Vice Presidential Pool Reports of August 10, 2024

VP Harris travel pool 1: gaggle

Good afternoon from sunny Phoenix, Arizona, where it's currently 107 degrees Fahrenheit and climbing. I'll be your print pooler for the remainder of Vice President Harris's Southwest swing.

Your pool was swept and brought into a holding area at the RON, where VP Harris entered at 2:41p PT and took several Qs from the pool. Will share more fulsome quotes shorty - rough notes below.

Policy platform?

Coming Next week

Gaza strike?

Far too many civilians have been killed. Israel has a right to go after terrorists - but have to avoid civilian deaths

Calls for an Arms embargo?

Need a hostage deal, ceasefire

Economy - fed independence?

Couldn't disagree more strongly. Fed needs to be independent. Turbulence this week, settled itself.

She departed without responding to some more Qs, including one about the alleged hack of the Trump campaign

Pool is now holding in vans.

VP Harris travel pool 2: rolling + better quotes

Motorcade was rolling for the airport at 2:46pm.

Here's some better notes/quotes from the gaggle:

Q When can we expect you to roll out your policy platform?

Harris: Next week, and it'll be focused on the economy and what we need to do to bring down costs and also strengthen the economy.

Q Can you give us a reaction to the Israeli strike in Gaza today that killed at least 80 people.

Harris: yet again, far too many civilians have been killed. I mean, Israel has a right to go after the terrorists that are Hamas. But as I have said many, many times, they also have, I believe, an important responsibility to avoid civilian casualties .

Q you've been saying that since October 7, 10s of 1000s people have been killed. Some are asking for limitations of arms sent to Israel. What do you say to those folks who are looking for more?

Harris: Well, look, first and foremost, the president and I have been working on this around the clock. We need to get the hostages out. We need a hostage deal, and we need a ceasefire. And I can't stress that strongly enough, it needs to get done. The deal needs to get done. It needs to get done now.

Q On economy, I know you're going to speak about that this coming week. Can you give us a sense on how, what your view is on the Fed and the independence of the Fed? President Trump weighed in on that this last week and said he thought he should have some say.

Harris: I couldn't agree-- disagree. Excuse me. More strongly. the Fed is an independent entity, and as President, I would never interfere in the decisions that the Fed makes.

Q And what's your take on their policies right now? There's some concern last week, as the market fell, that there might be a recession coming. What's your view on that?

Harris: Well, as we know we've there was some turbulence this week, but it seems to have settled itself, and we'll see what the decisions they make next. I hear about them about the same time you do

VP Harris travel pool 3: airport arrival

Motorcade arrived at the airport at 2:55pm.

VP Harris exited her vehicle at 2:57pm and posed for some photos with her Phoenix advance team, per a White House official.

VP Harris then boarded AF2 without responding to more questions shouted from the pool.

VP Harris travel pool 4: wheels up

AF2 was taxiing for takeoff at 3:11pm so consider this your wheels up. Next stop, Las Vegas.

VP Harris travel pool 5: landed in Vegas

AF2 touched down at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, at 3:56pm after a bumpy but otherwise uneventful flight. There were no visitors to the press cabin.

WH passes along the following:

Las Vegas Greeters:

- Senator Catherine Cortez Masto
- Representative Dina Titus, U.S. House of Representatives (NV-01)
- Representative Susie Lee, U.S. House of Representatives (NV-03)
- Representative Steven Horsford, U.S. House of Representatives (NV-04)
- Treasurer Zach Conine

VP Harris travel pool 6: rolling from airport

Gov. Walz boarded AF2 at 4:05pm, and he and VP Harris disembarked together shortly thereafter at 4:12pm. They mingled with several of the greeters on the tarmac, though your pool was too far away to catch anything that was discussed.

The two got in their vehicle at 4:13pm and the motorcade was rolling from the airport at 4:16pm.

VP Harris travel pool 7: arrived at rally venue + program

The motorcade arrived at the Thomas and Mack Center at the University of Nevada Las Vegas at 4:27pm after a drive that took us past several Vegas landmarks including the Luxor and MGM Grand.

Your pooler spotted a handful of folks watching the motorcade will cell phones in hand on our way in, though no protestors.

On behalf of the Harris-Walz Campaign:

Vice President Harris and Governor Walz are delivering remarks at a campaign rally at the Thomas and Mack Center, University of Nevada, Las Vegas in Las Vegas, NV.

Pre-Program:

Musical entertainment: DJ D-Nice
Field Pitch
Representative Dina Titus (D-NV)
Representative Susie Lee (D-NV)
Representative Steven Horsford (D-NV)
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)
Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

Program:

Tilly Torres, Educator
Governor Walz
Vice President Harris

VP Harris travel pool 8: holding inside rally venue

After a lengthy walk through the Thomas and Mack center, pool was brought into the venue proper around 4:40pm. The pre-program was already underway, with a campaign official based in Vegas pitching attendees to get involved in campaign organizing.

The venue is fairly full already, with attendees continuing to filter into the top levels. Your pooler will effort to get a count of total attendees from the campaign.

As with other rallies in this battleground swing, the Vice President's and Gov. Walz's remarks will be streamed live via the campaign's social media channels, though I'll pass along additional color and key quotes as necessary.

VP Harris travel pool 9: pre-show remarks + rally #s / entrances closed due to heat

Pre-show speakers took the opportunity to emphasize Harris-Walz campaign themes and attack the Trump-Vance ticket.

"By the way, I'm one of those 'miserable, childless cat ladies,'' Rep. Dina Titus said, referencing Sen. JD Vance's past comments that have drawn criticism. "JD Vance apologized to my cat but he didn't apologize to me… you better hide behind that sofa because we're coming for you," she added.

Sen. Jacky Rosen said Harris has the "grit" and "determination" to win the race. After she criticized former President Trump and Vance and received boos from the audience, Rosen told attendees: "don't boo, vote."

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto said Trump "tanked the strongest bipartisan border security bill we've ever had," suggesting he "did it intentionally" because he'd prefer to have "chaos."

The venue has filled in more but is definitely not 100% full – see the below note from the campaign about attendance #s and why doors were closed to more would-be attendees:

On behalf of the Harris-Walz campaign:
There are over 12,000 people inside the arena. In the last hour, local law enforcement made the decision to close the doors to the event due to people becoming ill while waiting outside to go through security in the 109-degree heat. Approximately 4,000 people were in line when the entrances were shut down.

VP Harris travel pool 10: Vegas rally remarks

Gov. Walz entered at 6:24pm after an introduction from Tillie Torres, a local Clark County teacher of 24 years, and cancer survivor, who had their student loans forgiven under the Biden-Harris administration, per the campaign.

"I know some of you spent the week Googling Minnesota a little bit," Walz joked in introduction. He thanked all the Nevadans who reminded him "it's a dry heat" — "so's your damn oven," he added. Walz referenced the decision to close the doors early due to the heat: "Don't worry, we're going to be back a lot."

Walz spoke to his military record, noting "the GI bill gave me a shot at a college education." Walz criticized former President Trump's response to the Covid-19 pandemic: "He froze in the face of a global pandemic and our neighbors died because of it."

Walz briefly interrupted his remarks at 6:37 to ask whether there were folks available to help and bring water to a rally-goer in the front who appeared to have some sort of medical problem. Campaign/security officials were already in the process of assisting, it appeared.

On his criticisms of Sen. JD Vance: "I didn't call anybody names. I spent enough years in that lunchroom to know bullies when I see them," Walz said. But of the policies Trump and Vance are trying to implement, he added, "nobody's asking for that weird crap."

VP Harris walked out at 6:43pm. "It's good to be back," she exclaimed. Harris highlighted the Culinary Union that recently endorsed Harris, promising to raise the minimum wage and eliminate taxes on tips for service and hospitality workers.

Harris cheered on the U.S. men's basketball and women's soccer gold medals, as the crowd broke out in cheers of "USA." "Once more after another, Team USA continues to make our nation proud," she added.

During a refrain reflecting on her time as a prosecutor noting she knows "Donald Trump's type," a line that's now become a feature of her rallies, it appeared a couple of "lock him up" chants broke out. Harris quelled them quickly: "Court's gonna take care of that. We're just gonna beat him in November," she said.

Harris honed in on climate change, referencing the extreme heat many are experiencing here in Vegas. "You know the climate crisis is real," Harris said. She said Trump claims it's a "hoax."

As Walz and Harris spoke, rally attendees were energetic and cheerful but also clearly a bit warm – your pooler spotted many fanning themselves with campaign signs. It's certainly not 100+ degrees in here as it is outside, but it's not exactly chilly either.

The signage throughout the rally included your usual Harris-Walz campaign signs, as well as some reading "Nurses for Kamala" and "When we fight, we win." Behind Harris and Walz were a couple homemade signs, including one that read "Coach Walz" and another that read "Kamala is Brat," a reference to the CharlieXCX album and resulting memes.

When Harris appeared to start wrapping up her remarks, several rally attendees could be seen ascending the long stairs of the arena to exit early. Describing the people of Nevada as "battle-born," Harris challenged the former president: "If Donald Trump wants to pick a fight over our fundamental freedoms, we say, 'bring it on.'" She said the stakes of this election are "even higher" than in 2016 or 2020 due to the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling that makes the president "effectively immune" from prosecution. In a forceful voice, she declared, "Someone who suggests we should terminate the Constitution should never again stand behind the seal of the United States."

VP Harris wrapped her remarks at 7:11pm, and Gov. Walz and several of the lawmakers from the pre-show joined her onstage. At 7:13, she exited the stage and appeared to start working the ropeline.

VP Harris travel pool 11: rolling from arena

Pool was moved from the arena shortly after Harris's remarks wrapped and loaded into vans at 7:20pm. We did not have eyes on VP Harris getting into her vehicle.

Motorcade was rolling for the airport at 7:32.

VP Harris travel pool 12: back at Vegas airport + boarded AF2

As we were pulling out of the arena, many supporters had lined up to waive goodbye to the VP's motorcade, which arrived at the airport at 7:45pm.

VP Harris exited her vehicle at 7:48pm and posed for some photos with her the local advance team. She then proceeded directly aboard AF2, waiving to those on the tarmac.

VP Harris travel pool 13: wheels up for San Francisco

AF2 was taxiing for takeoff at 8:02pm so consider this your wheels up notice. Next stop: SFO

VP Harris travel pool 14: landed in SF / correx to Olympics quote

AF2 was wheels down in San Francisco at 9:11pm after an uneventful flight.

Additionally, appending one correction a quotation in pool note #10 when the Vice President discussed the Olympics during her Vegas rally: upon review, Harris said, "In one sport after another, Team USA continues to make our nation proud," not "once more after another" as I'd previously written. Many thanks to co-pooler Darlene Superville of the AP for catching.

VP Harris travel pool 15: rolling from SFO

VP Harris, now donning a cream-colored overcoat as it's much chillier here, disembarked AF2 at 9:24 and chatted with a few folks on the tarmac (names TK from the White House) before getting into her vehicle at 9:27pm.

We are rolling as of 9:29pm.

VP Harris travel pool 16: background from Harris campaign on tip tax proposal + SF greeters

Passing along:
On background from a Harris campaign official:

On Saturday, Vice President Harris said as president, she would push for the elimination of taxes on tips.

The proposal would require legislation. As President, she would work with Congress to craft a proposal that comes with an income limit and with strict requirements to prevent hedge fund managers and lawyers from structuring their compensation in ways to try to take advantage of the policy.

Vice President Harris would push for the proposal alongside an increase in the minimum wage.

From the WH:
Greeters:
- Representative Kevin Mullin, U.S. House of Representatives, (D-CA-15)
- Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, (D-CA)
- Controller Malia Cohen (D-CA)
- Warren Pulley, spouse of Controller Cohen
- Mayor London Breed, (D-San Francisco)

VP Harris travel pool 17: arrival at RON + lid

Motorcade arrived at our RON at 9:56pm after a drive through downtown San Francisco with many onlookers snapping photos on their phones. We did not see the Vice President exit her vehicle.

A lid was called at 9:59pm.