Pool Reports of September 26, 2023

In town pool report #1

The pool call time has moved back to 10 a.m. with gather for the departure now at 10:30.

In town pool report 2

There is a bad weather call so the president will motorcade to Andrews.

In town pool report 3

Motorcade departed White House at 10:32.

In town pool report 4

Motorcade arrived at Andrews at 10:52.

From the White house:

Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to Joint Base Andrews:

Dr. Arati Prabhakar, Assistant to the President & Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Mike Donilon, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Lael Brainard, Assistant to the President & Director of the National Economic Council
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Emmy Ruiz, Assistant to the President & Director of the Office of Political Strategy and Outreach
Ben LaBolt, Assistant to the President & Director of Communications
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Gene Sperling, Senior Advisor to the President & American Rescue Plan Coordinator
John McCarthy, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the Counselor to the President
Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Chief of Staff & Executive Secretary
Ashley Jones, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs & House Liaison
Travis Dredd, Special Assistant to the President & Trip Director
Erika Dinkel-Smith, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Labor Advisor

In town pool report 5

Karine's on board gaggle now set for 11:30. It will be streamed.

In town pool report 6

Passing this on from out-of-town print pooler Michael Collins from Air Force One, to the in-town pool to distribute:

Update on the POTUS quote in pool report #6 on whether UAW workers should get a 40 percent increase:

Two White House officials came to the press cabin of AF1 and spoke off the record.

One of the officials, then speaking on background, insisted POTUS did not hear the specific question that was asked.

Reporters challenged that.

The official later came back again and, speaking on background after reviewing the audio of the interaction, conceded Biden did respond to the question and this was his full quote:

"Yes. I think they should be able to bargain for that."

Pool reporters listened to TV audio of the interaction and confirmed the accuracy of the quote.

Out-of-town pool report #1: Checking in

Good morning from JBA. I will be your print pooler for the president's trip to Michigan, California and Arizona.

Schedule update: AF1 is scheduled to depart JBA at 11 am and land at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport at 12:20 pm. The president's event with autoworkers is scheduled to begin at 12:45 pm.

Karine is scheduled to gaggle aboard AF1 at 11:15 am. The gaggle will be streamed on the White House website.

Out-of-town pool report #2: JBA arrival

The motorcade arrived at JBA amid a light drizzle at 10:55 am

POTUS stepped out of the SUV a minute later. He immediately boarded AF1 via the lower staircase without taking questions.

We are rolling shortly to Michigan.

From the White House:

Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport:

Acting Secretary Julie Su, Department of Labor
Dr. Arati Prabhakar, Assistant to the President & Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Mike Donilon, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Lael Brainard, Assistant to the President & Director of the National Economic Council
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Emmy Ruiz, Assistant to the President & Director of the Office of Political Strategy and Outreach
Ben LaBolt, Assistant to the President & Director of Communications
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Gene Sperling, Senior Advisor to the President & American Rescue Plan Coordinator
John McCarthy, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the Counselor to the President
Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Chief of Staff & Executive Secretary
Ashley Jones, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs & House Liaison
Travis Dredd, Special Assistant to the President & Trip Director
Erika Dinkel-Smith, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Labor Advisor

Out-of-town pool report #3: Detroit arrival

AF1 landed in Detroit at 12:08 pm.

Karine gaggled for about 20 minutes aboard the plane. She took questions on topics including the UAW strike, a possible government shutdown, the AI executive order, Sen. Bob Menendez, the Pro Act and the fate of the Russian Black Sea Fleet commander that Ukraine says it has killed.

Out-of-town pool report #4: Rolling

POTUS stepped off AF1 under cloudy skies at 12:25 pm. He shook hands with the greeters (names are below) and chatted with them a few minutes. He was too far away for the pool to hear the conversation.

Responding to a shouted question about what would it take to get the UAW to endorse him, POTUS replied: "I'm not worried about that."

POTUS climbed into the Beast at 12:30 pm.

We are rolling at 12:34 pm.

From the White House:

Greeting the President upon arrival at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport:

Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist, II (Michigan)
Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13)
Rep. Debbie Dingell (MI-06)
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12)
Shawn Fain, President of the United Auto Workers (UAW)

Out-of-town pool report #5: arrival at picket line site

Motorcade arrived at the picket line site after an uneventful ride at 12:57 pm. Pool did not see POTUS get out of the Beast.

Spectators along the motorcade route filmed videos with their cell phones as the motorcade passed by.

Strikers wearing red shirts and carrying signs are chanting: "What do we want? Contact! When do we want it? Now."

Also, "No pay, no parts."

POTUS joined the strikers 1:04 pm. He's standing on wooden platform and speaking to the crowd with a bullhorn.

More to come

From the White House:

The President joins the picket line in solidarity with the men and women of the United Auto Workers union as they fight for a fair share of the value they helped create.

Out-of-town pool report #6: POTUS remarks

Speaking via bullhorn, POTUS told the workers: "Stick with it. You deserve a significant raise … we saved them, it's about time they step up for us"

POTUS spoke for about a minute.

After he finished speaking, POTUS stood off to the side while UAW President Shawn Fain addressed the crowd.

"The CEOs think the future belongs to them," Fain said."Today belongs to the auto workers in the working class."

"Thank you, Mr. President, for coming. We know the President will do right by the working class."

More from Fain:

"We do the heavy lifting. We do the real work."

"We have the power. The world is of our making. The economy is of our making. This industry is of our making … when we withhold our labor, we can unmake it."

"In this union, the members are the highest authority. In this country, the people are the highest authority."

After Fain spoke, POTUS waded into the crowd and shook hands.

When a reporter asked if workers deserved a 40 percent pay raise, workers standing around POTUS shouted yes. POTUS also responded, "Yes."

We are rolling At 1:20 pm.

From the White House:

The President joined the picket line at the Willow Run Redistribution Center, UAW Local 174.

Out-of-town pool report #7: More from POTU

More from POTUS at picket line site:

Auto companies are doing well, he told the strikers.

"Guess what? You should be doing just as well."

The crowd cheered.

Out-of-town pool report #8: Departure

Motorcade arrived back at the airport at 1:40 pm.

POTUS boarded AF1 at 1:42 pm without taking questions.

We are wheels up shortly for California.

Out-of-town pool report #9: Passenger list

From White House:

Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Moffett Federal Airfield:

Dr. Arati Prabhakar, Assistant to the President & Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Mike Donilon, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Emmy Ruiz, Assistant to the President & Director of the Office of Political Strategy and Outreach
Ben LaBolt, Assistant to the President & Director of Communications
John McCarthy, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the Counselor to the President
Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Chief of Staff & Executive Secretary
Travis Dredd, Special Assistant to the President & Trip Director

Out-of-town pool report #10: California arrival

AF1 landed at Moffett Federal Field in Mountain View, Calif., at 3:17 pm local time.

Pooler would like to flag in-town pool report #6 for an update on a POTUS quote from the picket line in Michigan.

Out-of-town pool report #11

POTUS, wearing a dark suit and aviators, stepped off AF1 at 3:30 pm local time. He chatted briefly with the greeters before walking over to a fence to meet a crowd of onlookers. He talked to the group for several minutes and posed for photos. He was still talking to the spectators when the pool was escorted to the vans at 3:39 pm.

Pool was too far away to hear any of his conversations.

From the White House:

Greeting the President upon arrival at Moffett Federal Airfield:

Susan Ellenberg, Board President, Santa Clara County, California
Dr. David Korsmeyer, Deputy Center Director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Ames Research Center

Out-of-town pool report #12: POTUS meeting

From the White House:

The President is having a political meeting and calls with his team before departing for the next event.

Pool is holding in vans at the airport.

Out-of-town pool report #13: Rolling in CA

Motorcade is rolling at 4:58 pm to the next event, which is a campaign reception in Atherton.

Out-of-town pool report #14: Atherton arrival

Motorcade arrived at a private residence in Atherton for the campaign reception at 5:35 pm after an uneventful 37-minute ride from the airport.

Pool did not see POTUS step out of his vehicle.

Pool is holding in an outdoor area by the swimming pool, which, alas, is covered.

On behalf of the Biden-Harris campaign:

The President is attending a fundraiser hosted by Liz Simons and Mark Heising benefiting the Biden Victory Fund.

Speaking Program
Liz Simons
The President

Out-of-town pool report #15: POTUS remarks

POTUS entered a shaded outdoor courtyard at 5:58 pm to a standing ovation and prolonged applause.

He began speaking at 6:03 pm and finished at 6:25 pm.

Biden joked that he wanted to climb on the large tree growing in the middle of the courtyard and said he didn't want to go home.

Excerpts from his remarks:

Quoting his father: "A job is about a lot more than a paycheck. It's about your dignity. It's about respect."

"We passed the biggest investment in history of climate change. They said we couldn't get it done."

"And so there's a lot of good things we've done … We have to make sure that people understand that."

He had no intention of running for president after he left the vice presidency. Then Charlottesville happened.

"I never thought I would see a time when people were coming out of the woods literally carrying lighted torches,Nazi swastikas … singing the same anti-semitic violence in Germany."

"That's when I decided that I couldn't stay on the sidelines anymore."

"We have a tradition in the Biden family … where any child can ask for a family meeting and it has to be taken seriously," he said, recounting his family conversation about him running in 2020. "They said 'Pop you gotta run.'"

"I'm running again. I think we've made progress. I think we have not only the ability to save our democracy, but increase it's effectiveness."

"When I took office the nation was flat on its back, but with age hopefully comes a little bit of wisdom."

"I'm running because the most important freedoms we have now are at stake," he said.

"Political violence in America is never never never acceptable."

"Folks, Donald Trump is a MAGA Republican determined to destroy democracy."

On a possible government shutdown: "It's time for Republicans in the House of Representatives to start doing their job."

"I'm optimistic that people in America know what's at stake and they're going to step up. We're always going to have ideological fights and that's legit. That's appropriate. But there's a set of rules called the constitution."

"I'm looking forward to the race. I'm looking forward to getting this under way."

Special thanks to co-pooler Lauren Egan of Politico for her much-needed assistance in compiling this report.

Out-of-town pool report #15(a): Quote correction

Correction on a quote in pool report #15:

Previous pool report included this quote:

"Folks, Donald Trump is a MAGA Republican determined to destroy democracy."

After listening to the audio, here's the correct version:

"Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans are determined to destroy this democracy."

To clarify another detail in the previous pool report: It is unclear whether POTUS was joking that he wanted to climb the courtyard tree.

Out-of-town pool report #16: Departure

Motorcade departed the campaign reception at 6:55 pm.

Out-of-town pool report #17: San Francisco arrival

Motorcade arrived at the RON in San Francisco at 7:42 pm local time.

Lots of people on the downtown sidewalks shot cellphone photos and videos as we rolled through town.

Pool did not see POTUS exit his vehicle.

Out-of-town pool report #18: Lid

The White House called a lid at 7:57 pm PDT.