Pool Reports by Emily Goodin, Daily Mail
| Sent: | Reports: |
| June 16, 2023 11:34 |
In town pool report #1 - motorcade rolling to JBA Good morning. Motorcade departed the White House at 11:33 am for the trip to JBA. POTUS is headed to Connecticut. No glimpse of POTUS but the pool did enjoy watching Commander being walked around the South Lawn while we waited in the vans. Additionally, a large tent is being constructed ahead of next week's state dinner for India. And chairs were being packed up from last night's movie screening. We are rolling ... |
| June 16, 2023 12:00 |
In town pool report #2 - JBA arrival Motorcade arrived at JBA 11:56 am after an uneventful drive. Streets were cleared and it was lights and sirens all the way. POTUS boarded the small plane and did not appear to talk. Your in town pooler has asked for a two minute warning to send out ahead of the Olivia Dalton gaggle on the plane. Handing POTUS off to the out of town pool. And from the White House: Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to Joint Base Andrews: Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff |
| June 16, 2023 12:44 |
In town travel pool #3 - 2 min warning to gaggle Two minute warning to Olivia Dalton gaggle. From WH: The press gaggle aboard AF1 will begin at 12:45 PM |
| June 16, 2023 12:48 |
In town pool report #4 - tech issue with gaggle From the WH: Due to a tech issue the livestream will not be available. The audio will be played back as soon as possible. |
| June 16, 2023 15:27 |
In town pool report #5 - audio for today's gaggle Here is the audio for today's gaggle with Principal Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Dalton: https://youtu.be/ERwS1XouVec |
| June 16, 2023 20:38 |
In town pool #6 - motorcade rolling The motorcade is rolling from JBA at 8:37 pm. Next stop: White House |
Pool Reports below by Todd J. Gillman, The Dallas Morning News
| Sent: | Reports: |
| June 16, 2023 12:02 |
Travel pool report #1/Andrews The presidential motorcade pulled to a stop at Joint Base Andrews at 11:59 am. Asked if he'd been briefed about the report on Minneapolis police, President Biden said, "I haven't spoken to the Attorney General at all." He didn't stop to chat before boarding. That was said as he walked to the steps. President Biden is taking the small Air Force One to Bradley International Airport for a gun summit in West Hartford. Thence to Westchester and Greenwich for a campaign reception. The sun burst through the clouds as the motorcade came into view at the far end of the tarmac. Light breeze. Forecast calls for gaggle in flight and zero cell service once the pool steps aboard. Greeting the President upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews: Colonel Matthew Jones, 89th Airlift Wing Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Windsor Locks, Connecticut: Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff |
| June 16, 2023 13:23 |
travel pool #2/gaggle highlights and Connecticut arrival Air Force One touched down at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Conn., at 1:15pm. Pulled to a stop at 1:19. We are told the gaggle did not broadcast live but will replay. Quick and dirty notes. Check quotes that are outside quote marks. Olivia Dalton gaggled for 19 minutes. She opened on gun policy. New CDC director. Tomorrow POTUS will take an aerial tour of the Philadelphia I-95 highway collapse, with the governor and others. She offered assurance that his tour won't interfere with repair and traffic. Q1: DOJ report on Minneapolis. "We're reviewing that report now." The president wants better community policing and George Floyd Act Q2 Putin comments re Belarus We are aware of those comments... nuclear rhetoric is "highly irresponsible." Q3 did POTUS ask NATO Chief to extend term. Full confidence in him but no news to share Q4 cyber attack The company involved released a patch 2 weeks ago... "They're taking the most secure actions that they can to protect themselves." Q5 California plans next week. Stay tuned. Q6 really what could POTUS do to get action on guns given Congress as it stands. Olivia cited the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. "People didn't think that could get done....The President is doing everything in his power." Q7 NBC report that Biden had to be talked out of calling Xi re spy balloons. Will he talk to Xi after Blinken visit? "I want to be emphatic that the President did not have to be talked out of a call with President Xi. ...Need to maintain multiple lines of communication.... China is seeing that right now that the United States is in a place where we are better positioned than ever before to out-compete them in the decade ahead...." Q/folo what can Blinken accomplish A. Line of communication. Avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations. Q8 Pittsburgh synagogue sentencing Thoughts and prayers with the victims' families ... the reason the President ran was Charlottesville and rise of dangerous antisemitism and hate. Q9 2 and 2 with Modi? No news Q10 bill pending to claw back bonuses paid at failed banks. In March POTUS said he wanted to give regulators more authority over executive pay and he wants more accountability. Q11 Migrant ship Greece hundreds dead. "Devastating" Q12 what is POTUS doing to mark one year since Dobbs/ abortion ruling. VP will mark it in NC. President will mark it somehow. Q13 severe weather in Texas. Our team has reached out to offices of Texas and Oklahoma governors President has seen "these devastating images" Q14 anything about the Greenwich campaign event later? Nope Talk to DNC |
| June 16, 2023 13:36 |
travel pool #3/Bradley airport The president walked off Air Force One at 1:24p. He saluted and then shook hands with the three military greeters. A challenge coin was in his hand as he offered it to shake with the master Sergeant. Not sure about the others. He then gave a big friendly handshake to Rep. John Larson, put his right arm on Larson's left shoulder and talked with him and Gov. Lamont. Shook Lamont's hand then he draped his left arm around the governor. Long chat with them and someone else to be ID'd... Then he walked to a nearby pen with a couple dozen people including kids. Shook hands. Crouched down to pose for a photo. He didn't respond to a shouted question about what he hopes Blinken will accomplish in China. He was in the limo at 1:32. Rolling 2 minutes later. Greeting the President upon arrival at Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, Connecticut: Governor Ned Lamont (CT) Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to University of Hartford, West Hartford, Connecticut: Governor Ned Lamont (CT) |
| June 16, 2023 13:58 |
Travel pool#4/University of Hartford Uneventful motorcade from BDL. Lots of folks by side of the road all along the route. No sign of unfriendliness. They waved and had phones in hand, including one guy pp? standing behind his red lawn mower. Just one Biden/Harris sign spotted en route Four Trump fans at entrance to campus. Pulled to a stop at 1:56p. The president is starting with a photo line. |
| June 16, 2023 14:21 |
travel pool #5/gun summit in West Hartford The pool is seated in the back of a packed auditorium at the University of Hartford, site of "The National Safer Communities Summit," hosted by Sen. Chris Murphy and a coalition of gun safety/violence prevention groups i.e. Everytown, Moms Demand Action and Giffords. Sen. Richard Blumenthal's name is also on the scrims. The president's remarks will livesteam at Whitehouse.gov/live. A section nearby is labeled reserved for members of the Connecticut Legislature. Audience members are in a range of attire from suits or casual Friday wear to colorful T-shirts associated with various groups, such as orange for Connecticut Against Gun Violence. red for Moms Demand Action, dark purple for United Against Violence. |
| June 16, 2023 14:24 |
travel pool #6/photo line at gun summit No sign yet of the president, who went to a photo line as the pool settled into seats at rear of auditorium, behind a bank of cameras and a big TV. Announcer just asked people to silence their phones and take seats. Program about to begin. Participating in a photoline with the President at the University of Hartford: Governor Ned Lamont (CT) Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to University of Hartford, West Hartford, Connecticut: Governor Ned Lamont (CT) |
| June 16, 2023 14:39 |
travel pool #7/gun summit starting The president is about to enter. A survivor of the Parkland shooting is speaking. In attendance for the President's remarks at the National Safer Communities Summit: Governor Ned Lamont (CT) Speaking Program |
| June 16, 2023 14:55 |
travel pool report #8/gun summit President Biden started to speak at 2:54, introduced by Sen. Chris Murphy, host of this summit. "I call on those who serve at the will of the people to stand up and join our fight so we can pass sensible solutions. And if not, get out of our way," she said, drawing an ovation, and catcalls of "out of our way!" from some in the audience. Murphy credited Biden for beating the NRA when he pushed the assault weapons ban through Congress in 1994. He recounted the aftermath of the Uvalde, Texas, shooting, and said Biden harnessed the momentum from that horrific event to make progress. "Joe Biden is the biggest part of the story as to why the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act became law," Murphy said, expressing optimism that momentum in on the side of these activists over the next decade. "That opportunity exists because we have a president who eats, sleeps and breathes the fight to end this epidemic. |
| June 16, 2023 15:25 |
travel pool #9/gun address ended President Biden's remarks just ended. He told the crowd there's a storm coming and he can't stay to shake hands but he offered to stand in front of each section while the White House photographer takes a group photo. For the last third or so the crowd was on their feet. |
| June 16, 2023 15:44 |
travel pool #10/gaggle audio Here is the White House-provided audio for today's gaggle with Principal Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Dalton: https://youtu.be/ERwS1XouVec |
| June 16, 2023 16:05 |
travel pool #11/back at BDL The president's motorcade arrived back at Bradley International Airport at 4:02 pm. He turned and waved from top of the stairs and boarded at 4:04. There is a very light drizzle but the sky is darkening. Uneventful motorcade. Plenty of friendly looking onlookers again. One Great Dane the size of a pony, near a CVS. No sign of dlissenters. According to event organizers there were approximately 600 people in attendance for the President's remarks at the gun summit. Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, Connecticut: Governor Ned Lamont (CT) |
| June 16, 2023 17:31 |
Travel pool #12/comments in Westchester Air Force One touched down in Westchester NY at 5:03pm. It was pouring rain at BDL by the time we took off. Rolling at 5:21. Brief comments on tarmac in Westchester. What's your message at tomorrow's political rally? "Every major labor union in the country is endorsing me tomorrow. And I'm saying that my philosophy about building from the middle out and the bottom up is working." Is this a campaign kickoff? "I kicked it off long ago." Uneventful flight. Olivia Dalton has provided an explanation for the President's comment ("God save the queen, man") at the end of his gun summit appearance at University of Hartford: "He couldn't do the full ropeline due to weather, and was commenting to someone in the crowd," she said by email. No rain here but the tarmac is wet. Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Greenwich, Connecticut: Governor Ned Lamont (CT) |
| June 16, 2023 18:01 |
Travel pool #13/arrival in Greenwich Lovely drive from the Westchester airport to Greenwich. Came to a stop at 5:43pm on a narrow street of large homes. The president is being hosted by Sue and Stephen Mandel for this fundraiser to benefit the Biden Action Fund. Terrible cell service. Pool is holding in a modest sized two car garage amid pet crate, beach chairs and baby car seat. The presidential motorcade drove through a wooden area of large homes on large lots, along winding roads lined with stone fences. More tk from remarks. |
| June 16, 2023 19:02 |
Travel report #14/Biden in Greenwich remarks Roughly three dozen guests seated in the living room of Sue and Stephen Mandel in Greenwich CT. Most ear catching comment was about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis: "Did you ever think we'd go through a time when the number two contender on the other team was banning books?" Pool was escorted out as Biden was wrapping up but still speaking after 19 minutes. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and Rep. James Himes are here. Mandel said Biden would stick around and chat rather than take questions. "As Americans we all owe a big thanks to the President for what he's done the last two years," he said. Mandel noted there are two 2-year-olds in the room and they wanted him to thank the President for infrastructure plans that mean backhoes and steamrollers and other fun construction equipment. The crowd stood when Biden entered. Two guests sat at the baby grand piano where sheet music for The Sound of Music was set up. Biden gave usual comments. Standing next to fireplace (no fire) speaking softly into a hand held mic. Expressed satisfaction that Washington "it is not as vitriolic ... as it had been. People thought when we when we took on the very hard right members of the House of Representatives dealing with the debt ceiling I think people were surprised. Surprised that we were able to come up with enough people on both sides to come up with a rationale and serious budget proposal." "Everybody's saying we couldn't do anything in a bipartisan way." Ben LaBolt is here. Told the pool Biden will do 4 fundraisers next week in California. Biden talked at length about green energy and climate policy. We have agreement with other countries to get rid of "everything from methane to all the worst of the worst chemicals going in the air." "I've tried to bring together traditional adversaries." Opportunity for progress. Three years ago many of those here (in this group of Democrats) would have said there's no climate crisis. "Now, do you know anybody is saying there isn't an environmental crisis?" He said he read recently in the New York Times that "the state of Texas has more solar and wind energy, "i think its 70% of all their energy is produced by solar and wind because it's significantly cheaper. Cheaper. Cheaper. Not just because it is environmentally more friendly. But it's cheaper. And guess what they're doing? The Legislature is trying to get rid of it. Because they want to do the bidding of the oil companies. We're going to keep the oil for a while. We're gonna need gas, but nothing like they see now. But it's working, and that's bothering some people." "I get both credit and blame for keeping NATO united." Been 2 years he met with Putin for any period of time, in Geneva, and he was sure he could break NATO. But the alliance is stronger. He referred to Trump once, as "the former president," in recounting his story about Charlottesville/both sides comment as his impetus to run. Touched on reelection prospects. "Everything we've passed, it's overwhelmingly popular," Biden said, citing CHIPS act and infrastructure. "We just have to be straight with people about what we've done and what we haven't done." At 7p pool is expecting to be rolling shortly. |
| June 16, 2023 19:08 |
Travel report #15/departing Greenwich Motorcade pulled away from the Mandel home in Greenwich CT at 7:03 pm. Heading towards the land of smaller homes and better cell service. |
| June 16, 2023 19:29 |
Travel pool #16/departure from Westchester Motorcade pulled up at Air Force One a moment ago. The president boarded at 7:27pm. Uneventful motorcade from Greenwich. Next stop JBA. Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Joint Base Andrews: Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff |
| June 16, 2023 20:40 |
Travel pool #17/Andrews The president emerged from Air Force One at 7:34pm. Saluted. Chatted with the greeter. Got in the Beast without interacting with the pool. There was some snafu with the back passenger door the President used to get into the Beast. It was almost but not quite fully closed and flush. Agents fussed with it and got it closed. He was rolling at 8:37pm. Handing off to the intown pool. Greeting the President upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews: Colonel Matthew Jones, 89th Airlift Wing Thanks to co-poolers Courtney Subramanian and Karen Travers in particular for helping with some hard to hear quotes through the day. |
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Pool Reports of June 16, 2023 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/363903