the world. And he will make clear that since Congress is not acting on this emergency, he will. In the coming days and weeks, the President will continue to announce executive actions that we have developed to combat this emergency. President Biden will visit a former coal-fired power plant that is becoming a manufacturing hub for undersea cables that will support Massachusetts's booming offshore wind industry – a key example of how the President's clean energy leadership is accelerating the transformation of the U.S. power sector away from the pollution, environmental injustice, and volatile price swings of the past toward the good-paying jobs, lower costs, and energy security of the future. President Biden will announce his latest set of executive actions to turn the climate crisis into an opportunity, including protecting communities facing extreme heat with additional FY22 funding for FEMA's Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program and additional guidance to support the Department of Health and Human Services Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). And, the President will announce additional actions to boost the domestic offshore wind industry. The President ran on fighting the urgent economic and national security threat of climate change, and today's actions will be a continuation of the decisive steps on climate that the President has taken since day one. Greeting the President upon arrival at T.F. Green International Airport: |
| July 20, 2022 14:12 |
Out of town pool report #3 - motorcade arrives at Somerset power plant Motorcade departed the airport at 1:38 p.m. and arrived at 2:05 after an uneventful drive that took us past downtown Providence and across the Providence River and the Massachusetts line. There were several hundreds gathered along the road in Somerset after we pulled off the highway. A large contingent of sign-waving, bird-flipping Trump fans greeted POTUS rather rudely. Some supporters stood closer to the power plant. Some held a large red banner that read: "Declare National Climate Emergency." Pool is heading over to where POTUS will deliver remarks, which are scheduled for 2:45 and will be live-streamed at whitehouse.gov/live |
| July 20, 2022 14:45 |
Out of town pool report #4 - Biden remarks begin At 2:40 p.m., POTUS's motorcade pulled up to the stage, which is positioned in what is essentially a rock pile on the edge of Brayton Point. Biden stepped onto the stage and began speaking at 2:43. From the WH: In attendance for the President’s remarks on climate: Members of Congress, members of the administration, elected officials, and guests Run of show: The President Participating in a photo line with the President: John Kerry, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate |
| July 20, 2022 15:08 |
Out of town pool report #5 - Biden wraps POTUS concluded his remarks at 3:02 p.m. and is walking back to his SUV at 3:04, flanked by John Kerry and other lawmakers. He seemed to be ignoring shouted questions from other reporters on site as the pool was directed back to the vans. Motorcade is rolling back to the airport at 3:07. |
| July 20, 2022 15:25 |
Out of town pool report #6 - motorcade delayed, still at plant POTUS’s motorcade came to a halt just after pulling through a set of gates and we have been sitting here, still on the grounds of the plant in Somerset, for more than 15 minutes now. No explanation given yet for the stop or delay — will send another note when we are moving again. |
| July 20, 2022 15:38 |
Out of town pool report #7 - motorcade rolling After a nearly 30-minute pause, POTUS’s motorcade is rolling away from the power plant at 3:35 p.m. |
| July 20, 2022 16:09 |
Out of town pool report #8 - AF1 departing RI Motorcade arrived back at T.F. Green International Airport at 4:01 p.m. after an uneventful drive. POTUS’s SUV stopped beside AF1 at 4:05. POTUS — jacket off — boarded AF1 using the front stairs at 4:06, waving from the top. We’ll be wheels up for JBA shortly. Also, per our wrangler, the motorcade delay earlier was so POTUS could catch up with people who weren’t flying back with him. |
| July 20, 2022 17:11 |
Out of town pool report #9 - JBA return AF1 was wheels up at 4:16 p.m. and wheels down at JBA at 5:08. Taxiing now. |
| July 20, 2022 17:30 |
Out of town pool report #10 - Marine One lifts - Biden speaks to the pool ?POTUS stepped off AF1 at 5:18 p.m., smiling as he descended the stairs, and came over to talk to the pool for about three minutes. On declaring a national climate emergency, he said "I'm running the traps on the authority that I do have" and "will make a decision on that soon." Asked if he has any faith in getting Sen. Manchin to agree to some of the climate provisions, Biden said: "I haven't spoken with Senator Manchin." On Speaker Pelosi plans to visit Taiwan, POTUS said, "The military thinks it's not a good idea right now." He said he believes he will talk to President Xi "in the next 10 days." He demurred when asked what he might tell him about tariffs. Declaring a public health emergency over abortion rights, he said, was "still under consideration." TV pool should have playback soon. Please check quotes against transcript. He turned away after taking 5-6 questions and stepped onto M1 at 5:23 and lifting at 5:29. Handing off to in-town-pool. |
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Pool Reports of July 20, 2022 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/357066