Pool Reports of November 6, 2023

Travel Pool Report #1 - Rehoboth departure

Good morning from Rehoboth Beach, Del. It's a bright sunny day here and the temperature is 58 degrees.

The pool assembled at Gordons Pond for President Biden's departure. The president's motorcade arrived at the site at 11:28 a.m. ET. He was wearing a dark suit and walked over from his vehicle to board Marine One. The pool was in our usual location about 50 yards from the aircraft and too far away to shout questions to the president.

The White House passes these details along:

Traveling with the President via motorcade:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Olivia Dalton, Deputy Assistant to the President & Principal Deputy Press Secretary
Josh Geltzer, Deputy Counsel to the President & Legal Advisor to the NSC

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to Delaware Air National Guard Base:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Natalie Quillian, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Josh Geltzer, Deputy Counsel to the President & Legal Advisor to the NSC

Marine One was wheels up at 11:32 a.m.

Now handing it over to the supplemental pool at DANG.

Travel pool report # 2 — call with Netanyahu

Good morning from DANG. I'll be your pooler for POTUS' Amtrak event today. Passing along from the White House:

President Biden spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu this morning to discuss the latest developments in Israel and Gaza. We will be sending a readout soon.

Travel pool report #3 — arrival, DANG

M1 touched down at DANG just after 12:05pm.

POTUS, wearing a dark suit and blue and yellow tie, hopped off the heli at 12:10pm and was greeted on the tarmac by Sens Carper and Coons, Gov. Carney, and others in a small group. Full list to follow.

Biden jumped in his SUV at 12:11pm. He did not respond to shouted questions from pool.

Heading to the bus as of 12:12pm, tktktk

Travel pool report #4 — greeters

Sen. Coons joined POTUS in his SUV for the ride.

Passing along from WH:

Greeting the President upon arrival at Delaware Air National Guard Base:

Governor John Carney (DE)
Senator Tom Carper (DE)
Senator Chris Coons (DE)
Mayor Mike Purzycki, Wilmington, DE
County Executive Matt Meyer, New Castle, DE
Lieutenant Colonel Brian Malloy, 721st Battalion Commander, Delaware Army National Guard
Sergeant Major Mark Del Vecchio, 721st Battalion Sergeant Major, Delaware Army National Guard

Travel pool report #5 — rolling

Motorcade departed at 12:14pm. We're heading to the Amtrak Bear Maintenance Shops and should arrive in roughly 12 minutes

Tktk…

Travel pool report #6 — arrival

After a short, uneventful ride, motorcade arrived at the Amtrak Bear Maintenance Shops at 12:29pm. Pool did not have eyes on POTUS exiting his vehicle, and we're moving to the first location.

POTUS will visit with Amtrak workers and briefly tour facilities ahead of his remarks, scheduled for 1:15pm. You can stream that speech here:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=klcprQVZ3HA

Tktktk

Travel pool report #7 — meet and greet participants

Passing along…

The President is participating in a greet with Amtrak workers.

Participants
Rob Burton, General Foreman
Tommy Ferretti, American Railway and Airway Supervisors Association (ARASA) Foreman III
Shawn Wilson, Craft Appointed Safety Liaison
Christy Custis, Carmen Journeyman
Victor Caulk, Repairmen Foreman
Devon Archy, American Railway and Airway Supervisors Association (ARASA) Foreman II
Robert Esswein, Rolling Stock Mechanical Engineer
Daniel Lisowski, Senior Director for Mechanical Operations
Jim Monaghan, American Railway and Airway Supervisors Association (ARASA) Foreman II
Edna Foster, Carmen Journeyman
Andrew Alexander, General Foreman
Paul Allen, Superintendent II, Amtrak Bear Car Shops
Andre Williams, Superintendent II, Wilmington Maintenance Facility
Phil Fowler, Manager of Facilities Maintenance
Brian Russell, Gang Foreman

Travel pool report #8 — tour/M&G

POTUS exited the facility at 12:46pm

He's currently visiting with a group of Amtrak employees sandwiches between two trains bearing the presidential seal.

POTUS joked with the gathered group about Sunday night's Eagles-Cowboys game. Biden joked that "if not for Amtrak" he never would have made it in the Senate.

Eagle-eared co-pooler Rob Crilly heard POTUS tell one of the workers that he had "about $60 million for you… you're going to get a lot of new trains."

We departed for the speech location before POTUS finished with the line… he was retelling the story of when he found out that he'd travelled more miles on Amtrak than flying on Air Force 2.

Travel pool report #9 — speech background

Passing along from WH...

The President is delivering remarks highlighting how Bidenomics and his Investing in America agenda are fixing long-standing infrastructure needs including the largest investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak.

In attendance are Amtrak Union Workers, local elected officials, and Northeast Corridor stakeholders.

Pre-Program
Stephen Gardner, CEO, Amtrak
Tony Coscia, Chair of the Amtrak Board
Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Department of Transportation
Senator Chris Coons (DE)
Senator Tom Carper (DE)
Governor John Carney (DE)

Speaking Program
Sterling Rapposelli, Amtrak employee of 27 Years
The President

Travel pool report #10 — remarks begin

POTUS took the stage at 1:13pm

A reminder that you can follow along with Biden's remarks here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=klcprQVZ3HA

A quick note: WH says the "$60 million" figure pool heard POTUS reference as actually "$16 billion" the sum of Monday's grants"

Travel pool report #11 — remarks concluded

POTUS wrapped at 1:32pm.

Pool is now moving back to the motorcade, though POTUS visited with speech attendees after his remarks concluded.

Travel pool report #12 — rolling back to DANG

Motorcade departed at 1:48pm. Pool did not see POTUS after his speech

Tktktk

Travel pool report #13 — back at DANG

Motorcade pulled onto the tarmac at 2:05pm.

Pool is moving into position for departure

Tktktk

Travel pool report #14 — M1

POTUS boarded M1 at 2:06pm, roughly 150 yards from pool, who is also helo'ing back to DC.

Handing off to in-town pool for WH arrival. Have a great Monday, y'all!

Travel pool report #15 — travelers

Passing along from WH

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to the White House:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Natalie Quillian, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Josh Geltzer, Deputy Counsel to the President & Legal Advisor to the NSC

In-Town Pool Report #1: Gather for Arrival

White House called pool just now to gather for President Biden's arrival.

In-Town Pool Report #2: WH Arrival

Marine One touched down on the South Lawn at 3:02pm. President Biden waved at the press but did not respond to shouted questions as he walked into the Oval Office.

In-Town Pool Report #3: Lid

The White House called a lid at 5:33pm.