Pool Reports of September 30, 2024

In-Town Pool Report 1: Gather for POTUS remarks

Good morning!

Pool has been summoned to gather for President Biden's remarks on the ongoing hurricane relief efforts.

Remarks will be live streamed and I'm unsure if I'll be able to send anything further in real time because of the awful reception in the Roosevelt Room.

In-town pool report 2: Roosevelt remarks / moving outside

POTUS entered the Roosevelt Room at 1112 and spoke for approximately six minutes about the relief efforts following Hurricane Helene, which he called a "history-making" storm which has left affected communities "devastated."

He said federal relief efforts are ongoing and vowed that the government would not leave "until the job is done."

He also said he would not be traveling to the affected areas until doing so would not draw resources from relief efforts.

POTUS took several questions on the need for a supplemental appropriations bill to fund disaster relief.

He said he expects one to be required because "it's been this historic storm."

"It's devastating. They've not seen anything like this before," he added

POTUS also said he "may have to request" Congress to return to pass such a bill but he stressed that no such decision has been made yet.

Asked whether it is disruptive to have former president Trump going to Georgia today, POTUS said he "has no idea."

On the Middle East, POTUS was asked if he is aware of/ comfortable with Israel's plans for a limited ground invasion in Lebanon.

He replied: "I'm more aware than you might know, and I'm comfortable with them stopping. We should have a ceasefire now."

Pool was then rushed to the South Lawn for the Olympic/Paralympic team event which is also being live streamed.

In-town pool report 3: South Lawn / Hunter Biden spotted

Pool has been escorted to the press pen on the South Lawn, which has been set up with seating and a riser behind the podium on which a lectern and small table, both adorned with the presidential seal, have been erected.

There is seating for an audience in front of and behind the press riser.

Members of the Olympic/Paralympic teams are seated on/standing on the riser wearing blue jackets with the USOC seal and Nike logo on the chest and "Olympian" across the back.

Some are wearing medals.

If anyone is asking themselves "where's Hunter," your pooler spotted Hunter Biden circulating near the front of the seating area.

Musicians from the US Marine Band are performing and your pool is standing by for the program to begin.

Remarks will be live streamed but pooler will endeavor to send color and any news that happens to break from here.

In-town pool report 4: Event begins

POTUS and a group of olympians (including Torri Huske) came out from inside the residence at approximately 1148 as the Marine Band played the first part of the "Olympic Fanfare and Theme," aka Leo Arnaud's "Bugler's Dream."

Program is ongoing.

From the White House:

The President is delivering remarks at an event celebrating the 2024 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams.

Program:
The Marine Band plays the Olympic Fanfare
Rayvon Owen Performs the National Anthem, Musician First Class, United States Navy Band
Ying and Jim Huske, Parents of Torri Huske
Torri Huske, U.S. Olympian swimmer
Adrina Castro
Paul Schulte, U.S. Paralympian basketball player & Introducer
The President

Flag Bearers:
Nick Mead, U.S. Olympian
Steve Serio, U.S. Paralympian
Nicky Nieves, U.S. Paralympian

Attendees:
Attorney General Merrick Garland, Department of Justice
Secretary Deb Haaland, Department of the Interior
Secretary Miguel Cardona, Department of Education
Ambassador Katherine Tai, U.S. Trade Representative
Secretary Carlos Del Toro, Department of the Navy
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus McCormick (FL-20)
Mayor Karen Bass, Los Angeles, California

In-town pool report 5: POTUS gift / event ends

POTUS finished speaking at 1211.

Representatives from the USOPC then came up to present him with one of the jackets the Olympic and Paralympic team members have been wearing today.

Afterwards, he participated in a group photo with the team members on the riser. He turned his back to the audience to speak to them and pool wasn't able to hear what he said since his back was turned and the Marine Band had begun playing again by that point.

POTUS then proceeded to move along the riser to take more photographs with team members as some in the audience began to leave.

In-town pool report 6: Lunch lid / briefing delay

The White House has called a lunch lid until 1415.

The briefing is now set for 1430. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will be joined Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall.

In-Town Pool Report 7: Two-Minute Warning

We have been given a two-minute warning to the press briefing with KJP and Liz Sherwood-Randall.

In-Town Pool Report 8: Briefing begins

Karine Jean-Pierre and Liz Sherwood-Randall entered the briefing room at 1438.

The briefing is ongoing and is being livestreamed and/or broadcast.

In-Town Pool Report 10: Oval event added to schedule

Please note the updated schedule that has been sent out by the press office. It includes the Oval Office readout that Karine Jean-Pierre mentioned at the top of today's briefing.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 30, 2024

Update:

In the afternoon, the President will receive an operational briefing on the Hurricane Helene response and recovery efforts from North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, and Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall. This briefing in the Oval Office will be closed press.

Following, the President will provide an update on the Hurricane Helene response and recovery efforts. This update from the Oval Office will have an in-house pool spray.

EDT

4:15 PM THE PRESIDENT receives an operational briefing on the Hurricane Helene response and recovery efforts from North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, and Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall
Oval Office
Closed Press

4:45 PM THE PRESIDENT provides an update on the Hurricane Helene response and recovery efforts
Oval Office
In-House Pool Spray (Gather 4:30 PM – Brady Press Briefing Room)

In-town pool report 11: Gathering for oval

Pool has been summoned to gather for the hurricane relief update.

In-town pool report 12: Oval / POTUS travel plans

Pool was brought into the Oval at 1708.

POTUS says he will visit North Carolina on Wednesday.

More TK

In-Town Pool Report 13: More from Oval / POTUS responds to Trump

POTUS was seated at the Resolute desk with a videoconferencing screen to his right (pool's left) on which NC Governor Cooper, FEMA Administrator Criswell, and others were pictured seated around a table.

He said he wanted to express "condolences to all families, to all the families whose loved ones has died or are missing" and stressed that his administration was "going to be there finish the job" of recovery.

"It's going to take a hell of a long time," he said, adding that with federal support, "the state has reopened 220 roads to help responders reach people."

"Right now, thousands — thousands of federal personnel are deployed in the communities, supporting the search and rescue, green removal, power restoration, and getting cell networks back online … FEMA is on the ground, supporting the communities and registering people for disaster assistance," he said.

POTUS also said he and Governor Cooper had spoken about his travel plans and revealed that he'd go to North Carolina on Wednesday to "survey the damage … without taking resources and burning resources on the ground."

"I'm going to North Carolina on Wednesday. It's planned now. We're going to be landing in Raleigh for a meeting with the Emergency Operations Center, and I'll then do an aerial tour," he said. He also said he'd be travelling to Georgia and Florida "as soon as possible" to survey damage.

Asked to weigh in, Governor Cooper said: "Thank you, Mr. President, we appreciate the resources that are coming our way. This has been a devastating storm, as you know, and we're grateful to have had Administrator Criswell here on the ground all day today, making sure we serve assets into the area to get people food and water and get power back on. And obviously, we are grateful to the search and rescue teams as well."

POTUS took several questions.

Asked whether governors are getting enough resources, he said the federal government is providing "additional helicopters for land bridges" and "search and rescue" as well as making sure medical supplies are getting in.

He also said water and other commodities would need to be brought in "for weeks" and used water as an example, citing Asheville's water system being "completely down."

"Getting water in here on a sustained basis is going to be critical. And we are discussing the strategies to continue those efforts and to surge those efforts," he said.

Asked about comments from Donald Trump, who has accused him and Governor Cooper of ignoring Republican-voting areas in their response to Helene, POTUS angrily interjected before pool finished asking the question.

"He's lying, and the governor told him he was lying. The governor told him he's lying. I've spoken to the governor, spent time with him, and he told him he's lying. I don't know why he does it … that's simply not true, and it's irresponsible."

POTUS also defended spending the weekend in Delaware when asked about the matter. He said Wilmington, Delaware is "90 miles from here."

"I was on the phone the whole time," he added.

He also held up what he said was "a list of every resource we're getting in there" and said the question of most import was "how to get it in."

"It's hard to get it from point A to point B. It's hard to get if somebody's roads are wiped out. None of these are wiped out. There's no ability to land, there's no ability to get trucks, and no ability to get a whole range of things."

Please check quotes against transcript or video playback from TV pool.

In-Town Pool Report 14: Lid

The press office declared a lid at 1742.

In-Town Pool Report 15: Post-lid note

From the White House:

Today President Biden spoke by phone with South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster and Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer. The President received updates on the ongoing response and recovery efforts and shared how the Biden-Harris Administration is providing life-saving support to communities impacted by Hurricane Helene – and will continue to do so, no matter how long it takes.