Pool Reports of July 7, 2023

Pool report #1: Lunch lid until 1:30; briefing at 2

Good morning,

Chris Kane here with the Washington Blade, your print pooler today.

The press briefing will begin at 2pm. Lunch lid until 1:30pm.

Pool report #2: Two-minute warning for briefing

Good afternoon,

We have a two-minute warning ahead of today's briefing

Pool report #3: briefing ends

Briefing concluded at 3:03 p.m. ET

Pool report #4: gathering at Palm Room doors

Good afternoon, gathering at the Palm Room doors ahead of the President's remarks in the East Room

Pool report #5: two min warning, background

Good afternoon,

We have a two minute warning. Additional background from the WH:

In attendance for the President's remarks on lowering health care costs for hardworking Americans:

Seniors, healthcare advocates, members of the Biden-Harris administration, and White House staff

Speaking Program
Cory Dowd, junk insurance enrollee left with over $30,000 in medical bills
The President

Pool report #6: Biden begins remarks

…at 3:48 p.m. ET

Pool report #7: Remarks end

The President finished his remarks at 4:06 p.m. More details TK

Pool report #8: Details on remarks in the East Room

Good afternoon,

Partial transcript of remarks from President Biden and Cory Dowd, junk insurance enrollee who was left with over $30,000 in medical bills.

Bracketed text is paraphrased or additions for clarity.

POTUS:

• I think this is a big deal. It's a big deal. And I have to thank my staff. And I mean that sincerely for focusing on the health care case. I didn't know some of this. I thought I knew health care.
• Look, your [Cory's] story, it turns out, it's very familiar to many Americans
• Too many nights, too many Americans lie awake [wondering what may happen if they or their spouses get sick]
• [Losing health insurance is] one of the most consequential things that can happen to a person
• Bidenomics - growing the economy from the middle out and bottom up - the jobs report shows that it's working
• Companies sneaking in junk fees...it matters to working folks. over the past few months we've cracked down on junk fees across different industries
• I'm pleased to announce we're making progress in healthcare. Junk fees are supposed to provide a few months of coverage. [The plans found they could] make more money by selling junk plans up to three years long. Americans expected real coverage.
• [These companies engage in predatory practices in two major ways]: you need emergency surgery but hidden in the fine print [the plan] says it will only cover a fraction. Another way is to not cover preexisting conditions
• My administration will close the loophole allowing junk insurance plans to exploit Americans [by requiring] short term plans to be four months or less; [requiring plans] to provide a disclaimer about what is and is not covered; and cracking down on surprise medical bills
• Evading the law and playing games to charge crazy outrageous prices has to end
• [Insurance plans] have got to reveal hidden facilities fees
• When I ran for President, I said trickle down economics doesn't work. Trickle down economics represents the moment when we walked away from how this country was built in the first place.
• Every American willing to work hard should be able to afford healthcare. That's Bidenomics.

Dowd:

• In 2018. I finished my service in the Peace Corps in Ghana, becoming a self employed contractor while I waited to enroll in grad school. For the first time in my life, I was responsible for buying my own health insurance. I was a healthy, active 32 year old with no reason to believe I'd be seriously sick
• But I wanted to be responsible and protect myself against the worst case scenario. So I purchased the six month plan with a high enough -- what I thought was great coverage, but just weeks before leaving for school, I woke up with a severe stomach ache and had an emergency surgery to remove my appendix
• A few months later, the hospital called to tell me that my insurance company was only paying for a few thousand dollars, and I was responsible for the rest, for the $37,000.
• It turned out that buried in the fine print [were] limits of how much they would pay for certain expenses, even emergencies.
• [He learned short-term health insurance plans didn't have to play by the same rules]

Pool report #9: supplemental pool gathered at Palm Room Doors

Good evening,

Handing it off to supplemental pooler Alexis Shanes from Bloomberg.

Have a great night,

Chris

Supplemental Pool Report #1 – Checking In

Good afternoon! My name is Misha Komadovsky; I am a White House correspondent for the Voice of America's Russian Service.

Today, I'll be your supplemental print pooler on the way to Rehoboth Beach. As you know, POTUS is scheduled to travel by motorcade from the White House to JBA, where he will board AF1 bound for Dover.

6:00 PM THE PRESIDENT departs the White House en route to Joint Base Andrews
South Grounds
Supplemental Pool (Gather 5:45 PM – Palm Room Doors)

6:30 PM THE PRESIDENT departs Joint Base Andrews en route to Dover, Delaware
Joint Base Andrews
Supplemental Pool

7:15 PM THE PRESIDENT departs Dover, Delaware en route to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Dover Air Force Base, Dover, Delaware
Supplemental Pool

Supplemental Pool Report #2 – Pool Gathered at the Palm Room doors

The supplemental pool gathered at the Palm Room doors at 5:15 pm — ahead of POTUS' departure to JBA.

Supplemental Pool Report #3 – Motorcade otw to JBA + details from the WH

The pool boarded the vans around 5:23 pm as the drivers completed the final polishing touches on the President's limousine. POTUS got into the Beast at 5:50 pm. At 5:52 pm, the motorcade left the WH grounds. Currently, we are on our way to JBA.

Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to Joint Base Andrews:

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Ryan Harper, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Deputy Chief of Staff

Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Dover Air Force Base:

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Ryan Harper, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Deputy Chief of Staff.

Supplemental Pool Report #4 – FYI Statement from the WH

Passing along the following from the WH:

Last night, President Biden spoke with the head of the Newark Firefighters Union, president of the New Jersey IAFF, and the general president of the IAFF – as well as the families of the firefighters who tragically lost their lives battling the cargo ship fire at Port Newark. The President offered his condolences and expressed his deep gratitude for their service and sacrifice to keep people and communities safe.

Supplemental Pool Report #5 – JBA Arrival/Wheels Up Soon

The motorcade reached JBA at 6:11 pm. During the ride, we drove past enthusiastic crowds of people who waved in excitement. Regrettably, the President did not engage in conversation with us and promptly ascended the plane's ladder at 6:16 pm. This message serves as a notification that we are about to be in transit to Dover, aboard a small AF1 aircraft, where there will be no cellular service available. Please consider this a wheels-up-soon note.i

Supplemental Pool Report #6 – Landed in Dover

The AF1 landed in Dover at 6:51 pm.

Supplemental Pool Report #7 – no qs taken

POTUS got into the car at 6:58. The motorcade left shortly. Your pooler tried to ask the President a q but POTUS didn't take any.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Travel pool report #1 — Rolling

Good evening from Delaware where we're en route to Rehoboth after joining the president's motorcade in Dover under a bad weather call.

The White House has shared the following:

Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware:

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Ryan Harper, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Deputy Chief of Staff

I'll be your print pooler for the weekend. Happy Friday.

Travel pool report #2 — Rehoboth

The pool split off from the motorcade at 7:55 pm ET not far from Gordons Pond.

Plenty of waves from onlookers and supporters along Coastal Highway on the way into town.

Travel pool report #3 — Lid

We have a lid. Have a great weekend.

Travel pool report #3a

The White House has also provided the following look ahead for Sunday and beyond:

Week Ahead Pool Note 7/7

On the Sunday morning, the President will depart Rehoboth Beach, Delaware en route to London, United Kingdom.

On Monday, the President will participate in engagements with King Charles III and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to further strengthen the close relationship between our nations.

After, the President will depart the United Kingdom en route to Vilnius, Lithuania.

On Tuesday morning, the President will participate in a bilateral meeting with the President of Lithuania Gitanas Naus?da.

Later, the President will participate in engagements for the 74th NATO Summit.

On Wednesday, the President will participate in engagements for the 74thNATO Summit.

In the evening, the President will deliver remarks highlighting how the United States, alongside our allies and partners, are supporting Ukraine, defending democratic values, and taking action to address global challenges.

Then, the President will depart Vilnius, Lithuania en route to Helsinki, Finland.

On Thursday afternoon, the President will participate in a bilateral meeting with President Sauli Niinistö of the Republic of Finland.

Later, the President will participate in U.S.- Nordic Leaders Summit engagements.

In the evening, the President will participate in a joint press conference with President Sauli Niinistö of the Republic of Finland.

After, the President will depart Helsinki, Finland en route to Washington, DC.

On Friday, the President will travel to Camp David where he will remain over the weekend.