Pool Reports of September 23, 2020

In-Town Pool Report #1: Statement on RBG Lying in Repose

Good morning. I am your print pool reporter. Just now, White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere passes along the following:

"The President will pay his respects to the late justice on Thursday at the U.S. Supreme Court where she will be lying in repose."

In-Town Pool Report #2: Bay of Pigs Speech Excerpts

The White House passes along the following. The event in question is scheduled for 11:00am. Also, you may have noticed that the president tweeted about a 6:00pm news conference.

Excerpts from President Donald J. Trump's remarks in honor of Bay of Pigs Veterans (as prepared)…

Today, we reaffirm our ironclad solidarity with the Cuban People, and our eternal conviction that FREEDOM will prevail over the sinister forces of COMMUNISM.
…
We are profoundly honored to be joined by more than 20 Veterans of Brigade 2506 and their families. Your bravery inspires all.
…
My Administration stands with every citizen of Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela in their fight for liberty.
…
The Obama-Biden administration made a weak, pathetic, one-sided deal with the Castro dictatorship that betrayed the Cuban People and enriched the communist regime. I CANCELLED the Obama-Biden sellout to the Castro Regime.
…
The courageous Veterans here today bear witness to how socialism, radical mobs, and violent communists, ruin a nation. Now, the Democrat Party is unleashing socialist mobs on America.
…
Today, we proclaim that America will NEVER be a socialist country.
…
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage month, we give thanks for the countless ways that Hispanic Americans uplift and inspire our nation.
…
Hispanic Americans embody the American Dream—and my administration is delivering for you like never before.
…
The Veterans we honor today are a powerful testament to all that a free people can achieve. In the past 6 decades, you have built strong families, thriving businesses, and vibrant communities.

In-Town Pool Report #3: Bay of Pigs Remarks Begin

?The pool was ushered into the East Room a few minutes before the event was scheduled to start. Assorted guests are socially distance inside while someone played the piano outside in the foyer.

The president arrived at 11:12 and is speaking now.

Marc Short, the VP's chief of staff, stopped to chat briefly with the pool while awaiting the president.

So what about that bird strike aboard Air Force 2? The VP and Short were sitting in Pence's cabin on the return flight from New Hampshire when an unfortunate bird was sucked through the plane's right engine. "It doesn't sound right," Short recalls Pence saying. The chief agreed but added "it doesn't smell right."

In-Town Pool Report #4: New Cuba Restrictions

?The president announced just now that "the Treasury Department will prohibit US travelers from staying at properties owned by the Cuban government."

(Check the quote against the transcript)

He also added that that actions will be taken to restrict the importation of alcohol and tobacco from Cuba.

The White House passes along the following:

Today, President Donald J. Trump will deliver remarks to honor the Bay of Pigs veterans as we commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Mariel boatlift and reaffirm the Trump Administration's commitment to stand by the Cuban people in their quest for liberty.

The following individuals are expected to attend:

The White House
President Donald J. Trump
Vice President Mike Pence
Matt Pottinger, Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor
Jennifer Sevilla Korn, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the Office of Public Liaison
Mauricio Claver-Carone, Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs, National Security Council

Trump Administration
Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, U.S. Department of State
Ambassador Carlos Trujillo, U.S. Department of State

Members of Congress
Representative Mario Diaz Balart, (R-FL)
Representative Alex Mooney, (R-WV)
Representative Anthony Gonzalez, (R-OH)

External Participants
23 Brigade 2506 veterans and their families.

In-Town Pool Report #5: Remarks Conclude

The president concluded his remarks at 12:35 after inviting members of Congress, the Florida state legislature, and Brigade 2506 to speak on stage with him.

Trump left the East Room.

In-Town Pool Report #6: Lunch Lid

The White House just called a lunch lid until 1:00pm.

Best,

In-Town PoIn-Town Pool Report #7: State Attorney Generals

?The pool was brought into the Cabinet Room where assorted state attorney generals from around the country were gathered.

To open, the president took a shot at Twitter for censoring him while allowing the Iranian government to remain on the platform. The discussion is ongoing. More TK.

The White House passes along the following:

In a roundtable discussion today, President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General William Barr will announce new legislation to modernize and clarify the immunity that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 provides online platforms. This proposal is the latest action in the Trump Administration's ongoing effort to protect American consumers from social media abuse and combat censorship of lawful speech online.

President Trump and Attorney General Barr will also discuss how State attorneys general can utilize existing rights of action and legal recourses at the state-level to protect American consumers.

The following individuals are expected to attend:

The White House
President Donald J. Trump
Mark Meadows, Chief of Staff
Dan Scavino, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications
Jared Kushner, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor
Pat Cipollone, Assistant to the President & Counsel to the President
Larry Kudlow, Assistant to the President for Economic Policy
Derek Lyons, Assistant to the President & Counselor to the President
Doug Hoelscher, Assistant to the President & Director of Intergovernmental Affairs
Kayleigh McEnany, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Patrick Philbin, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Counsel to the President
May Davis, Deputy Assistant to the President & Advisor to White House Counsel
Cassidy Dumbauld, Deputy Assistant to the President & Advisor to the Senior Advisor

Trump Administration
United States Attorney General William BarrBrian Pandya, Deputy Associate Attorney General
Will Levi, Chief of Staff to the Attorney General
Lauren Willard, Counsel to the Attorney General

Members of Congress
United States Senator Josh Hawley, Missouri

External Participants
Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, Arkansas
Attorney General Mark Brnovich, Arizona
Attorney General Jeff Landry, Louisiana
Attorney General Lynn Fitch, Mississippi
Attorney General Eric Schmitt, Missouri
Attorney General Alan Wilson, South Carolina
Attorney General Ken Paxton, Texas
Attorney General Sean Reyes, Utah
Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, West Virginia

In-Town Pool Report #7B: Trump on SCOTUS/Election

The president took two questions after remarks about ballot fraud just now. Check transcript.

Is this why he is eager to fill the seat vacated by RBG?

"I think this will end up in the Supreme Court. And I think it's important we have nine justices," Trump answered.

Asked about timing of confirmation, he said "I think it's better if you go before the election."

"I think it'd be fairly quick," he said of confirmation.Sen. Hawley followed up at the invitation of the president to say "I think we should have a vote before the election for the reasons the president articulates, and I think we'd get it done."

Other things happened before that...

Sen. Hawley condemned the concentrated power in social media companies and decries Section 230.

Trump interrupted with a joke, "so how come I beat them last time?"

"We are watching them very closely during this election cycle," he later said of social media companies. "This is big time."

West Virginia AG Morrisey told a story about how the same day Twitter censored his tweet about voter fraud, his office "affirmed a lot of the things you were saying."

"Everything," quipped Trump. He made extended remarks about "unsolicited ballots" that would be catastrophic and disastrous during the election. He said of Democrats, "they are setting it up for chaos."

Before that, the president questioned if the Postal Service was involved in fraud, asking "are mailmen involved?"

He mentions legal challenges concerning ballots and says of the judges presiding over those cases: "They have the power to stop it. I hope they're watching...this is going to be a disaster."

In-Town Pool Report #7C: Quotes on Confirming Nominee Before Election

Trump said he prefers a Supreme Court with nine justices before the election. He said that Republicans have plenty of time to get a nominee confirmed. He said that he has "five women in the finalists." He said will announce his pick on Saturday.

You know the drill: Check quotes against transcript. These are rushed.

"I think this will end up in the Supreme Court. And I think it's very important that we have nine justices, and I think the system is going to go very quickly. I'll be submitting at five o'clock on Saturday the name of the person that I chose for the most important of all positions," he said of the election.

"And I think we should go very quickly. You see the republicans are very united. As far as timing is concerned, we were elected--we have a lot of time. One justice was picked in 19 days--19 days! We could do four at that rate or five. And we have a lot of time--before the election and then you have after the election too," he said about the timing of the process.

"But in terms of time we can go to January 20th, but I think it's better if you go before the election because I think...this scam that the democrats are pulling-- it's a scam--the scam will be before the United States Supreme Court. And I think having a four-four situation is not a good situation, if you get that--I don't know that you get that I think it should be eight-nothing or nine-nothing. Just in case it would be more political than it should be, I think it's very important to have a nine justice," he added.

"I can only say we are giving a person, whoever it would, I could say any of the five frankly, five women in the finalists and they are all world class and brilliant in every respect," he said of the candidates being considered for nomination.

In-Town Pool Report #7D: Breonna Taylor

Asked what his message is after the Breonna Taylor ruling, Trump argued that he has done more for the black community than anyone except Abraham Lincoln. He said that he hasn't reviewed the ruling and will have further comment later.

Again, you know the drill. Check quotes against transcript. These are rushed.

"Well, my message is that I love the black community. And I've done more for the black community than any other president. And I say, with the possible exception of Abraham Lincoln--and I made opportunities zones and with criminal justice reform, with prison reform, with what we've done for historically black universities, colleges, schools, what we've done--nobody has done more.

"Abraham Lincoln, let's give him the nod," he added. "But beyond that, nobody's done more. I love the black community"

About the particulars of the ruling, he said "I don't know enough about it. I heard the decision was just made. And we've been together here, and so we haven't discussed it. But after I see what the decision is, I will have a comment on it."

In-Town Pool Report #8: Trump Presser Begins

The president has arrived for his news conference. It is being livestreamed. The press secretary, Larry Kudlow, and Scott Atlas are also in attendance.

Best,

In-Town Pool Report #9: Trump Exits

The president leaves the briefing to take "an emergency phone call." He wouldn't expound on that other than to say it's "a big call." Atlas and Kudlow now at the podium.

In-Town Pool Report #10: Briefing Concludes

The briefing is over.

In-Town Pool Report #11: Travel/Photo Lid

?The White House called a travel/photo lid at 6:56pm. Enjoy your evening.

Best,