Pool Reports by Steven Nelson, New York Post
| Sent: | Reports: |
| May 9, 2024 12:20 EDT |
Pool Report 1/Lunch Lid We have a lunch lid until 2. |
| May 9, 2024 16:12 EDT |
Pool Report 2/Gathered The press has gathered for President Biden's WNBA event with the Las Vegas Aces. |
| May 9, 2024 16:20 EDT |
Pool Report 3/2 Minute Warning We have a two minute warning. President Biden's remarks will be streamed live on the White House website. |
| May 9, 2024 16:43 EDT |
Pool Report 4/Aces Event President Biden and VP Kamala Harris entered the East Room at 4:23, joining members of the Las Vegas Aces. Harris spoke first, recounting the WNBA team's successes, before introducing Biden. Biden joked during brief remarks that he'd also like a "back to back" victory. Biden and Harris were presented with team jerseys. "Put me in, coach, I'm ready to play," Biden joked. At 4:38, Biden left the East Room and answered a question about when he intended to debate Donald Trump. His words were only partially audible and included "set it up." |
| May 9, 2024 16:52 EDT |
Pool Report 5/Event attendees The White House shares that attendees of the Aces event included: Nikki Fargas, President, Las Vegas Aces |
| May 9, 2024 16:56 EDT |
Pool Report 6/Gathering The press is gathering for President Biden's Marine One departure. |
Pool Reports below by Matt Viser, The Washington Post
| Sent: | Reports: |
| May 9, 2024 17:35 EDT |
Out of town pool report #1 / JBA POTUS arrived here on Marine One at 5:25pm. He boarded AF1 shortly after, briefly waving to the pool as he walked but not coming over to answer any questions. As of 5:33pm, we are taxiing and soon to be taking off for the West Coast swing. Reminder that Karine Jean-Pierre will brief while we are en route. TVs on AF1 are tuned to MSNBC, which has a chyron that reads "Stormy Daniels wraps 7 plus hours of testimony in Trump hush money trial" A few details from the WH: Greeting the President upon arrival to Joint Base Andrews: Colonel Angela Ochoa, Commander, 89th Airlift Wing Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Moffett Field Air Base: Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff |
| May 9, 2024 19:33 PDT |
Out of town pool report #2 / California arrival At 7:25pm PT, AF1 touched down at Moffett Field Air Base in Mountain View, Calif., and we are taxiing as the Stanley Cup playoffs (Colorado and Dallas) are on TVs that were on MSNBC for most of the flight. We had no visitors to the press cabin, aside from Karine who came back to brief about an hour into the flight. That should have been streamed but a few notes. Most questions were about Israel and POTUS' comment about halting the supply of weapons if Israel invades Rafah. "For him this is straightforward: he will continue to provide Israel with all capabilities it needs to defend itself. But he does not want certain categories of American weapons used in a particular type of operation in a particular place." POTUS has directed his team to work with Israel to refine its strategy. "He put a pause on a particular type of weaponry because he is concerned about how Israel potentially could move forward into Rafah." "This is a pause. This is not a stopping of weaponry so that Israel can defend itself. This is a pause on a situation that we've been very clear and concerned about." Asked if there is any defined amount of time for such a pause, she said: "I don't have a timeline." She said the shipment included 1,800 bombs that are 2,000 pounds and 1,700 bombs that are 500 pounds — with the focus of concern being on the damage that the 2,000 pound bombs can cause in a densely populated area. "We have not made a final determination on how to proceed with this shipment…I also emphasize that the president spoke of a hypothetical if Israel invades Rafah. That has not happened yet." "We want to see a comprehensive plan and that's the conversations we've been having back and forth," she said. "We have a provided Israel with some alternatives…on how to do that, how to be strategic in going after those Hamas operators. Those conversations are going to continue." She declined to provide more detail on what alternatives the US was suggesting. Asked if POTUS has confidence in Denis McDonough in the wake of a VA inspector general report that found that more than 180 senior executives received improper bonuses last fall, with several taking home more than $100,000: "He has confidence in VA administrator McDonough. I can't speak to that particular report…but I know that the president respects secretary McDonough." She was also asked about the reason for the transcontinental flight, and if she could offer any details about the next two days and whether it involved anything beyond campaign fundraisers: "We are headed to California, headed to Seattle. Those are campaign trips and certainly the campaign can speak specifically on what we are doing. Can't say beyond that." Nothing official? "No. This is strictly campaign." |
| May 9, 2024 19:45 PDT |
Out of town pool report #3 / Marine One POTUS emerged at 7:38pm, walked down the 14 steps of AF1 and over to Marine One. We are now aboard Ospreys, preparing to lift and fly into San Francisco. |
| May 9, 2024 20:20 PDT |
Out of town pool report #4 / landing and rolling After a 20 minute or so ride over the San Francisco Bay as the sun was setting, Marine One landed at 8:10pm at the Marina Green Landing Zone in San Francisco, with both Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge visible nearby. POTUS gave a thumbs up to the pilot and a salute to an officer. He was greeted by San Francisco Mayor London Breed, and he paused to exchange several words. Several people were on balconys and rooftops along Marina Drive. One home had a large American flag hanging on a window. Another had an Israel flag on the rooftop. Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to Marina Green Parking Lot Landing Zone: Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff We are rolling at 8:18pm. Traveling with the President via motorcade: Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff |
| May 9, 2024 20:32 PDT |
Out of town pool report #5 / RON and lid The motorcade ride was uneventful, with onlookers lining the streets with phones aloft. Pooler spotted no signs of protesters. We arrived at RON at 8:25pm, but didn’t see POTUS. A lid was called at 8:30pm. |
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Pool Reports of May 9, 2024 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/371763