Pool Reports of September 6, 2024

WH In-Town Pool Report 1 -- Gathering

Greetings from the White House this morning.

We now are assembling outside the Palm Room doors to watch President Biden depart for Joint Base Andrews for his trip to Ann Arbor, Michigan

The president will not be returning to the White House today but rather go onto Wilmington.

WH In-Town Pool Report 6 -- gaggle schedule

From the White House:

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su will gaggle at 1:40 p.m.

Travel Pool Report 1/JBA

President Biden exited Marine One at 12:53. He walked straight to Air Force One and boarded a minute later without approaching the press.

We will be flying to Michigan momentarily.

Travel Pool Report 2/Travelers

The White House shares:

Greeting the President on arrival to Joint Base Andrews:

Colonel Paul Pawluk, 89th Air Wing, Joint Base Andrews

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

Acting Secretary Julie Su, Department of Labor
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Natalie Quillian, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Ben LaBolt, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Communications
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Lael Brainard, Assistant to the President & National Economic Advisor
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
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\
Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Chief of Staff & Executive Secretary
Ashley Jones, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

Travel Pool Report 3/Michigan arrival

Air Force One was wheels down in Detroit at 2:02 after a one-hour flight.

Acting labor secretary Julie Su and Karine Jean-Pierre gaggled for more than 20 minutes during the flight.

Travel Pool Report 4/Biden talks

President Biden disembarked Air Force One at 2:27 after a delay, followed by Julie Su and six other AF1 guests, one of whom was wearing an IBEW shirt.

Rep. Debbie Dingell and Sen. Debbie Stabenow were among the greeters on the tarmac.

Biden posed for a group photo with the welcome party.

Biden then replied to a shouted question about the West Bank shooting of an American. His words were difficult to hear (please watch the playback for precise quotes).

We believe Biden said that he was just speaking with his team about the shooting and that "that's why I was late coming down."

The motorcade was rolling at 2:36.

And the White House shares the following:

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

Senator Debbie Stabenow (MI)
Representative Debbie Dingell (MI-06)
Representative Haley Stevens (MI-11)
Representative Shri Thanedar (MI-13) and Neil Thanedar, Son
Mayor Mike Duggan, Detroit, Michigan and Dr. Sonia Hassan, Spouse
Mark McManus, President, United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA)
Brent Booker, President, Laborers' International Union of North American (LIUNA)
Kenny Cooper, President, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
Dave McCall, President, United Steelworkers (USW)
Sean McGarvey, President, North America's Building Trades Union (NABTU)
Gwen Mills, President, UNITE HERE

Travel Pool Report 5/Motorcade

The White House shares the following:

Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to United Association Local 190 Training Center:

Acting Secretary Julie Su, Department of Labor
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Natalie Quillian, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Ben LaBolt, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Communications
Lael Brainard, Assistant to the President & National Economic Advisor
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
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
Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Chief of Staff & Executive Secretary
Ashley Jones, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

Travel Pool Report 6/Fuller Biden quotes

Here is a fuller transcript of Biden's Q&A, courtesy of our TV pool colleagues:

Q: Mr. President, any update on the West Bank? Mr. President, on the West Bank? On the shooting?

BIDEN: [Inaudible], I'll have more details for you later. I don't have them yet, not yet.

Q: On the shooting in the West Bank?

BIDEN: That's what I was talking about—I need more information, that's why I was late coming down, because I was on the phone, talking to my team. But I'll have more information later.

Travel Pool Report 7/Arrival

The motorcade arrived at our destination in Ann Arbor at 3:13.

We passed more than a dozen people with signs nearby, including a mix of pro-Biden messages and some Trump signs/flags.

Travel Pool Report 8/Program begins

Please tune into CSPAN or the White House live feed, the program is underway with Rep. Dingell speaking now.

And the White House shares the following:

Participating in a photoline with the President:

Acting Secretary Julie Su, Department of Labor
Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Department of Transportation
Rep. Debbie Dingell (MI-06)
Rep. Haley Stevens (MI-11)
Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13)
Mayor Christopher Taylor, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Mayor Andy Schor, Lansing, Michigan
Chair Justin Hodge, Washtenaw County, Michigan
State Senator Sue Shink (MI-14)
State Representative Carrie Rheingans (MI-47)
Ann Arbor City Councilwoman Linh Song and daughter Quynh Song

Travel Pool Report 9/Run of show

The White House shares the following. Julie Su is speaking now, meaning President Biden will be up soon.

The President is delivering remarks announcing how his Investing in America agenda is creating good jobs and opportunities in Michigan and across the country.

Pre-Program

Mark McManus, President, United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA)
Representative Debbie Dingell (MI-06)
Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Department of Transportation
Acting Secretary Julie Su, Department of Labor

Speaking Program
Andrew Escobedo, 2nd Year Apprentice, United Association Local 190
The President

Travel Pool Report 10/Biden speaking

President Biden walked on stage at 3:48 to a chant of "thank you, Joe."

Please watch the live feed for full quotes.

Travel Pool Report 11/Remarks done

President Biden completed his remarks at 4:19 and walked to a small desk on stage to sign the new pro-union executive order, which he did a minute later.

His audience included perhaps 200 people seated and standing. Most seemed to be union members, plus some children.

In his speech, Biden touted the latest monthly jobs report as showing gains and predicted inflation would continue to cool.

Biden repeatedly attacked Donald Trump and described Kamala Harris as his partner in pro-union policies.

At one point, he made reference to the Republican presidential nominee doubting global warming, saying that he would like to "put him in the middle of Arizona for a while."

Biden also attacked Trump's "incredible record" and said the ex-president knew nothing about hard work. "All he did was lose his father's money," Biden said. He also referred to Trump as a "failing man," a "sucker" and a "loser."

Travel Pool Report 12/Gaza protest

The motorcade was rolling again, presumably back to the airport, at 4:41.

We passed several dozen pro-Palestinian protesters, along with a smaller pro-Trump group, in front of a McDonald's.

Many of the Gaza demonstrators held signs that said "Genocide Joe" with an illustration of Biden with devil horns. Other signs said "stop arming Isreal" and "one phone call." A participant who wasn't holding a sign showed the motorcade both of his middle fingers.

Travel Pool Report 13/Airport

The motorcade reached Air Force One at 5:15. President Biden boarded immediately while the pool was still in its van.

We will be en route to Philadelphia's airport soon.

Travel Pool Report 14/Travelers

The White House shares the following:

Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Philadelphia International Airport:

Acting Secretary Julie Su, Department of Labor
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Natalie Quillian, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Ben LaBolt, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Communications
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Lael Brainard, Assistant to the President & National Economic Advisor
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
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
Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Chief of Staff & Executive Secretary
Ashley Jones, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

Travel Pool Report 15/Kemp call

From White House Spokeswoman Emilie Simons:

The President spoke with Georgia Governor Brian Kemp to express his condolences following the shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. The President shared that his prayers are with the devastated families that have lost loved ones, and offered additional assistance to help the community recover from this tragedy.

Travel Pool Report 16/Wheels down

Air Force One landed in Philadelphia at 6:27.

We will be traveling by helicopter to DANG.

Travel Pool Report 17/Tarmac

President Biden exited Air Force One at 6:38 and walked straight to Marine One without approaching the press.

We're heading to Wilmington soon.

Travel Pool Report 18/DANG

Marine One taxied to a stop at DANG at 7:03, arriving after the press pool's Osprey.

President Biden emerged at 7:07 and walked to a waiting SUV. He was too far away for press questions.

The motorcade was rolling at 7:10.

Travel Pool Report 19/Biden dropoff and lid

The motorcade arrived at President Biden's Wilmington home at 7:23.

As we approached a group of five protesters loudly chanted "Biden is a war criminal!"

We also passed a family of five including three little girls who held a "thank you, Joe" sign.

And we have a travel/photo lid.