Pool Reports of September 5, 2024

In-town report #1 -- gathered for POTUS departure

The pool is gathered at the Palm Room doors for President Biden’s departure from the White House.

In-town pool #2 — M1 liftoff

President Biden walked out of the South Portico at 11:59 a.m.

POTUS waved to a group of White House staff and their guests standing behind a rope line on the driveway.

Biden did not respond to shouted questions from the press. He crossed the South Lawn and boarded Marine One at 12:00 p.m.

M1 lifted off at 12:03 p.m en route to Joint Base Andrews.

In-town report #4 -- AF1 gaggle at 1:30 p

The White House passes this along:

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will gaggle aboard Air Force One at 1:30 PM EDT.

In-town report #5 -- gathered for POTUS arrival

The pool has been called to gather for President Biden’s arrival at the White House.

In-town report #6 — POTUS arrival

Marine One touched down on the South Lawn at 7:09 p.m.

President Biden stepped out at 7:12 p.m.

Biden walked across the South Lawn and entered the South Portico at 7:13 p.m. without stopping to talk to the press.

WH travel pool report #1 - JAB departure

Good afternoon from your pooler at sunny Joint Base Andrews. Marine One touched down at 12:11 ET.

President Biden emerged from the aircraft at 12:15 ET, wearing a navy suit and tie and aviator sunglasses.

The president did not stop to speak to the press pool as he boarded Air Force One at 12:16, chatting briefly with an AF officer beforehand.

We'll be departing shortly for La Crosse, Wisconsin, and then to the nearby town of Westby, where the president will deliver remarks and tout new investments for clean energy in rural America from his Inflation Reduction Act.

List of travelers joining POTUS via the White House:

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 & Deputy Chief of Staff
Natalie Quillian, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Ali Zaidi, Assistant to the President & National Climate Advisor
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach
Herbie Ziskend, Deputy Assistant to the President & Principal Deputy Director of Communications
Dennis Cheng, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Political Strategy & Outreach
Marc Gustafson, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for the White House Situation Room
Aviva Feuerstein, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Presidential Speechwriter
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

WH travel pool report #2 - arrival in La Crosse / gaggle

Air Force One took off from JBA at 12:24 ET and landed at La Crosse Regional Airport, WI at 1:13 local time.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre gaggled with reporters on board for roughly 10 minutes at 1:30 ET. Topics included Hunter Biden's plea change, immigration, the Georgia school shooting, Boeing labor dispute, VP's position on taxing capital gains, and next week's debate.

KJP said Biden would not pardon or commute Hunter Biden's sentence: "No, it is still very much a no"

Asked about Harris breaking with Biden on how much to raise taxes on capital gains, KJP said POTUS and VP "share the same values" of lowering taxes on the middle class.

POTUS will address the GA shooting at the top of his remarks in Westby, WI later today, per KJP.

If gaggle audio isn't available on the WH website, mine is available here:

https://otter.ai/u/XWmK5vHGDfwGAtnFXaoP8MQmtf4

The president disembarked AF1 in La Crosse at 1:26 shook hands and chatted with AF officers in the mild and partly cloudy weather. He did not stop and chat with pool.

We're headed shortly via Osprey to Westby, WI.

WH travel pool report #3 - La Crosse departure

President Biden boarded Marine One at 1:27 local time en route to Westby, a small town in rural Wisconsin. Pool didn’t see when he was wheels up.

En route to Westby via Osprey

WH travel pool report #3a - travelers

Via the WH:

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to Westby Business Park Landing Zone:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Mike Donilon, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President
Natalie Quillian, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff

Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

WH travel pool report #4: arrival in Westby

Good afternoon from Westby, WI, where the skies are cloudy but temperature is mild.

Marine One was wheels down at 1:47 local time.

President Biden disembarked at 1:50 and walked over to shake hands and chat with Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, and Westby Mayor Danny Helgerson.

The group took a selfie with Biden before he got into the Beast at 1:54.

Pool heading now to the venue.

WH travel pool report #5 - arrival at Vernon Electric Coop

POTUS arrived at Vernon Electric Cooperative at 2:00 after a short and uneventful 5 min drive.

Pool saw several flags and signs held by dozens of people along the road, including a "Stop Genocide In Gaza" sign, Palestinian flags, and Trump-Vance signs.

Via WH:

Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to Vernon Electric Cooperative:

Governor Tony Evers (WI)
Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski (WI)
Mayor Danny Helgerson, Westby, Wisconsin
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Mike Donilon, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President
Natalie Quillian, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Ali Zaidi, Assistant to the President & National Climate Advisor
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach
Herbie Ziskend, Deputy Assistant to the President & Principal Deputy Director of Communications
Dennis Cheng, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Political Strategy & Outreach
Marc Gustafson, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for the White House Situation Room
Aviva Feuerstein, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Presidential Speechwriter
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

WH pool report #6 - briefing

Via the WH:

The President is receiving a briefing on the Vernon Electric co-op (a member of Dairyland Power) from Craig Buros, CEO of Vernon Electric and Brent Ridge, President and CEO of Dairyland Power. Following, the President will greet 5 workers from Dairyland and Vernon Electric.

Attendees
Secretary Tom Vilsack, Department of Agriculture
Governor Tony Evers (WI)
Brent Ridge, President and CEO of Dairyland Power Cooperative
Craig Buros, CEO of Vernon Electric Cooperative

WH travel pool report #7 - briefing color

Some color from the briefing POTUS received at Vernon Electric Cooperative:

He walked in to a large industrial building where he was greeted by Craig Buros, CEO of Vernon Electric and Brent Ridge, President and CEO of Dairyland Power.

He shook hands with 5 workers from Dairyland and Vernon Electric, thanking them for their work.

"This is the first step," he said of his clean energy investments.

POTUS spoke quietly and was difficult to hear, but pool managed to hear him speak about apprenticeship and "how hard it is to get certified."

He was joined by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsac and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers.

Pool was ushered out at 2:17 and now awaiting POTUS remarks outside on rural electrification and clean energy investments via the Inflation Reduction Act.

WH travel pool report #8 - venue color

Afternoon from a gravel lot behind Vernon Electric Cooperative in sunny , WI, where your pooler is chewing on some delicious cheese curds as we await POTUS to speak soon on electrifying rural America and clean energy.

The stage Biden will speak on is flanked by several utility trucks, dozens of large spools of wire, and many solar panels on a grassy knoll in the background.

There appear to be between 100-150 people gathered to hear his remarks, which will be streamed online but pool will jot some notes.

Via the WH:

Participating in a photoline with the President:

Secretary Tom Vilsack, Department of Agriculture
Governor Tony Evers (WI)
Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski (WI)
State Senator Brad Pfaff (WI-32)
Mayor Danny Helgerson, Westby, Wisconsin (swapped order w Mayor Reynolds since the site is in Westby)
Mayor Mitch Reynolds, La Crosse, Wisconsin
County Chair Tina Tryggestad, La Crosse, Wisconsin

WH travel pool report #9 - Biden remarks / rolling

Biden walked on stage at 2:54 and spoke for about 25 minutes while flanked by two thick panes of glass.

He first addressed the GA school shooting, saying he and the First Lady were mourning the victims. He called for more gun control and the banning of assault weapons, as well as holding negligent parents more accountable.

He called Tony Evers, who helped introduced him, "one of the three best governors," and praised his integrity.

Biden touted $7.3B in grants to 16 electric coops, calling it the "most significant investment for rural electrification since FDR's New Deal," and saying it would "reduce 44 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions."

Motorcade was rolling at 3:22 and boarded Osprey at 3:26. Pool did not see POTUS board Marine One.

WH travel pool report #9a - Westby speaking program

Via the WH:

Speaking Program

Brent Ridge, President and CEO of Dairyland Power Cooperative
Cherelle "Cheri" Stewart, Representative of IBEW 6th District
Governor Tony Evers (WI)
Secretary Tom Vilsack, Department of Agriculture
Darvin Von Ruden, President of the Wisconsin Farmers Union and Introducer
The President

WH travel pool report #9b - Biden's gun remarks

Sending out choice quote from Biden's remarks on guns from Westby:

"There are too many people who are able to access guns that shouldn't be able to. Let's require safe storage of firearms. I know I have mine locked up. How could you not have an assault rifle, a weapon in a house, not locked up and knowing your kid knows where it is? You gotta hold parents accountable if they let their child have access to these guns."

WH travel pool report #9c - correction

Apologies, pool made a transcription error on the previous quote from POTUS in Westby, WI.

The correct quote without the earlier double negative is as follows:

"There are too many people who are able to access guns that shouldn't be able to. Let's require safe storage of firearms. I know I have mine locked up. How could you have an assault rifle, a weapon in a house, not locked up and knowing your kid knows where it is? You gotta hold parents accountable if they let their child have access to these guns."

WH travel pool report #10 - arrival / departure in La Crosse

Marine One was wheels down at La Crosse Regional Airport at 3:43.

POTUS disembarked the helo at 3:50 and waived goodbye to the pilot. He then walked up the AF1 steps at 3:51 without answering pool’s questions about next week’s presidential debate.

En route back to JAB shortly.

Via the WH:

Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Joint Base Andrews:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Mike Donilon, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President
Natalie Quillian, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Ali Zaidi, Assistant to the President & National Climate Advisor
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach
Dennis Cheng, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Political Strategy & Outreach
Marc Gustafson, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for the White House Situation Room
Herbie Ziskend, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Communications
Aviva Feuerstein, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Presidential Speechwriter
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

WH travel pool report 11 - arrival at JAB

Air Force One took off from La Crosse, WI at 4:03 CT and landed at Joint Base Andrews at 6:42 ET.

POTUS disembarked at 6:53, shook hands with an officer and then walked over and boarded Marine One at 6:54. The helo was wheels up at 7:00 en route to the WH.

Your travel pooler is signing off for the day - much thanks to veteran pooler Nikki Schwab for showing this noobie the ropes!

Have a good evening.

Via the WH:

Greeting the President on arrival to Joint Base Andrews:

Colonel Kevin Eley, Commander, 89th Operations Group

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to the South Lawn:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Mike Donilon, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President
Natalie Quillian, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President