Pool Reports of May 13, 2022

In-Town Pool Report 1 — POTUS call with leaders

Good Morning from your print pooler...

The White House Press Office sends along the following:

"President Biden held a secure call this morning with Prime Minister Andersson of Sweden and President Niinistö of Finland from 9:50 AM – 10:27 AM EDT. "

Intown Pool Report 2 -- Press briefing guests

From the WH Press Office:

"Joining the Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki will be Kansas City, MO Mayor Quinton Lucas and Detroit, MI Police Chief James White, who are joining the President's meeting on American Rescue Plan funding for community policing and public safety programs."

Intown Pool Report 3 -- 2 minute warning called at 1:16pm

Two minute warning for Jen Psaki's final time at the podium as White House Press Secretary....

It's looking a bit more crowded than usual in the briefing room, with reporters lined up along the aisles.

Intown Pool Report 4 — Briefing ends

The briefing started at 1:18pm

Ended at 2:32pm

Not including the four questions that were asked of the local officials on hand and the time spent on those questions, Psaki spoke and fielded questions for 61 minutes.

By your pooler's tally She fielded 54 questions from 19 reporters.

As Psaki left to enter lower press, applause from lower press could be heard.

Intown Pool Report 5 — two minute warning for POTUS event

Two min warning called at 3:24p

Pool and reporters are in position for the President's upcoming Rose Garden speech on ARP funding and public safety.

The event will be livestreamed at whitehouse.gov/live

Not a huge set up -- two rows of chairs are reserved for reporters. Front row reserved for officials and guests. There are 11 local officials standing on the stage.

Intown Pool Report 6- event Attendees

POTUS walked out of Oval at 3:26pm and was joined by AG Garland on the stage. Only POTUS is expected to speak.

From WH Press Office:

In attendance for the President's Remarks on Public Safety in the Rose Garden:

Attorney General Merrick Garland, U.S. Department of Justice
Mayor Quinton Lucas, Kansas City, Missouri
Police Chief Joe Mabin, Kansas City Police Department
Mayor Mike Duggan, Detroit, Michigan
Police Chief James White, Detroit Police Department
Mayor GT Bynum, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Mayor Jane Castor, Tampa, Florida
Police Chief Mary O'Connor, Tampa Police Department
Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz, Toledo, Ohio
Chief Murphy Paul, Baton Rouge Police Department
Courtney Scott, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer, City of Baton Rouge
Commissioner Timothy McGonigle, Mercer County, Pennsylvania
Mayor Sylvester Turner, Houston, Texas
Police Chief Troy Finner, Houston Police Department
Reggie Moore, Director of Violence Prevention Policy and Engagement, Medical College of Wisconsin

Intown Pool Report 7 — POTUS Qs

POTUS took several questions. Please check audio for more complete quotes as pool is loading for ASEAN event…

Asked about shooting of Palestinian American Journalist in Israel

"I dont know all the details…i know it has to be investigated."

On Baby Formula

We've done 3 things.

"Releasing guidance to all states" on loosening WIC restrictions

"FDA just issued a statement on the importation of formula from abroad."

Any parent who has a serious question…we have set up a system" touts new hhs website www.hhs.gov/formula

Follow up on Baby Formula —Are you satisfied with administration's response? Should administration have acted sooner?
"If we had been better mind readers…"
"We have to move with caution as well as speed…"

Executive Action on police reform?
Said the best way to get reform done is "to go local"

Pool Report 8 — rolling to next event

Motorcade departed WH at 3:58pm en route to State Dept for US-ASEAN event.

Intown Pool Report 9 — Arrival

Motorcade arrived at State Dept at 4:01pm and now in position for POTUS' remarks.

As a reminder the remarks will be livestreamed at whitehouse.gov/live

Intown Pool Report 11 — remarks begin

POTUS entered the US-ASEAN summit at 4:14pm, joined by Deputy Sec of State Sherman.

"We're launching a new era in U.S. ASEAN relations."

Pool Report 12 — summit attendees

Pool was escorted out of the summit room at 4:22pm and we're holding in a separate area until closed door session ends.

From the White House Press Office:

In attendance for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit with the President:

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei
His Excellency Joko Widodo, President of the Republic of Indonesia
His Excellency Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia
His Excellency Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore
His Excellency Prayut Chan-o-cha (Ret.), Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand
His Excellency Phankham Viphavan, Prime Minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic
His Excellency Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
His Excellency Dato' Sri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob, Prime Minister of Malaysia
His Excellency Dato Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary- General of the Association for Southeast Asian Nations
His Excellency Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr., Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines

Report 13 - Bad weather call

Just a heads up, there's been a bad weather call so pool will be departing with POTUS from State Dept to JBA via pool vans. There will be no South Lawn departure.

Pool Report 13 — Rolling to JBA

Motorcade started rolling from State

Department toward JBA at 6pm:

Barring anything major happening on our trip, your next pool report noting POTUS' arrival at JBA will come from out-of-town pooler.

It's been a pleasure... enjoy your Friday the 13th

Travel pool report 1 - JBA

Greetings from JBA, where it's 73 degrees and overcast.

The president's motorcade arrived on the tarmac at 6:27pm. He emerged and chatted briefly with the greeter. He did not respond to shouted questions and boarded Air Force One moments later, en route to Wilmington for the weekend.

We are wheels up shortly to DANG.

Travel pool report 2 - DANG arrival

Air Force One was wheels up from JBA at 6:40pm and landed at DANG at 7:00pm.

POTUS deplaned at 7:08, removing his mask as he came down the stairs. He shook hands with the two greeters and chatted with them briefly.

The president appeared to respond to a shouted question about the baby formula shortage, saying "ten minutes." It's unclear whether he heard or understood the question.

Motorcade is rolling at 7:12pm.

Travel pool report 3 - Travel/photo lid

The motorcade arrived at the Biden residence at 7:24pm. We have a travel/photo lid.

To clarify the president's response to the shouted question at DANG from the previous report: The question about the baby formula shortage was along the lines of "How long do parents have to wait?" It's likely POTUS only heard the first part and responded "ten minutes."

Travel pool report 4 - Staff with POTUS on AF1

Per WH: Staff who traveled with the President from Joint Base Andrews to DANG on Air Force One:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Brett McGurk, National Security Council Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa
Stephen Goepfert, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

Foreign Pool Report #1: Background info ahead of US-ASEAN Special Summit

Good afternoon,

President Biden's speech this afternoon at the State Department will be covered by the in-town travel pool, with his remarks scheduled to be streamed from 3:30pm at whitehouse.gov/live. Some background information on the event for reference:

President Biden participates in the US-ASEAN Special Summit today commemorating 45 years of relations between the United States and the bloc of Southeast Asian nations. This is the second Special Summit since February 2016 when it was convened in Sunnylands, and the first time it has been held in Washington, DC.

This is also the first time since 2017 that a US president has met the ASEAN leaders in person since President Trump participated in the meeting in Manila of that year. President Biden joined the most recent US-ASEAN Summit in October 2021 when the meeting was held virtually.

Cambodia, this year's ASEAN chair, announced that the leaders will seek "to intensify cooperation in various areas, including COVID-19 response and global health security, climate change, sustainable development, maritime cooperation, human capital development, education and people-to-people ties, as well as connectivity and economic engagement."

From the US side, a senior administration official in a teleconference on Wednesday said it would "focus on efforts to promote respect for human rights, the rule of law, and good governance." In addition, there would be a broad discussion of Ukraine and Russia, and that Burma would also be a subject of intense deliberation.

Burma is one of two nations from the 10-member organization whose leader is not in attendance. The country's nominal prime minister, General Min Aung Hlaing, was not invited after having seized power in a military coup in February 2021. The US has voiced support for the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus on the situation in Burma which was reached in April of last year but has seen little progress since.

The outgoing Philippines President Duterte is skipping the summit, as his successor was just elected on May 9 and will take office at the end of June.

ASEAN Fun Facts

- Total collective population of over 662 million people

- Combined GDP of $3.2 trillion, making it the fifth largest economy in the world

- Goods and services trade with the US totaled about $362 billion in 2020.