Pool Reports by Eli Stokols, Los Angeles Times
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| September 22, 2022 10:04 |
Out of town pool report #1 — checking in Good morning from Midtown. I'll be your pooler today as POTUS wraps up his trip to NYC and UNGA and returns to Washington. Pool has assembled and is holding at the RON ahead of the first event of the day, POTUS' bilat with the new president of the Philippines, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, at 11a. Here's the run of show for the day: 11:00 AM THE PRESIDENT hosts a bilateral meeting with President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Jr. of the Republic of the Philippines 2:15 PM THE PRESIDENT receives a briefing on Hurricane Fiona's impact on Puerto Rico and the ongoing federal government response 4:40 PM THE PRESIDENT participates in a Democratic National Committee reception 5:55 PM THE PRESIDENT departs New York, New York en route John F. Kennedy International Airport 6:20 PM THE PRESIDENT departs John F. Kennedy International Airport en route Joint Base Andrews |
| September 22, 2022 11:21 |
Out of town pool report #2 - bilat starting Meeting running a bit behind schedule. Pool is now entering the bilat room at 11:21 a.m. POTUS and President Marcos are seated side by side (with Biden on the right) with rows of aides positioned down the length of the room. Will send more when it wraps. |
| September 22, 2022 11:33 |
Out of town pool report #3 - bilat spray + quotes Biden spoke first, starting at 11:22. He recalled calling Marcos very late on the night of his election in May. He said the U.S.-Philippines "relationship has deep roots," noting that "we've had some rocky times" but that it remains "critical" for both countries. He said they'd discuss a "wide range of issues" including Covid-19 and renewable energy. "I was impressed with the work you've done on windmills," Biden said. He said he expected "we'll discuss the South China Sea" and thanked Marcos "for your position on the war against Ukraine." Marcos then spoke to Biden in English. A few quick quotes from his very conciliatory remarks: "The role of the United States in maintaining the peace in our region is something that is much appreciated by all the countries in the region and the Philippines especially." Marcos thanked Biden for "the massive help we received in the pandemic," noting that the Philippines got "36 million doses of the vaccine … very early on" in the pandemic. He said they "continue to look to the United States" for leadership in the region. "The primary consideration for the Philippines…is to encourage peace." "We are your partners, we are your allies, we are your friends." Pool was escorted out at 11:27. No response from either to shouted questions, including one to Biden about whether he still has confidence in David Malpass at the World Bank. Pool now holding for a while until we depart for the hurricane briefing downtown. Meeting manifest from the WH: Participating in a bilateral meeting with President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Jr. of the Republic of the Philippines: U.S. Manifest
Philippines Manifest
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| September 22, 2022 13:53 |
Out of town pool report #4 - motorcade rolling POTUS' motorcade was rolling from the RON at 1:49 p.m., headed to One World Trade for the FEMA briefing on hurricanes. Pool had loaded 30 minutes earlier into vans (that were parked a block away from the Beast) and did not see POTUS. A cool, grey day in NYC. Light rain falling now. Still several onlookers streetside behind all the barricades. From the WH: Traveling with the President by motorcade en route FEMA Region 2 Office at One World Trade:
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| September 22, 2022 14:09 |
Out of town pool report #5 - 1WT arrival Motorcade arrived at One World Trade at 2:08 p.m. and pulled into an underground garage adjacent to the 9/11 memorial. Uneventful drive past the UN and down the FDR. We did drive past Curtis Sliwa, spotted in his usual burgundy beret, standing behind the barricades on E. 49th Street. Pool moving now to FEMA office for the hurricane briefing spray. |
| September 22, 2022 14:29 |
Out of town pool report #6 - FEMA briefing Pool was hustled up the block and up to FEMA's office on the 52nd floor of 1WT. Then very quickly ushered into a conference room for the spray at 2:16. POTUS was seated at head of three tables arranged in a U. To his left sat Deanne Criswell, FEMA administrator. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams sat at the table to Biden's left. Over his right shoulder, a flat screen monitor showed a live feed of officials at a table in Puerto Rico. Biden, with a binder in front of him on the table, began speaking and said he was "laser focused on what's happening to the people of Puerto Rico" and that the federal government will "do everything we can to help." He thanked the local first responders. "Disasters are traumatic for survivors but they're also traumatic for first responders," he said, urging people affected to "ask for help." He said he's authorized "100%" federal government funding for debris removal, power and water restoration and shelter and food for the next month. Speaking to the people of Puerto Rico, Biden said: "We are with you. We are not going to walk away." Pool ushered out at 2:22 before any other attendees spoke. He did not respond to a shouted question about whether he will travel to Puerto Rico. We are now holding in the FEMA office. Please check all quotes against transcript. From the WH: Those who greeted the President upon arrival at FEMA Region 2 Office at One World Trade:
Participating in the President's briefing on Hurricane Fiona's impact on Puerto Rico and the ongoing federal government response: In-Person Attendees
Virtual Attendees (in Puerto Rico)
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| September 22, 2022 15:27 |
Out of town pool report #7 - rolling again Pool returned to press vans around 2:55 p.m. Motorcade rolled away from 1WT at 3:25. No sighting of POTUS. |
| September 22, 2022 15:52 |
Out of town pool report #8 - arrival at fundraiser site Motorcade reversed course back up the FDR — sun shining now — past still more hordes of onlookers behind the barricades on Lex and then 58th and arrived at the site of the DNC fundraiser, a residence on Central Park South, at 3:48 p.m. Pool is still in vans but should be moving inside at some point. |
| September 22, 2022 17:14 |
Out of town pool report #9 - DNC fundraiser Long play by play below but just to give you the toplines — Biden spoke for 30 minutes. No major news, a few interesting comments about the Graham abortion proposal and the duration of his presidency. On the abortion bill, he said the Republican abortion ban "Graham and others" are discussing had "no exceptions — rape, incest, no exceptions." "I happen to be a practicing Roman Catholic," he said. "My church doesn't even make that argument." (Thanks to co-pooler Jim Tankersley for transcribing that one.) — Pool held outside for 15 minutes and was then brought inside and up to the 65th floor. We held outside the residence where the fundraiser is being held, in an anteroom where attendees' shoes — Jimmy Choo mules, YSL pumps, etc. — sat on shoe racks outside the door. We waited there while POTUS did the photo line. With cloth booties over our own shoes to protect the host's floors, we entered the residence at 4:18 p.m. Maybe 40 or so people, in socks or booty-covered shoes, were seated on sofas and chairs in a living rooms with floor to ceiling windows looking north across Central Park and up the Hudson. A Steinway grand occupied the far side of the room. Your pooler stood in a corner near a Toulouse-Latrec. Kate Bedingfield and Karine Jean-Pierre lingered in an adjoining room behind us. Plates of crustless tea sandwiches sat on table. POTUS entered the room at 4:25 as attendees stood to applaud. After an introduction from the hosts, Henry and Marsha Laufer — she called the midterms "Roe-vember" as she held up a pink pin — he started speaking at 4:31. He held a wireless microphone but didn't meander away from the small lectern all that much. After commenting briefly on the "magnificent" view, he spoke about the midterms that are 47 days away. "There's a lot up for grabs, a lot at stake, from choice to social security, to gun rights, to global warming, to democracy itself," he said. Referencing the moment as "an inflection point," he said "what happens in the next four, five, six years is going to determine what happens in the next 30." He spoke about what he means when he refers to "MAGA Republicans" — "I'm not just talking about Trump. I'm talking about those folks who have a different view about how institutions should function." "This is not your father's Republican Party," he said, ticking off specific behaviors — defending Jan. 6 insurrectionists, election denying, etc. "There's something different about what's out there…it's not consistent with who we are as a democracy." He told an anecdote about how a few Republicans have told him they can't vote with him because of fear of Trump but privately support "a lot of the things" he's doing. He wouldn't name them, saying these conversations were in confidence. "There's a fear factor," he said, with Republicans and Trump. On his administration's accomplishments: "We've been able to get a lot done…and we have to keep the momentum going." He talked about the bipartisan infrastructure law, the chips bill, the gun safety law, the PACT Act and the IRA. "There's so much we can do," he said, promising he'd ban assault weapons before leaving office, "whether it's in four years or eight years." He talked of having finally passed a law to let Medicare negotiate drug prices "without a single solitary Republican vote." "That's going to change people's lives," he said. Summing up, he spoke about his presidency overall: "I've been around long enough to know what I wanted to do," he said. "And we've gotten 85% of it done." "If we lose the House and Senate, it changes the trajectory of what we want to do." "We gotta make this a choice," he said of the election. "What's the alternative?" "Can anybody here tell me what the Republican platform is for?" Biden asked. Someone volunteered, "lower taxes." "No, it's not," Biden said, stating that the GOP "wants to raise taxes for everyone making under $100,000 [a year]." He also mentioned Sen. Lindsey Graham's legislation "to make sure Roe is forever gone," stating that he's "going to be around at least another two years" and would veto it if it were to pass. Biden said the Republican abortion ban had "no exceptions — rape, incest, no exceptions." "I happen to be a practicing Roman Catholic," he said. "My church doesn't even make that argument." "They've gotten more extreme in their positions," he said. "And so you know, we've got more to do," Biden went on, lamenting that he couldn't extend the CTC, which stood for one year because of the ARP. "That brought down child poverty 40%." He spoke about the need to invest more in education: "We're not thinking ahead enough." And he touched briefly on foreign policy at the end, talking about his relationships with other leaders and how other Jan. 6 made allies nervous about the state of American democracy. "Now when I walk into a room; every other leader looks at me and says we're going to be okay. Not because of me! But people are looking for America to lead." He wrapped at 5:01 as pool was ushered out. POTUS staying to take questions but we won't see that part. Holding now outside on 58th Street. |
| September 22, 2022 17:44 |
Out of town pool report #10 - rolling to heliport Motorcade is rolling from 58th Street, where a crowd of onlookers has been waiting behind the barricades for a glimpse of POTUS, at 5:39 p.m. We are headed to the Wall Street landing zone for the lift to JFK. |
| September 22, 2022 18:23 |
Out of town pool report #11 - lifting for JFK Motorcade reached the Wall Street Landing Zone at 5:58 p.m. POTUS waited on the tarmac in the Beast for several minutes. Pool was told to load into the Osprey before he got out and walked to Marine One. New procedure, per one of our agents: they won't spin the blades until press and staff are loaded. We were loaded at 6:05. At 6:08, the Beast rolled in reverse back toward M1 and stopped. Agents stood by the doors on both sides. POTUS remained in the car until 6:19, when he got out and walked a few paces to board M1. We should be lifting for JFK shortly. From the WH: Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route John F. Kennedy International Airport:
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| September 22, 2022 18:48 |
Out of town pool report #12 - JFK departure Pool touched down at JFK at 6:32 p.m. after a very pretty but choppy ride out of Lower Manhattan at dusk. Marine One landed at 6:39 and rolled to a stop in front of Air Force One. POTUS stepped off in aviators with Finnegan, his granddaughter, and walked over to the plane, boarding via the main steps at 6:44 after a salute from the top. We are boarding now and will be wheels up for JBA momentarily |
| September 22, 2022 19:47 |
Out of town pool report #13 — JBA arrival Air Force One was wheels up from JFK at 6:57 p.m. and wheels down at JBA at 7:44. Uneventful flight with no visitors to the press cabin, although POTUS was spotted through the doors chatting with staffers in the staff cabin (the one in front of where the agents sit) a few minutes after takeoff. We'll be motorcading back to the White House because the South Lawn is not open for M1 to land because of the setup for tomorrow night's Elton John concert. Taxiing now. |
| September 22, 2022 20:00 |
Out of town pool report #14 - rolling from JBA POTUS stepped off AF1 at 7:55 and came down the lower stairs (very windy out here) behind his granddaughter, Finnegan. He shook hands with the greeter and got quickly into the Beast a minute later. Pool loaded quickly into vans. Motorcade rolling for the White House at 7:58. From the WH: Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route Joint Base Andrews:
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| September 22, 2022 20:26 |
Out of town pool report #15 - WH return Motorcade pulled through the White House north gate at 8:22 p.m. after an uneventful drive from JBA. Pool could not really see POTUS entering the residence from all the way down the driveway. Travel/photo lid called at 8:23. Have a good night, all. |
Pool Reports below by Kethevane Gorjestani, France 24
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| September 22, 2022 10:07 |
Foreign pool report #1 - Marcos Jr. background Hello all, I'm your foreign pooler (again) for the President's bilateral meeting with Ferdinand Marcos Jr, President of the Philippines which is scheduled for 11am. A quick recap of the President's meetings with foreign leaders during this UNGA. 3 bilats: Guterres, Truss & Marcos Jr. 3 Pull-asides: Macron, Kishida, Yoon Meetings: The 2 leaders spoke on the phone once, this past May, when POTUS called Marcos Jr. to congratulate him on his elections. Priorities for bilat: Per senior WH official: "the President will be eager to talk to him about a range of issues, including obviously the state of the global economy and how it's impacting the Philippines and how the Indo Pacific economic framework can help us collectively improve the rules of the road in the Indo-Pacific. They'll talk about South China Sea. They'll talk about the security relationship between the US and the Philippines and the full breadth of issues in the Alliance. But it'll be a good opportunity for a treaty ally of the United States with a new president, who's making his first trip to New York to have his first meeting with President Biden." Context: Marcos Jr calls his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte an ally. Duterte (who never attended the UNGA in person during his 6-year term) was a strongman known for his violent war on drugs and for jailing his critics. His daughter Sara Duterte is now the Vice-President. During the campaign, several groups sought to disqualify Marcos Jr.'s candidacy, pointing to a 1995 tax evasion conviction and the millions of dollars in taxes his family still owes the government. The Marcos campaign was also accused of spreading misinformation online (Both twitter & Facebook said they had removed hundreds of accounts related to his campaign for violating their rules.) Marcos Jr is facing an outstanding warrant in the US for defying a Hawaii court order. Back in 1995, the District Court of Hawaii ordered the Marcos family to pay $2 billion in reparations to the victims of the martial law imposed by Marcos Sr. In 2011, Marcos Jr. and his mother, were fined $353 million by the court for failing to provide information on assets, which is still outstanding. Schedule: Marcos Jr. gave his very first UNGA speech on Tuesday, saying there where "4 challenges to the continued survival of our global community" -Climate change: "The time for talk about if and when has long since passed – it is here, it is now." -technological upheaval: "these emerging technologies could solve many of our old problems, but they could also disrupt our political and social orders." -widening geopolitical polarities and sharpening strategic competitions. -Inequalities and inequities within and among countries Full speech: https://www.rappler.com/nation/full-text-marcos-jr-speech-united-nations-general-assembly-2022/ Bio: Ferdinand Marcos Jr, known by his nickname "Bongbong,"is 65 years old. He was elected President by a landslide in May 2022, taking over from Rodrigo Duterte. He's the son of former President, and dictator, Ferdinand Marcos Sr. Marcos Jr. has sought to rehabilitate the family name & rewrite the history of his father's brutal regime. The regime is accused of imprisoning around 70,000, torturing 34,000 and killing around 3,200 of his own citizens after imposing martial law in the Philippines in 1972, according to Amnesty International. The Marcos family fled into exile to Hawaii in 1986 after the peaceful "People Power" revolution ended his father's 2-decade long rule. The family returned to the Philippines soon after the death of Marcos Sr in 1989. Marcos Jr. served as Vice Governor, Governor and Congressman in the family stronghold of Ilocos Norte for most of 3 decades between 1980 & 2010. He was first elected to national office as Senator (2010-2016) |
| September 22, 2022 11:44 |
Foreign pool #2 - Marcos Quotes Pool came into the room at 11:21am POTUS spoke for a couple of minutes followed by Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who spoke in English. Here are some quotes. Marcos Jr said "the 100+ year old relationship between the Philippines and the US continues to evolve as we face the challenges of this new century and the events that we have been watching over the past few months." "The role of the US in maintaining the peace in our region is something that is much appreciated by all the countries of the region, the Philippines especially." He said Philippines was very fortunate because of its "very long relationship, strong relationship" with the US, political, diplomatic, economic, "and of course the very large Philippino population" He thanked the US for "the massive help we received during the pandemic" "The primary consideration of the Philippines and the guiding principle of the Philippines foreign policy is to encourage peace." He concluded with this: "We are your partners, we are your allies, we are your friends and in like fashion we have always considered the US our partner, our ally and our friend" Pool was ushered out at 11:27am As always please check against tape. Participating in a bilateral meeting with President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Jr. of the Republic of the Philippines: U.S. Manifest
Philippines Manifest
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| September 22, 2022 11:51 |
Foreign pool report #3 That's it for the "foreign pool" part of the trip. Thanks to my (way more experienced) fellow poolers for their help! |
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Pool Reports of September 22, 2022 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/358296