Pool Reports of March 2, 2022

WH in-town pool report #1/ Checking in

Greetings from the White House on a cool but sunny day.

POTUS and FLOTUS are due to depart from the south lawn (open press) at 10.15am and fly to Joint Base Andrews, according to the daily guidance. They are due to speak about infrastructure in Superior, Wisconsin at 2.15pm CST, arriving back on the White House south lawn at 7.40pm (open press).

WH in-town pool report #2/ Pool gathers

Pool is gathered outside the south portico awaiting POTUS's departure. About 20 people are also behind a rope line waiting to see him off.

WH in-town pool report #3/ POTUS takes questions

POTUS and FLOTUS emerged from the south portico at 10.20am and greeted staffers, then POTUS walked over to reporters and talked for two minutes. It was hard to hear everything.

It being Ash Wednesday, POTUS said he met and prayed with a cardinal this morning. Asked if Ukraine should join NATO, he said "that's obviously" for Nato decide. Asked if Russia is deliberately targeting civilian areas, he said:"They are."

Marine One departed at 10.30am.

More details to follow.

WH in-town pool report #4/ POTUS's answers in detail

More detailed quotations from POTUS as he departed the White House at 10.20am. He had ashes on his forehead for Ash Wednesday.

Question: What did you give up for Lent?

POTUS replied: "All sweets and you know me, I start off with dessert. No ice cream, nothing."

Question: How worried are you about President Zelensky and should he stay or try to leave?
POTUS replied: "I think it's his judgment to make and we're doing everything we can."

Question: Do you support a permanent US military presence in Poland and other eastern European countries after what has happened in Ukraine?
POTUS replied: "We've always been there. We've always been in all the Nato countries."

Question: I'm talking about permanent bases.
POTUS replies: "No, that's a decision for Nato to make."

Question: Are you considering banning Russian oil imports?
POTUS replies: "Nothing is off the table."

Question: Is Russia committing war crimes in Ukraine?
POTUS replies: "We are following it very closely. It's early to say that."

Question: For the people of Ukraine on this Ash Wednesday, Pope Francis is asking for prayers and fasting. What's your reaction to that?
POTUS replies: "I think he's right. I was with the cardinal this morning. He came over and he gave me ashes. We both prayed for that, for the people of Ukraine."

Question: Roe v Wade. Why do you support abortion as a Catholic?
POTUS replies: "I tell you what, I don't want to get into a debate with you about theology but – well, anyway. I'm not going to make a judgment on other people."

Question: Is Russia deliberately targeting civilian areas?
POTUS replies: "It's clear they are."

POTUS and FLOTUS, who was wearing a long pink coat and pink gloves, then departed on Marine One.

WH in-town pool report #5/ Traveling with POTUS

From the White House:

'Traveling with the President and First Lady on Marine One to Joint Base Andrews:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Anthony Bernal, Assistant to the President & Advisor to the First Lady
Stephen Goepfert, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President'

WH in-town pool report #6/ Pool gathers

Pool has gathered outside the South Portico awaiting POTUS's return to the White House.

WH in-town pool report #7/ POTUS lands

Marine One touched down on the south lawn at 7.17pm.

WH in-town pool report #8/ No remarks and lid

POTUS, wearing a suit, and FLOTUS, wearing a pink coat, disembarked Marine One at 7.19pm and walked to the South Portico. POTUS looked straight ahead and ignored shouted questions but FLOTUS smiled and waved to reporters.

The White House sent the following:

'Traveling with the President and First Lady on Marine One to the White House:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Anthony Bernal, Assistant to the President & Advisor to the First Lady
Stephen Goepfert, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President'

A travel/ photo lid was called at 7.22pm.

WH travel pool report 1

Good morning. The White House press office sends this background sheet for today's trip to Wisconsin.

WH travel pool report 1a

Good morning again. For those who did not receive the attachment re the WH press office's background sheet on today's trip to Wisconsin, voilà:

BACKGROUND MEMORANDUM
TO: Out-of-Town Travel Pool
FROM: White House Press Office
DATE: March 2, 2021
RE: Background on BIL for the President's Visit to Superior, Wisconsin

The Blatnik Bridge

The Blatnik Bridge is a bridge that connects Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin across the St. Louis Bay. This bridge is a critical link for the community and local economy with more than 33,000 vehicles travelling across the bridge each day.

Built in 1961, this bridge has deteriorated and is nearing the end of its usable life. Due to the bridge's condition, load restrictions have been instituted, setting the maximum weight of vehicles passing the bridge at 40 tons and prohibiting the passage of large trucks and other heavy-weight vehicles from travelling across the bridge.

The Blatnik Bridge represents a critical first- and last-mile connection to the Port of Duluth- Superior. The Duluth-Superior Port is North America's largest fresh-water, transportation hub for moving domestic and international freight. The port facilities trade across a wide range of industries, including agriculture, forestry, mining and manufacturing, construction, and power generation.

The Blatnik Bridge also represents a critical piece of infrastructure in the event of an emergency, as the bridge is the major route of egress between these two communities. The bridge played an important role in 2018 when there was a major explosion at refinery in Superior which caused widespread evacuations to the Duluth area.

If the Blatnik Bridge's main trusses (structural beams) are not replaced in the next 10 to 15 years, there will need to be more load restrictions, increased inspections, maintenance, and lane closures. Without intervention, this would eventually lead to the reduction to a single lane in each direction, followed by a full bridge closure, and finally bridge demolition. This outcome would have a profound impact on the local economy and the thousands of residents in the Duluth-Superior region who depend on this bridge on a daily basis.

Wisconsin has 979 bridges in poor condition and Minnesota has 661 bridges in poor condition.

Over the next five years, based on formula funding alone, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will provide Minnesota an estimated $4.8 billion and Wisconsin an estimated $5.4 billion for roads and bridges.

Wisconsin and Minnesota plan to dedicate some of their formula funds to replace the Blatnik Bridge. They also plan to apply for competitive grant funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help fund this project.

Bridge Investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will deliver for Wisconsinites and Minnesotans by rebuilding roads and bridges and creating good-paying union jobs.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes a total of $40 billion in funding for bridge investments. This includes the $27.5 billion in bridge formula funding for states to repair, repair, and rehabilitate bridges. The President announced the first year of funding under this Bridge Formula Program in January. The law also includes a $12.5 billion for a competitive grant program, called the Bridge Investment Program, which is focused on replacing the most economically significant bridges in the country.

Regionally or nationally significant bridges could also be eligible for funding under additional Department of Transportation grant programs focused on major projects, including the "INFRA" program and "MEGA" program.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Duluth-Superior Region

The Duluth-Superior region is already benefiting from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's investments. In addition to the large sums of formula funding that has already been announced for Wisconsin and Minnesota, there are a number of other projects in the Duluth-Superior region that will be funded by Bipartisan Infrastructure Law:

• St. Louis River & Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: Earlier this month, the President and EPA Administrator Regan announced $1 billion of investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to accelerate cleanup and restoration of the Great Lakes. One of the largest beneficiaries of this funding is expected to be the St. Louis River Area of Concern which encompasses the Duluth-Superior region. The project will help to drain 3,634 square miles of watershed, thereby helping to improve water quality, protect coastal habitats, and support shipping and trade.

• Port of Superior & Port Infrastructure Development Program: In December, the Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded $8.4 million in funding to the Port of Superior through the Port Infrastructure Development Program. This funding will help to make critical infrastructure improvements to the port, which is a major cargo hub in the Midwest. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided an additional $2.25 billion to the Port Infrastructure Development Program. DOT recently opened the next round of applications for $450 million of funding through this program.

• Army Corps Projects: In January, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced $14 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and other funding to upgrade ports and waterways and improve climate resilience with over 500 projects across 52 states. Several of these projects will benefit the Duluth-Superior region, including a $12 million investment for the Duluth Harbor basin to reconstruct a dock wall and a $479 million investment to rebuild the Soo Locks which connect Lakes Superior and Huron and enable the passage of the nearly 7,000 vessels which pass through the locks annually.

WH travel pool report 2

Good morning from Joint Base Andrews, where the nearly spring sun is quickly taking the chill away.

The president is scheduled to fly to Duluth, Minnesota, and from there cross over into Superior, Wisconsin, where he is to deliver remarks about the Infrastructure law that passed last year, as well as his Building a Better America agenda, a rebranding of his Build Back Better agenda.

The speech is scheduled for 1415 CST and will be live-streamed from the White House web site and likely carried live by the usual networks.

Deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is scheduled to gaggle aboard the plane. That is also scheduled to be carried on the White House site. Given the lack of cell coverage or wifi on the plane, your pooler recommends you listen to that if you can.

We are traveling aboard the larger version of Air Force 1, the modified Boeing 747, tail number 28000.

Among those traveling today: Sens. Baldwin and Klobachar, and infrastructure tsar Mitch Landrieu.

WH travel pool report 3 - Andrews departure

President Biden's helicopter set down at 1037 and rolled to a stop in front of Air Force 1.

The president stepped out of Marine 1 at 1040, sporting a striped blue tie and Aviators, First Lady Jill Biden beside him, and walked the 67 steps to the boarding ladder, climbed to the forward door and stepped through at 1042.

He did not stop to take questions from the pool assembled just ahead of the port wing.

We should be airborne shortly for the flight west.

Per the WH press office:

Upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews, the President and First Lady will be greeted by:

Col. William "Chris" McDonald, Vice Commander, 89th Airlift Wing
Capt. Mohammed Sulley, Deputy Director of Protocol

Traveling with the President and First Lady on Air Force One to Duluth, Minnesota:

Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN)
Senator Tammy Baldwin (WI)
Senator Tina Smith (MN)
Congressman Ron Kind (WI-03)
Congressman Mark Pocan (WI-02)
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Anthony Bernal, Assistant to the President & Advisor to the First Lady
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Kate Bedingfield, Assistant to the President & Director of Communications
Mitch Landrieu, Senior Advisor & Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator
Joshua Geltzer, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Homeland Security Advisor
Karine Jean-Pierre, Deputy Assistant to the President & Principal Deputy Press Secretary
Stephen Goepfert, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President
Travis Dredd, Special Assistant to the President & Trip Director
Meghan Hays, Special Assistant to the President & Director of Message Planning
Connolly Keigher, Special Assistant to the President & Director of Presidential Advance
Amber Macdonald, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Presidential Speechwriter
Dan Cluchey, Senior Presidential Speechwriter
Zephranie Buetow, Special Assistant to the President & Senate Legislative Affairs Liaison

WH travel pool report 4 – arrival in Duluth, AF1 gaggle summary

Air Force 1 touched down at Duluth International Airport at 1209 CST, following an uneventful but occasionally bumpy 2-hour,18-minute flight that ended with an approach over a partially frozen-over section of Lake Superior.

Deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre visited the press area in the aft toward the end of the flight and took questions from the pool for 28 minutes. (There was a good deal of ambient noise, and Karine speaks softly, so it was difficult to hear. The audio recorded by the WH may be of higher quality. Also look for the transcript.)

Among the topics:
Release timing details from Strategic Petroleum Reserves
Russian oil imports
Possibility of additional sanctions on Russia or its oligarchs
Lack of masking at the SOTU
Build Back Better – is it gone forever
Russian flights – when is ban effective
Americans wanting to fight in Ukraine
COVID guidance
Russian foreign minister Lavrov's comments about nuclear war
Biden's lack of Jan. 6 mentions in SOTU

We are now awaiting the president's exit from the plane.

WH travel pool report 5 – motorcade departure

President Biden emerged from Air Force 1 at 1231 accompanied by the First Lady and came down the staircase, where he was greeted on the tarmac by, per the WH press office:

Governor Tim Walz, Minnesota
First Lady Gwen Walz, Minnesota
Governor Tony Evers, Wisconsin
First Lady Kathy Evers, Wisconsin
Mayor Emily Larson, Duluth, MN
Mayor Jim Paine, Superior, WI

He spent several minutes chatting, along with the members of Congress who came with him, in the bitter cold and biting wind.

He stepped into his waiting limousine at 1235. Pool hustled into the press bus, and at 1237 we are underway.

WH travel pool report 6 — visit to bridge

The motorcade arrived at John Blatnik Memorial Bridge between Minnesota and Wisconsin for an unpublished stop at 1303.

Details of bridge in the background memo sent out early this morning. The president visited from the Wisconsin side after crossing.

There were occasional clumps of onlookers braving the cold, some with Biden-Harris signs.

WH travel pool report 7 — bridge visit

The president and first lady emerged from the limousine at 1310 at what appeared to be a maintenance shed in the shadow of the bridge and spent several minutes chatting with ironworkers and the congressional delegation. The ironworkers were in hard hats and union safety vests.

The president was in an overcoat but bare-headed, notwithstanding the aforementioned bitter cold and icy wind.

The conversation was out of earshot but there was much laughter. Pool did hear the president say: "seriously, not a joke," at one point.

At 1323 the motorcade was rolling again.

WH travel pool report 8 — arrival at event

The motorcade arrived at the University of Wisconsin-Superior campus at 1331 after driving the remaining miles.

At the entrance to the campus, several dozen Trump supporters had set up with Trump and "Fuck Joe Biden" flags. A few gave us the middle finger as we passed, and a number were chanting "let's go Brandon."

Pool is at the press file behind the audience.

WH travel pool report 7a — people at bridge

Per the WH press office:

With the President and the First Lady at the Blatnik Bridge:

Governor Tim Walz, Minnesota
First Lady Gwen Walz, Minnesota
Governor Tony Evers, Wisconsin
First Lady Kathy Evers, Wisconsin
Keith Musolf, Member of Ironworkers Local 512 from Duluth
Derek Pederson, Business Agent, Laborers' International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 1091 from Superior, WI
Craig Thompson, Secretary, Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Nancy Daubenberger, Temporary Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Transportation
Mayor Emily Larson, Duluth, MN
Mayor Jim Paine, Superior, WI
Senator Tammy Baldwin (WI)
Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN)
Senator Tina Smith (MN)
Congressman Ron Kind (WI-03)
Congressman Mark Pocan (WI-02)

WH travel pool report 9 – Color from event

The president will be speaking in the student union building at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, a high-ceilinged building with steel beams and wood paneling soaring overhead. The room has been staged with the new "Building a better America" message.

There about 100 guests in chairs arranged in front of the podium, with another dozen on a riser behind and to the right.

The mayors of Duluth and Superior have spoken. We're hearing now from Wisconsin's Tammy Baldwin.

President Biden is scheduled to take the stage at 1415 CST.

The address is to be carried live on the White House web site.

WH travel pool report 9a -- photo line

Per the WH press office:

The President and the First Lady are participating in a photo line with elected officials and local leaders, including:

Governor Tim Walz, Minnesota
First Lady Gwen Walz, Minnesota
Governor Tony Evers, Wisconsin
First Lady Kathy Evers, Wisconsin
Mayor Emily Larson, Duluth, MN
Mayor Jim Paine, Superior, WI
Senator Tammy Baldwin (WI)
Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN)
Senator Tina Smith (MN)
Congressman Ron Kind (WI-03)
Congressman Mark Pocan (WI-02)
Gordon Smith, painter and Vice President of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) Local 106
Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, Wisconsin
Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, Minnesota
Craig Thompson, Secretary, Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Nancy Daubenberger, Temporary Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Transportation
Chair Mark Liebaert, Douglas County Board of Supervisors
Senator Janet Bewley (Mason), Wisconsin Senate Minority Leader
Representative Greta Neubauer (Racine), Wisconsin Assembly Minority Leader
Representative Nick Milroy (South Range), Wisconsin Assembly
Senator Jennifer McEwen (Duluth), Minnesota State Senate
Representative Liz Olson (Duluth), Minnesota House of Representatives
Chairman Kevin Dupuis, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Chairman Mike Wiggins, Jr., Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Chairman Christopher Boyd, Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Dr. Renée Wachter, Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Superior
Jenice Meyer, Community Engagement & Strategic Partnerships Senior Officer at the University of Wisconsin-Superior

WH travel pool report 10 – Biden remarks begin

The president took the podium at 1419 and began his remarks at 1429.

There are telepromtper screens to the right and left of the lectern, but not straight ahead.

The speech is being carried at the White House web site.

WH travel pool report 11 – Biden finished -- Remarks on Putin and Jan. 6

The president wrapped up his remarks at 1559, speaking for 30 minutes both about the infrastructure law that passed last year as well as his agenda going forward, now renamed "Building a Better America."

But he began with several minutes speaking about Ukraine and Russian president Vladimir Putin's invasion of that country.

"We, the United States of America, stand with the Ukrainian people, we stand with them."

Regarding Putin:

"He thought the West and NATO wouldn't respond. But he was wrong. We were ready."

"Putin is now isolated from the rest of the world, more than ever."

"Russia will be left weaker, and the rest of the world stronger."

Biden then moved on to many of the themes from his State of the Union address Tuesday night, localizing the portion that highlighted the infrastructure law.

Biden spoke about the John Blatnik Bridge, named after a local congressman and which he visited en route to this event. It is among the thousands in the country that need repairs and refurbishment, he said.

Biden said the 61-year-old span has suffered corrosion over the years that has lowered its safe weight limit. He touted the $5.4 billion available to Minnesota and $5.4 million to Wisconsin from the infrastructure law.

"We'll rebuild this bridge with U.S. steel."

Biden repeated now familiar lines.

"It's never been a good bet to bet against the American people."

Biden spoke briefly about diversity, and how the next generation thinks less about racial and gender differences than any before. He said he is committed to reflect that in his administration.

"My administration is going to look like America."

He closed by tying Putin's attempt to divide Americans with the Jan. 6 insurrection.

"Vladimir Putin is counting on being able to split up the United States."

He asked the audience to imagine if rioters had attacked parliaments in Britain or Germany, how we would feel about that.

"Well, that's what the rest of the world saw. That's not who we are. And now we're proving that under pressure. We're united."

WH travel pool report 12 — departing Superior

Pool returned to the press bus at 1515 and at 1523 the presidential motorcade is underway back to the Duluth airport for the flight home.

Pool did not see Biden after he left the podium, but we assume he is in the limo near the front.

WH travel pool report 13 — back on AF1

The motorcade passed back through Superior, over the John Blatnik bridge, through Duluth and arrived at the airport at 1545.

The president and first lady were back aboard at 1547 and the pool is loading through the aft stairs.

We should be in the air soon for the flight back to Andrews.

WH travel pool report 14 — return to Andrews

Air Force 1 set down at Joint Base Andrews at 1839 after a 1 hour, 39-minute tailwind-assisted trip home.

We had no visitors from the front, and the flight was a bit bumpy but otherwise unremarkable.

The president and first lady stepped through the forward door at 1901, came down the staircase and walked to the waiting helicopter.

At 1907, Marine 1 was in the air and headed back to the White House.

Handing off to my in-town colleague.

It's been my pleasure being your travel pooler today. Until next time.