Pool Reports by Francesca Chambers, USA Today
NOTE: The reporter continued the numbering sequence begun on November 10.
Reports numbered 1 & 2 can be found by clicking here.
Reports numbered 3 through 12 can be found by clicking here.
| Sent: | Reports: |
| November 12, 2022 08:31 ICT |
Travel Pool Report #13: wheels down Good morning from Cambodia. AF1 was wheels down at 8:20 am local time. Connectivity here is a struggle; fuller report coming soon. Pool is currently awaiting POTUS on the tarmac. |
| November 12, 2022 08:40 ICT |
Travel Pool Report #14: Greeting embassy staff The president deplaned AF1 at 8:31 am and walked to a pen full of US embassy staff that were behind a barrier. The president was too far away to hear. But he went down the line shaking hands and greeting people. Secretary Blinken came behind him. They are still greeting embassy staff. Greeting the President upon arrival at Phnom Penh International Airport, per the WH Vandeth Chea, Minister of Post and Telecommunications of the Kingdom of Cambodia |
| November 12, 2022 08:52 ICT |
Travel Pool Report #15: Leaving airport The president concluded greeting embassy staff --- including veterans, per the White House --- and hopped into the beast. Motorcade was on the move as of 8:45 am local time. And here is what was in the original arrival email which got stuck in pooler's outbox: AF1 was wheels down in Cambodia at 8:20 am local time. About an hour before landing WH national security adviser Jake Sullivan and WH press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre came back to the press cabin and gaggled for a little more than half an hour. We're told it played live on the White House website but please ping me if that wasn't the case. No other visitors to the press cabin during the second flight. Some other color from the last 23 hours or so since the president left JBA as we prepare to arrive at the RON: --- The first meal on the plane on Thursday, Nov. 10 after leaving Washington was a "snack" that was labeled on the menu as "Honey Chicken Biscuits" And here's a photo of POTUS arriving in Sharm yesterday, which I cannot attach to this email but would be happy to send: https://twitter.com/fran_chambers/status/1591247045104644096 |
| November 12, 2022 09:07 ICT |
Travel Pool Report #16: LUNCH LID POTUS arrived at Raffles hotel, where he is RONing, at 8:57 am EDT on a hot and humid morning. Breakfast/lunch lid until 3:15PM With that, I wish you a good rest of you day, or evening, depending on where you are. You'll have a new pooler for the afternoon events. |
Pool Reports below by Andrew Restuccia, The Wall Street Journal
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| November 12, 2022 12:36 ICT |
Travel pool report #1 -- Biden calls Kelly Hi there--I'm taking over as your print pooler for the rest of the day. To simplify things, I'm going to restart the report number at 1. From the White House: The President has completed a congratulatory call to Senator Mark Kelly. |
| November 12, 2022 16:26 ICT |
Travel pool report #2 — motorcade rolling The president's motorcade started moving at 4:23 pm local time. We're heading from the Raffles Hotel, where the president is staying, to the Sokha Hotel, where the ASEAN summit is taking place. POTUS is heading to a bilat with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. |
| November 12, 2022 16:36 ICT |
Travel pool report #3 — arrival at ASEAN hotel The motorcade arrived at the Sokha hotel at 4:34 pm local time The motorcade was uneventful. There were few people on the streets. Security appeared to be tight. Police officers lined much of the motorcade route. We did not see POTUS enter or exit the Beast. |
| November 12, 2022 | [APP Note: Report #4 does not exist or was not received by the APP.] |
| November 12, 2022 17:01 ICT |
Travel pool report #5 — Bilat At 4:49 pm, the pool then entered a nearby room where the president and PM sat side by side. The PM was speaking to POTUS but we didn't have translation, so we don't know what he said. POTUS noted that the PM had come to the US for a meeting with south Asian leaders. POTUS said this weekend's ASEAN meeting would touch on energy, national security and other issues. He thanked the PM for his "clear condemnation" of Russia's invasion of Ukraine "The United States is committed to ASEAN's centrality." POTUS said he was "looking forward" to the summit. He said he "remains committed to seeing the return of Democracy in Myanmar." After a few minutes, the pool was pulled out. Several reporters shouted questions about whether Biden would address human rights issues with the PM. POTUS didn't respond. From the White House: The President is participating in a bilateral meeting with 2022 ASEAN Chair Prime Minister Hun Sen of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Meeting participants include: U.S. Manifest Cambodia Manifest |
| November 12, 2022 17:25 ICT |
Travel pool report #6 — family photo After we were pulled out of the bilat, the pool gathered in a cavernous conference room for the ASEAN summit meeting. The room was adorned with a red carpet and golden chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. POTUS walked on stage at 5:18 pm and posed for a group "family" photo. POTUS and the PM stood next to each other in the middle of the stage. An announcer instructed the leaders to "please smile" and wave at the cameras. But POTUS was still shaking hands and chatting with the other leaders. POTUS then quickly moved to his position on the stage and, with him in place, the announcer said they would take another set of photos. POTUS and the other leaders held out their hands and waved for the cameras. The leaders then took their seats at a set of tables organized in a square in the center of the room. POTUS sat next to the PM again, facing the wall of dozens of cameras at the back of the room. The summit is now underway and Biden is expected to speak soon. From the White House: Joining the President for a family photo with Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders: H.E. Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia & 2022 Chair of ASEAN |
| November 12, 2022 17:34 ICT |
Travel pool report #7 — Biden remarks Seated at a table, POTUS began speaking at 5:24 pm. He ended his remarks at 5:28 pm. "It's wonderful that we can gather with all of you again" "I look forward to building even stronger progress than we've already made." He thanked the PM, but appeared to refer to him as prime minister of Colombia instead of Cambodia "ASEAN is the heart of my administration's Indo-Pacific strategy." He said ASEAN was empowered and unified. Biden said "Colombia," instead of Cambodia. He said ASEAN would: "Defend against significant threats to the rules-based order" "Develop an integrated electric vehicle ecosystem in Southeast Asia" Encourage "sustainable high-standard infrastructure" "Discuss Russia's brutal war in Ukraine." "We're going to build a better future that we all want to see, that we're going to see." The pool was pulled out after Biden's remarks |
| November 12, 2022 | [APP Note: Report #8 does not exist or was not received by the APP.] |
| November 12, 2022 19:01 ICT |
Travel pool report #9 — dinner list The White House called a dinner lid until 8 pm local time |
| November 12, 2022 20:54 ICT |
Travel pool report #10 — motorcade rolling At 8:51 pm, the motorcade was rolling for the Chroy Changvar International Convention and Exhibition Center, where POTUS is attending the East Asia Summit gala dinner. |
| November 12, 2022 21:13 ICT |
Travel pool report #11 — arrival at gala The motorcade arrived at the convention center at 9:01 pm. We didn't see POTUS exit the motorcade. The ride was uneventful. Dozens of people on motorbikes were backed up on nearby streets waiting for the motorcade to pass so they could go about their nights. It's drizzling here. After arriving at the convention center, we entered another cavernous room. The PM was waiting on a long blue carpet to greet the world leaders. POTUS entered at 9:05 pm and shook hands with the the PM. They posed for photos together. POTUS was wearing a grey button-up shirt with a band collar. The White House said it was a traditional Cambodian garment made of silk. The PM was wearing a similar garment; his was teal. The pool was then hustled to an adjacent room where the gala is taking place. Dozens of tables with white tablecloths were set up in the room for the gala. |
| November 12, 2022 21:39 ICT |
Travel pool report #12 — Biden arrives at dinner Guests—including Antony Blinken and, separately, Sergei Lavrov—streamed into the gala, shuffling past the pool and toward their seats. At 9:33 pm, Biden entered the room where the gala is taking place with Justin Trudeau and other Canadian officials. POTUS didn't stop to speak to the pool. The pool is holding at the back of the room. We don't have a good view of POTUS From the White House: Greeting the President upon arrival at the Chroy Changvar International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Phnom Penh, Cambodia: H.E. Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia & 2022 Chair of ASEAN |
| November 12, 2022 21:51 ICT |
Travel pool report #13 — biden table mates Some info from the White House on who is sitting at Biden's table: On his right is the UN secretary-general and on his left is the Cambodian PM. We got some clarity on another one of the guests POTUS was chatting with when he entered the dinner. In addition to Trudeau and other Canadian officials, the president was talking with Kristalina Georgieva, the managing director of the IMF. We've asked for a rundown of the dinner menu Also from the White House: Joining the President at the East Asia Summit Gala Dinner, hosted by Prime Minister Hun Sen of the Kingdom of Cambodia: U.S. Delegation |
| November 12, 2022 22:07 ICT |
Travel pool report #14 — gala dinner menu From the White House: Served for dinner at the East Asia Summit Gala Dinner: Starters MEANG LAU - savory pork shoulder, tangy tamarind, roasted peanuts and aromatic ginger rolled in fresh tapioca leaves NATAING - fragrant coconut curry dip, harmoniously combined with minced pork, shrimp, and dried chili paste. Served with crispy rice crackers POMELO SALAD - fresh pomelo tossed with roasted coconut, smoked fish, dried shrimps, pork and mint Main Course BEEF SARAMAN - traditional Cambodian beef curry, slow cooked with roasted peanuts and a unique blend of Khmer spices. Served with fish baguette SOMLOR PROHOUER - Clear refreshing broth, simmered with local aromatics, organic vegetables and smoked fish Dessert NOM AKOR - Traditional steamed rice cake, topped with fresh coconut shavings BORBOR THNOT - Palm fruit cooked in a coconut cream over hearty rice porridge |
| November 12, 2022 23:14 ICT |
Travel pool report #15 — motorcade rolling At 11:09 pm, the motorcade was rolling. We're leaving the convention center. Pool was in the back of the convention hall for the entirety of the dinner, but we couldn't see POTUS or any of the other world leaders. As a result, we couldn't determine who POTUS mingled with and whether, for example, he interacted with Lavrov. On a stage at the front of the room, there were a series of Cambodian cultural performances, including singing and dancing. An cavalcade of waiters served several courses of food. We did not see POTUS exit the convention center and enter the beast. |
| November 12, 2022 23:26 ICT |
Travel pool report #16 — arrival at hotel/lid We arrived back at POTUS' hotel at 11:23 pm. Another uneventful motorcade ride through Phnom Penh's largely empty streets. The White House called a lid at 11:24 pm. Have a good night |
| November 13, 2022 00:02 ICT |
Travel pool report #17 — Biden call to Trone From the White House: The President made a congratulatory call to Congressman David Trone from Phnom Penh, Cambodia at 11:39pm local time. |
| November 13, 2022 00:30 ICT |
Travel pool report #18 — another Biden congrats call From the White House The President made a congratulatory call to Congressman Pat Ryan from Phnom Penh, Cambodia at 11:50pm local time. |
Pool Report below by Todd J. Gillman, The Dallas Morning News
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| November 12, 2022 20:41 EST |
Intown pool report #1/gaggle timing Sunday For planning purposes: We have guidance on timing for the gaggle en route Bali, Indonesia. It's currently expected to start sometime 6:30 – 7:00am ET Sunday. |
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Pool Reports of November 12, 2022 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/358831