In-Town Pool Reports of March 26, 2021

In-town pool report #1 -- Checking in

Good morning everyone,

There's a COVID-19 briefing at 10:15 and a regular press briefing at 12:30.

POTUS is participating in a virtual fundraiser for the Atlanta mayor at 3, and he's scheduled to leave for Delaware at 6:15.

That's all for now.

In-town pool #2 — Lunch lid until 12:20

[APP Note: No additional text was included in this report.]

In-town pool report #3 -- Two minute warning on press briefing

[APP Note: No additional text was included in this report.]

In-town pool report #4 -- Briefing over at 1:22

[APP Note: No additional text was included in this report.]

In-town pool report #5 -- Early departure

POTUS is leaving for Delaware much earlier than previously scheduled, likely within the next hour. Updated guidance is on its way, but I wanted to make sure everyone had a head's up.

In-town pool report #6 — Awaiting departure

Pool is gathered on South Lawn for Marine One departure.

In-town pool report #7 — Departure and quotes

POTUS took a couple questions on his departure.

POTUS was asked if Xi and Putin had been invited to his climate summit next month. He said he hasn't spoken to them about it.

POTUS continued to denounce the Georgia voting law, as he did in his recent statement. He said "it's an atrocity," and it's "designed to keep people from voting."

As always, it was hard to hear over the helicopter.

He's aboard Marine One, which lifted off at 3:04.

In-town pool report #8 — Full quotes from departure

Asked if he had invited Xi and Putin to next month's climate summit, POTUS said:

"I haven't yet, but they know they're invited. But I haven't spoken to either one of them yet."

Biden said he had just gotten off the phone with the British prime minister.

Then asked to respond to Georgia's new election law, POTUS said:

"It's an atrocity. If you want any indication that it has nothing to do with fairness, nothing to do with decency, they passed a law saying you can't provide water to people standing in line while they're waiting to vote? You don't need anything else to know that this is nothing but punitive, designed to keep people from voting. You can't provide water for people about to vote. Give me a break."

The White House provides the following list of people traveling with POTUS on Marine One:

Hunter Biden

Melissa Cohen

Beau Biden

Jen O'Malley Dillon, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff

Stephen Goepfert, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

In-town pool report #9 -- Virtual fundraiser

After arriving at his home in Delaware, POTUS participated in a Zoom fundraiser to support Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. At one point, Bottoms said it was his first fundraiser since taking office.

She kicked it off by saying, "We have a wonderful guest of honor, the president of the United States, Joe Biden."

"I know that our president has a heart for all of us . . . You can feel that goodness is back in Washington, D.C."

The screen shifted to Biden, who was talking without audio.

"I think you may be on mute, Mr. President," Bottoms said.

Biden leaned forward toward the screen, and the feed briefly cut out and shifted back to Bottoms.

"Just a few technical difficulties," she said.

"While we're waiting for the president to receive his technical assistance — I think they're going to log him out and log him back in . . . ." Bottoms started to thank a list of people for their help.

Biden reappeared, but there was still no audio.

"We still can't hear you . . . I know they'll get it right shortly," Bottoms said.

Bottoms brought up the election law signed by Gov. Kemp on Thursday, and said, "We are continuing to evaluate all of our options."

Biden still hadn't showed up.

"I know that all of you all have experienced Zoom challenges over the course of the last year," Bottoms said.

She said there were 202 participants on the Zoom call, and she launched into a description of her work in Atlanta and various challenges in the city.

She encouraged everyone to hang tight because they were going to "create another secure line" for Biden.

Suddenly Biden's voice appeared, echoing as if he was speaking from the bottom of a well.

"Can you hear me?" he said.

Then Biden's video appeared, and he thanked Bottoms for her support during last year's campaign.

He apologized for the delay and the audio wavered as he continued speaking.

He praised her response to the pandemic and the recent shootings at spas in the Atlanta area, saying "we saw her strength keeping her city together."

He also thanked Georgia for supporting him and Democratic senators.

"If anyone ever wondered if one vote can make a difference, Georgia just proved it."

Biden then criticized Republican efforts to add voting restrictions.

"It's sick and un-American what's they're doing, and it cannot stand."

Biden said he would be laying out his plans to "build back better" to create "millions of good paying jobs."

"Remember, we're here to help all the people in this country, the bottom up, the middle out, not just those at the top."

He apologized again for the technical difficulties and thanked donors for supporting Bottoms.

"She is the real deal. She's bright, she's honorable, she's tough."