Pool Reports by Daniel Desrochers, Kansas City Star
| Sent: | Reports: |
| October 2, 2024 11:29 |
In-Town Pool Report #1 Good morning on a dreary Wednesday, The president is traveling to South Carolina and North Carolina to survey the damage from Hurricane Helene. The travel pool will join the motorcade to JBA with the president. |
| October 2, 2024 12:58 |
In-Town Pool Report #2: AF1 gaggle From the WH: "Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas will gaggle aboard AF1 at 1:05 PM EDT." |
Pool Reports below by Lauren Egan, POLITICO
| Sent: | Reports: |
| October 2, 2024 12:10 |
Out of town pool report #1: rolling to JBA Good morning. I will be your travel pooler for the president's trip to the Carolinas today. POTUS exited the Oval Office at 12:04 and walked across the lawn, directly to the motorcade. Pool is motorcading with POTUS to JBA. We pulled out of the White House gates at 12:06pm. |
| October 2, 2024 12:42 |
Out of town pool report #2: potus questions The motorcade arrived at JBA at 12:25pm. He exited the motorcade and came over and took a few questions from reporters on Iran and the port strike. It was extremely difficult to hear, quotes TK. He said he did not support an Israeli strike on Iran nuclear sites. "The answer is no," he said. He said the G7 was working on a statement in response to the situation. And he said there would be sanctions imposed on Iran. We are about to be wheels up. The White House shares the following information: Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to Joint Base Andrews: Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff |
| October 2, 2024 14:08 |
Out of town pool report #3: wheels down in SC AF1 was wheels down at Greenville-Spartanburg International airport at 1:40pm. Biden exited the plane at 1:51 wearing a vest and boots. He chatted for a few minutes with his airport greeters, walking down the line of people and shaking hands. Biden gave the mayor of Asheville a big hug and held her hand as they chatted. Secretary Mayorkas followed behind him, also shaking hands. After Biden greeted everyone, he huddled by his motorcade with Sen. Lindsey Graham and Gov. McMaster, among others, for a few minutes. Your pool could not make out anything they said, but it appeared to be an in-depth and extended discussion. Liz Sherwood-Randall, Deanne Criswell and Mayorkas we're also participating in the conversation. At 2:06 Biden walked to his helicopter (he didn't actually get in the motorcade, even thought it was positioned outside AF1). Pool is loading ospreys now for the survey of storm damaged areas. The WH shares the following: Greeting the President on arrival to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport: Governor Henry McMaster (SC) Greeting the President on arrival to Joint Base Andrews: Colonel Angela F. Ochoa, Commander, 89th Airlift Wing Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport: Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Department of Homeland Security |
| October 2, 2024 15:22 |
Out of town pool report #4: aerial tour After taking off from the Greenville/Spartanburg airport at 2:14pm, we were back on the ground at 3:20. Your pool, traveling in an Osprey, had eyes on Marine One for much of the ride. It's a beautiful day here, sunny and partly cloudy. After a few minutes of stunning views of tree-covered mountains, we dipped closer to the ground for a better view of the storm damage, making a big loop over the Asheville area. The destruction was visible, especially near downtown Asheville. We could see flattened buildings and the skeletons of now-gutted structures. In some areas, we could see trees that had been knocked down. We flew over Biltmore village, the River Arts district and east Asheville as well as Swannanoa and Black Mountain. We also flew over Chimney rock/Lake Lure and had a clear view of the water, which had turned a dark brown color. We saw some homes that were still partially under water. There was a lot of storm debris in the water. At times it was hard to distinguish between lake and land. It was a bit of a nauseating ride, even for veteran Osprey riders. The White House shares the following: Joining the President aboard Marine One for an aerial tour of areas impacted by Hurricane Helene: Governor Roy Cooper (NC) |
| October 2, 2024 15:40 |
Out of town pool report #5: AF1 wheels up shortly POTUS, traveling on Marine One, returned from the aerial tour at 3:28pm, a few minutes after your pool was back on the ground. He exited M1 at 3:31 and walked over to the greeters. He shook hands, pausing to briefly chat with some of them. Gov. Roy Cooper joined him, and they all posed for a photo together. Biden, followed by Cooper, boarded AF1 at 3:36pm. We are loading AF1 and will be wheels up to Raleigh shortly. The WH shares the following: Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Raleigh-Durham International Airport: Governor Roy Cooper (NC) |
| October 2, 2024 16:37 |
Out of town pool reporter #6: wheels down in NC AF1 touched down at the Raleigh-Durham International airport at 4:21pm. POTUS exited the aircraft at 4:31 and shook hands and chatted with the greeters before getting in the motorcade. Motorcade started rolling 4:36pm en route to the Raleigh Emergency Operations Center, where the president will receive an operational briefing. From the WH: Greeting the President on arrival to Raleigh-Durham International Airport: Rep. Deborah Ross (NC-02) |
| October 2, 2024 17:00 |
Out of town pool report #7: arrived at emergency operations center Motorcade arrived at the Raleigh Emergency Operations Center at 4:56pm after an uneventful ride. Pool did not see POTUS enter the center. |
| October 2, 2024 17:34 |
Out of town pool report #8: POTUS remarks The pool was immediately brought into a downstairs conference room, where the president was already seated at the head of the room. Maps of North Carolina and the impacted regions were projected on the wall directly behind him. The president was speaking quietly, and he was hard to hear from the pool position at the back of the room, so please check the tape. Biden opened his remarks emphasizing that "the nation has your back." "In a moment like this we put politics aside," he said. "Our job is to help as many people as we can, as quickly as we can." Biden said he'd flown over a lot of disaster areas before, but was struck by the scenes he saw earlier today in the Asheville area. He said he could not "imagine what it must have been like" as "all that rain came down," remarking about how much of Asheville is underwater. Biden said the hurricane would cost billions of dollars. "Congress has an obligation" to make sure states have the necessary resources, he said. "Nobody can deny the impact of the climate crisis anymore, at least I hope they don't. They must be brain dead if they do," he said. "Storm like Helene are getting stronger and stronger." Gov. Roy Cooper, who was seated directly to Biden's right, introduced the president, saying that an entire region of the state was still in a "dangerous situation." Copper said he was "grateful" for the "quick" action and the "massive surge of help." "Mr. President, we know we've made a lot of asks of you — and we are grateful," he said. "This is going to be a long and difficult recovery." Pool is now holding in a separate room while the operations briefing is still underway. From a WH official: In his remarks in North Carolina today, President Biden will announce that he has approved Governor Roy Cooper's request for a 100 percent Federal cost share for debris removal and emergency protective measures for six months. This will support the urgent work to address the impacts from landslides, debris flow, and flooding, and will cover costs of first responders, search and rescue, shelters, mass feeding, and other critical response activities during this critical time. That means the Federal government will pick up the tab for the emergency work that needs to be done to address the impacts from landslides, debris flow, and flooding in the mountains of western North Carolina and to remove the downed trees and other debris. The WH also shared the following: The President is receiving an operational briefing at the Raleigh Emergency Operations Center. Speaking Order: Participants: |
| October 2, 2024 18:28 |
Out of town pool report #9: departing operations center After holding for about an hour, the motorcade is on the move again at 6:26pm. Pool did not see POTUS exit the building. |
| October 2, 2024 18:53 |
Out of town pool report #10: wheels up for JBA After another uneventful ride, the motorcade arrived back at the Raleigh-Durham airport at 6:42pm. POTUS exited the motorcade at 6:45 and walked over to uniformed Raleigh police officers, who were lined up to shake his hand. They posed for a photo as the sun was setting in the background. Biden took one of the officers' phones, appearing to talk to someone on the other line before handing the phone back. POTUS walked directly up the short flight of AF1 stairs at 6:50pm. We are wheels up to JBA momentarily. |
| October 2, 2024 19:48 |
Out of town pool report #11: wheels down at JBA AF1 was back on the ground at JBA at 7:33pm. POTUS exited the aircraft at 7:44 and went right to the motorcade. Motorcade was en route to the White House at 7:46pm. |
| October 2, 2024 20:13 |
Out of town pool report #12: back at WH The motorcade pulled back onto the White House campus at 8:07pm. Pool did not have eyes on POTUS walking back into the White House. |
| October 2, 2024 20:17 |
Out of town pool report #13: Lid The White House called a lid at 8:15pm. Thanks, all! |
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Pool Reports of October 2, 2024 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/374453