Pool Reports by Courtney Subramanian, Los Angeles Times
| Sent: | Reports: |
| September 9, 2023 07:11 IST |
Travel pool report #1 - Virtual 8AM press briefing Good morning. Your pooler is holding inside the media center at Delhi's expansive International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre before the president's arrival this morning. Karine Jean-Pierre is holding a virtual press briefing with Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer at 8AM. You can register here: [REGISTER HERE by 7:30 AM IST/10:00 PM EST] We've been advised that only two members of the pool will be allowed into the first three events this morning. Your print pooler and photographer extraordinaire Evan Vucci will be on hand for these events. Here's a look at today's schedule: 10:15 AM THE PRESIDENT participates in an official arrival and handshake with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the Republic of India 10:30 AM THE PRESIDENT participates in the G20 Leaders' Summit Session 1: "One Earth" 1:35 PM THE PRESIDENT participates in a Group Photo with the leaders of India, Brazil, South Africa, and the World Bank 3:00 PM THE PRESIDENT participates in the G20 Leaders' Summit Session 2: "One Family" of the G20 5:00 PM THE PRESIDENT participates in the Global Biofuel Alliance Group Photo. 5:10 PM THE PRESIDENT participates in a Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment event 8:00 PM THE PRESIDENT participates in a dinner and cultural program with G20 Leaders. Please reach out with any questions. |
| September 9, 2023 09:24 IST |
Travel pool report #2 - week ahead Week Ahead Pool Note 9/11 On Saturday, the President will attend events in New Delhi, India for the G20 Leaders' Summit. On Sunday, the President will travel from New Delhi, India to Hanoi, Vietnam. On Monday, the President will travel from Hanoi, Vietnam en route to Anchorage, Alaska. Later, the President will greet and deliver remarks to service members, first responders, and their families on the 22nd anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Then, the President will travel from Anchorage, Alaska en route to Washington, DC. In the evening, the President will arrive in Washington, DC. On Wednesday, the President will convene a meeting of his Cancer Cabinet. The First Lady will participate. Later, the President will travel to McLean, Virginia. In the evening, the President will participate in a campaign reception. After, the President will depart Virginia and return to the White House. |
Pool Reports below by Aurelia End, Agence France-Presse
| Sent: | Reports: |
| September 9, 2023 10:10 IST |
Travel pool report #3 - Leaving hotel Good morning. Filling in for the print pooler who is pre-positioned inside the convention center where the G20 summit is taking place. The president's motorcade left the RON at 10:08 am, your pooler did not lay eyes on POTUS. |
| September 9, 2023 10:25 IST |
Travel pool report #4 - arrival at convention center The motorcade reached the venue at 10:21 am after an uneventful ride. The roads were barricaded and empty, except for security personnel in military fatigues or uniforms, standing with their backs to the street. Numerous posters celebrating the G20, many of them with the image of Prime Minister Modi, along the way. Sharing this from the WH Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to the International Expo Convention Center (IECC), New Delhi, India: Secretary Antony Blinken, Department of State |
Pool Reports below by Courtney Subramanian, Los Angeles Times
| Sent: | Reports: |
| September 9, 2023 10:33 IST |
Travel pool report #5 - Biden arrival The motorcade pulled up to the convention center at 10:25 am. Biden entered the welcome hall at 10:26 am local time. He walked down a long corridor and through the entrance to greet Indian PM Modi, who was standing in front of a giant sign with the G20 logo and the official slogan, "One earth. One family. One future." POTUS asked, "how are you?" As he approached. He appeared to jog up a slight incline as he walked over to Modi. The two leaders shook hands, and continued to hold hands as they spoke and turned to face the large sign behind them. POTUS waved and exited at 10:27 am. Biden was the second to last of the leaders to arrive. MBS was last. Per WH: Greeting the President for the official handshake upon arrival at the International Expo Convention Center (IECC), New Delhi, India: Flags for each nation in attendance lined a red carpet that extended from the leaders' entrance through a set of double doors into the main hall. Some notable interactions: Modi hugged UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and British PM Rishi Sunak. German Chancellor Scholz arrived wearing a black eye patch. The two appeared to discuss it as Scholz gestured toward his eye (he had a jogging accident earlier this week). Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and Modi laughed heartily as they shook hands but pool could not hear what prompted the laughter. Modi had a firm and extended handshake with Turkey's Erdogan and walked over to greet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Big hugs for Brazilian President Lula da Silva, who was accompanied by his wife. |
| September 9, 2023 10:56 IST |
Travel pool report #6- Summit Session 1: One Earth Pool was ushered into a large room with three rows of desks positioned in an oval. A large chandelier made of patterned crystal balls hung over the oval as leaders filtered in. Pool was positioned on the far end of the room, opposite to POTUS. Blinken entered first and Biden, accompanied by Modi, entered at 10:36am. He is seated in the inner circle at the head of the room, between the UK and Indonesia. MBS is seated four seats away to the left of POTUS. Modi is seated two seats away. Small flags for each county denote where they're sitting. Several leaders greeted POTUS before he sat down, including the leaders of Australia, the Netherlands, Germany, and Nigeria. Canadian PM Trudeau lingered, placing his hand on POTUS' back before taking his seat. Indonesia's Widodo had a long embrace with POTUS before taking his seat. Sunak also stopped to speak to POTUS and Blinken. POTUS took his seat at 10:40am. Blinken sat directly behind him. Modi began his opening remarks and spoke for seven minutes, speaking in Hindi. Some leaders wore translation headphones, including POTUS. Pool was not provided headphones. Modi stopped speaking at 10:47. The room applauded. Pool was moved out at 10:48am. |
| September 9, 2023 10:58 IST |
Travel pool report #7 - Session 1 attendees Per WH: The President is participating in the G20 Leaders' Summit Session 1: "One Earth". Participants: U.S. Delegation Remarks: |
| September 9, 2023 14:25 IST |
Travel pool report #8 - World Bank group photo POTUS is participating in a group photo with the leaders of India, Brazil, South Africa and the World Bank in the welcome hall where he first arrived this morning. He entered the welcome hall at 2:20 pm local time. The leaders posed in front of flags from their countries, positioned in front of the image of the Odisha's Konark Wheel (see below) that Modi stood in front of for the arrival. They posed for a few photos before linking hands for another round of photos. POTUS did not respond to a question about the earthquake in Morocco. POTUS exited at 2:22 pm local time. We're running about 50 minutes behind schedule. One slight correction pool report #5 –MBS was the last of the leaders to arrive for the beginning of the summit, but France's Macron had yet to arrive. He was expected to skip the first session (though he is listed as in attendance). He is apparently arriving soon, according to French pool. Some other points of note that I neglected to put in previous reports as we were hurried between rooms:
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| September 9, 2023 14:43 IST |
Travel pool report #9 - photo op attendees The President is participating in a group photo with world leaders and the President of the World Bank. Participants: |
| September 9, 2023 15:34 IST |
Travel pool report #10 - spray for session 2 Pool was hurried into the meeting room where the first session took place at 3:24 pm local time for an unscheduled pool spray. Modi was delivering remarks in Hindi at the closing of the second session. POTUS was again seated two seats to the left of Modi. Pool came in at the tail end but will endeavor to find out more details of what was discussed. Modi gaveled three times and the room applauded. Pool was ushered out at 3:26 pm local time. Per WH: The President is participating in the G20 Leaders' Summit Session 2: "One Family" Participants: U.S. Delegation |
| September 9, 2023 15:57 IST |
Travel pool report #11 - New Delhi leaders' declaration Modi was announcing consensus had been reached on the New Delhi Leaders' Summit Declaration when pool entered the room earlier. He announced he was officially adopting the declaration, which drew applause from the room as he struck the table with his hand at least seven times. One note: MBS was listed as in attendance for the second session but was not there. |
| September 9, 2023 17:35 IST |
Travel pool report #12 - xi comments at biofuels event Comments on Xi: on whether Xi's absence impacted the summit, Biden said: it would be nice to have him here but no the summit is going well." Pool entered a small mostly wood-paneled room decorated with framed images of ornate peacocks on portrait walls on each side of the room. Pool was positioned behind a rope before nine acrylic podiums featuring the G20 logo. A small flag was placed on each one to represent the leader. A massive green backdrop displayed the flags and names of the participating countries, divided by "initiating members" and "observer members." The sign read: "Launch of Global Biofuels Alliance." Modi entered by himself at 5:24pm IST from a door behind the podiums. The leader of Mauritius and Argentina entered next and other members began to trickle in moments later from a door on the left side of the room. The leaders began chatting amongst themselves as they stood at their respective podiums. POTUS was the last to enter. POTUS entered the room at 5:29 pm IST, shaking hands with Modi before standing at his podium. A narrator announced the opening of the event, directing the leaders to press a button on their podium to launch the biofuels alliance. The leaders pressed their buttons in unison and leaders began clapping. What sounded like an ad played in the background before the leaders clapped again and posed for a picture, holding hands. POTUS answered the q on zimi before exiting at 5:32pm. Positioning PM Modi stood at a podium at the center. POTUS stood to the left of Modi, followed by Meloni of Italy, Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh and Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore. To the right of Modi, Lula of Brazil, Alberto Fernandez of Argentina, Pravind Jugnauth of Mauritius and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed of UAE. |
| September 9, 2023 17:41 IST |
Travel pool report #13 - Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment event Pool hustled into the PGI event. POTUS entered at 5:34pm and sat to the right of Modi at desks position in at the front of the room with two adjoining rows on each side. MBS sat to the left of Modi. Pool spotted Amos Hochstein and Sec Yellen behind Biden. Modi's placard again said Bharat instead of India. The President is participating in a Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment event. Participants: U.S. Delegation |
| September 9, 2023 18:11 IST |
Travel pool report #14 - PGI remarks Please note pool report #13 should be #12 and #14 should be #13. Your pooler regrets the mistakes. It's been a long day. The leaders announced a range of new projects to generate economic growth, including an agreement on the India- Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, as well as a partnership with the European Union to join the United States in supporting the expansion of the Lobito Corridor, and new PGI projects in a range of sectors and across regions. Modi spoke first - he thanked all involved in the initiatives. says strong connectivity and infrastructure are the basis of human development for civilisation We have laid special emphasis on a demand driven and transparent approach, Modi says. Says through pgi we can make a significant contribution for the global gap... He raised his voice as he spoke of a commitment to compliance with international rules and laws, Respecting sovereignty... says leaders are "sowing the seeds for future generations to dream bigger" POTUS spoke next, sats of the partnership "This is a big deal." He said the partnership was focused on building a sustainable, resilient infrastructure, making quality infrastructure investments, and creating a better future, a future greater, greater opportunity, dignity and prosperity for everyone. "We need to maximize the impacts of our investments. That's why a few months ago, I announced that the United States will work with our partners to invest in economic corridors." "That means we're focusing on regional infrastructure projects that deliver results across multiple countries and multiple sectors" Thanks MBS and European Commission President Von der Leyen. MBS leaned over to both Modi and Von der Leyen and touched their hands. "This is a game changing regional investment," POTUS said, "and the both of these are huge, huge steps forward. but they're far from the only way. we continue to make big investments in infrastructure around the world" including right here in India. Announced US will hold an investor forum in a couple of weeks. MBS spoke next - says Saudi will look forward to the integration of the economic corridor. Pool will try to send some more quotes from MBS. Von der Leyen spoke and then Macron. Scholz then spoke followed by Kishida and Meloni. As event ended, POTUS again spoke to thank Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed of UAE. Media held as the leaders turned to each other to congratulate one another. At one point POTUS stood with MBS and Modi - As POTUS and MBS shook hands, Modi placed his hands over theirs and three leaders smiled. POTUS exited at 6:06pm IST. Pool will try to send more quotes soon. |
| September 9, 2023 18:12 IST |
Travel pool report #15 - Dinner/cultural program The President is participating in a dinner and cultural program with G20 Leaders. The event is closed press. Pool is holding in the media center. In attendance: ~300 attendees, including Heads of State and Government, and invited guests of the Indian Government U.S. Delegation Secretary Antony Blinken, Department of State |
| September 9, 2023 21:45 IST |
Travel pool report #16 - rolling for RON Pool was moved to the press vans just after 9pm. The motorcade is now rolling for the RON but your pooler did not see POTUS before leaving. |
| September 9, 2023 22:02 IST |
Travel pool report #17- RON arrival The motorcade arrived at ITC at 9:56 pm IST. Pool did not lay eyes on POTUS. We have a lid. Have a great night! |
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Pool Reports of September 9, 2023 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/364887