Pool Reports of September 29, 2021

In town pool report #1: Departure

The pool loaded into the motorcade at 11:31 and we started rolling at 11:51. We glimpsed POTUS walk from the Oval Office to his limo. We're on our way to the National Cathedral for the funeral of Susan Bayh, the former Indiana first lady.

According to the White House, traveling with POTUS are:
Ron Klain, Assistant to the President & Chief of Staff
Jonathan Cedarbaum, Deputy Counsel to the President and NSC Legal Advisor
Ashley Williams, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations
Travis Dredd, Special Assistant to the President & Trip Director
Julia Reed, Day Scheduler & Oval Office Operations Coordinator

In town pool report #2: Cathedral arrival

?The motorcade arrived at the National Cathedral at 12:02.

We did not see POTUS enter the building.

The pool is holding in a room in the National Cathedral, but the funeral itself is closed press.

In town pool report #3: Cathedral departure

The pool loaded back into the motorcade at 1:18. We did not see POTUS.

We didn't start rolling back to the White House until 2:03.

In town pool report #4: Arrival

The motorcade arrived at the White House at 2:13. We spotted POTUS walk back into the Oval Office.

There's a brief lunch lid until 2:30, when the press briefing will be held.

In town pool report #5: Two minute warning

Two minute warning for press briefing.

In town pool report #6: Dinner lid

We have a dinner lid until 7. There are no other updates to the schedule.

In town pool report #7: White House departure

The pool loaded into the motorcade at 7:16. We did not see POTUS.

We began rolling toward an undisclosed location at 7:18.

In town pool report #8: Nats Park arrival

After working through a noticeable amount of traffic, the pool arrived at 7:43 at Nats Park, where the congressional baseball game is being played.

We did not see POTUS exit his limo.

From the White House:

The President is attending the Congressional Baseball Game for Charity at Nationals Park, where he was inducted into the Congressional Baseball Hall of Fame earlier this evening.

Traveling with the President:

Shuwanza Goff, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs and House Liaison

Ashley Williams, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations

Meghan Hays, Special Assistant to the President & Director of Message Planning

In town pool report #9: Biden appearance

?The pool entered Nats Park through a tunnel that deposited us at field level near right field.

The park's lower decks are relatively full of spectators. The lights and screens are on, like a major league game is being played. The congressional game is played Democrats versus Republicans, and Biden started his visit on the Democratic side.

When he first appeared, the game paused, and there were cheers and a few boos. Biden shook hands and took selfies. He also signed some baseballs. (He was visible on the jumbo screen.) We were told that he was dropping off some ice cream bars.

Biden is wearing an open collared, button down shirt and a dark blue sport coat, and he put on a dark blue hat.

The game resumed at 7:52, and Biden continued to mingle in the Democratic dugout.

In town pool report #10: Republican dugout

?FYI, the logo on Biden's hat is from the Beau Biden Foundation.?

Speaker Pelosi was also in the Democratic dugout. The pool spotted her chatting with POTUS.

POTUS moved to the Republican dugout in the middle of the third inning, as Democrats were winning 8 to 5. There were some boos from the crowd. (Republican fans were in the stands behind the Republican dugout, Democratic fans behind the Democratic dugout.)

It was hard to see what was happening because POTUS was not on the jumbo screen as he approached the dugout. But the pool noticed that he was accompanied by Cedric Richmond.

In town pool report #11: Departure

?The pool returned to the motorcade at 8:35. We did not see POTUS, last spotted in the Republican dugout, enter the motorcade.

We were rolling at 8:43.

In town pool report #12: Return and lid

?The motorcade arrived at the White House at 8:54 and we have a travel/photo lid. We did not see POTUS enter the White House.

Some additional observations from the game:

A few Republican spectators in the front row had a Trump flag.

Some activists displayed banners while Biden was at the ballgame. The messages included "Democrats don't fuck this up" and "Our lives are not a game Pass 3.5T"