Vice Presidential Pool Reports of August 4, 2022

VP pool report 1: Background

Good morning from JBA, where we await the VP’s arrival in the next hour for her day trip to Massachusetts (first to the state as VP).

As is clear by now, I’ll be todays print pooler.

Below is some background from the WH on the abortion rights event today.

On Background from a White House a official

Today, August 4, Vice President Kamala Harris will convene state legislators and local leaders in Boston, Massachusetts to discuss the fight to protect reproductive rights. She will be joined by Governor Charlie Baker (R-MA).

At the roundtable, the Vice President will convey the Administration’s commitment to protecting access to reproductive health care, including abortion access, and will encourage the legislators and leaders to continue fighting to protect reproductive rights.

Massachusetts is the 7th state that the Vice President has traveled to in recent weeks to convene state legislators about protecting reproductive health care: Florida, Philadelphia, New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia, and Indiana.

Today’s Meeting Speakers:

- Undersecretary Gil Cisneros, US Department of Defense
- Governor Charlie Baker (R-MA)
- Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07)
- State Representative Aaron Michlewitz (D-MA), Chair, Ways and Means Committee
- State Representative Kate Hogan (D-MA), Speaker Pro Tempore
- State Representative Liz Miranda (D-MA)
- Rebecca Holder, Executive Director, Reproductive Equity Now

Additional Background:

Today’s meeting follows yesterday, where the President and Vice President convened the Task Force on Reproductive Healthcare Access. At the meeting, the President issued an Executive Order on Securing Access to Reproductive and Other Healthcare Services, announcing actions to:

• Support patients traveling out of state for medical care,
• Ensure health care providers comply with federal non-discrimination laws, and
• Promote research and data collection on maternal health outcomes.

The Vice President has also recently convened health care providers; faith leaders; constitutional law, privacy, and technology experts; advocates; state attorneys general; and disability rights leaders to build a broad coalition to protect reproductive rights and freedoms.

VP pool report 2: VP arrival /wheels up

The Vice President arrived via M2 at 9:25 am, de"planed" at 9;30 and walked right over to AF2 in conversation with Maj. Evertson. She waved at the pool before disappearing into the plane and saluted the troops who met her. She's wearing a pink suit. Will tweet a pic if I can @talkopan.

Wheels up shortly.

A bit of an unusual situation today — the VP is using a smaller plane today (10040) so the pool will by flying in a second plane with some staff. We should still be in position to cover arrival.

VP greeters upon arrival at JBA

Maj. Guy Evertson, Alternate Director Flight Line Protocol, C32A Pilot

Undersecretary Gil Cisneros, U.S. Department of Defense

VP pool report 3: Boston arrival

AF2 was wheels down around 11:02.

The pool arrived about 10-15 minutes earlier on our plane. Our flight up the coast was lovely and uneventful.

We are still holding on the tarmac, waiting for Harris to deplane. We have been told she is still doing her PDB. That was listed on her schedule for the day to start at 10:45.

VP pool report 4: Deplaning and moving

Harris deplaned at 11:58 am after the lengthy hold on the tarmac during which several breaking news alerts hit my inbox. She has been briefed on Brittany Griner’s sentence, her staff says.

Harris clasped both hands with Rep. Ayanna Pressley at the bottom of the stairs and then greeted Andrews Maltais, then walked to her car and waved briefly toward the pool under the wing.

We are rolling for the round table.

Greeters below

• VP greeters upon arrival at Boston Logan International
  • Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07)
  • Chairwoman Cheryl Andews Maltais, Chairwoman, Wampanoag Tribe

VP pool report 5: Holding at IBEW

The motorcade arrived at IBEW Local 103 at 12:14 after flying past what I presume was slightly worse than average Boston traffic. Uneventful trip. We did not see Harris exit her vehicle.

The Local has a digital billboard up hailing her visit. I’ll tweet a picture at @talkopan

We are holding for a while, with the event scheduled to start at 12:50. My understanding is it’ll be fed live for TV and might be easy to find on a stream. If I confirm that, my pool reports from the remarks will be lighter, fyi.

VP pool report 6: Remarks beginning

We were let into the room for the round table at 1:02 pm.

Harris is seated at the head of a long, U-shaped table (will tweet pictures of the setup when I can). No one at the table that I can see is wearing a mask. She is offset by about three feet to either side of her, with Gov. Baker to her left and Rebecca Holder, who kicked off the event, to her right.

For a list of speakers, see pool report 1.

Harris is about to start speaking.

VP pool report 7: Harris quick quotes

Quick quotes from Harris, please check against transcript / the recording I'll share later.

"Governor, I appreciate the national leadership that you have provided on this issue. Congresswoman Presley … I thank you for your leadership."

"To all the leaders here … you are also national leaders. You are leading by example, the worker that is happening here in Massachusetts is a model for what can and what we believe should be happening around the country."

Harris said it's about "The concept of freedom and liberty"

"We are here today because we share a fundamental belief that we trust the women of America … and we believe they should make that decision and not the government"

"The government should not be making that decision for them"

"To stand for these principles of freedom and liberty does not require anyone to abandon their faith or their beliefs. This is simply about saying the government should not be making that decision."

"We are facing a health care crisis in America since the Dobbs decision"

"I am a former prosecutor who specialized in child sexual assault cases and violence against women. The idea that we would require someone who has endured an extreme act of violence and then subject her to the government's will without investing in her (self determination)… is outrageous"

"This is an issue … that overlaps with many other attacks on our democracy"

(She cited voting rights, lgbtq rights) and she decried:
"Extremist so-called leaders who believe the way forwArd is to restrict rights"

"I applaud the leaders, the downhome leaders in Kansas .. they said this is not a partisan issue"

"They said don't take her rights from her and allow the government to replace her priorities with its priorities."

"Our administration stands with the leaders who are here and with the women of America in a belief that they should make these decisions for themselves"

VP pool report 8: Quick quotes from other officials

I've been pointed to a live stream, mercifully: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pvqfhgvD9HM

Here are a few quick quotes from some of the other officials present, again check against recording/transcript

Baker
"In Massachusetts, This issue about reproductive rights has not been a partisan issue"

He joked that his mother made clear his position when he was young

"I'm very glad to hear you mention what happened in Kansas … there were a heck of a lot of independents and republicans that voted for choice in that election … some issues cross party lines"

He said it shows the vast majority of voters there and he believes in Mass "believe women should get to make the call with … whomever they seek advice from"

Presley
"This is an issue of justice," Pressley said noting their presence at IBEW.

She called Harris a "breaker of concrete ceilings"

"Our bodily autonomy should not be up for debate, but devastatingly, it is. And we know who will be impacted the most, the most marginalized"

And one moment of levity from Michlewitz:
"Thank you for not bringing up the NBA finals," he said.
Harris laughed and replied, "I was this close"

VP pool report 9: Remarks over - No questions

We were ushered out of the event just after 1:30.

I asked if she had any comment on Brittany Griner in what was a fairly silent room — she looked up at me but did not respond.

Will try to check some quotes but hopefully between the livestream and an Otter link I hope to send out shortly, you can grab what you might need beyond those.

VP pool report 10: Cleaned up quotes, Otter, color

Here is an Otter thanks to co-pooler Jordan Fabian, whose recording did not get messed up like mine.
https://otter.ai/u/gdSSHcrMA5xcsj2lrg5eH6d0anw

A little bit more color:

Harris was listening to the other speakers, nodding along and taking an occasional note. She nodded in particular (I noticed) when State Rep. Liz Miranda was speaking about maternal mortality and intersectional reproductive rights and care Miranda also made a joke, "To quote your organization this is a very serious matter."

Harris laughed "That's an inside joke. It is a serious matter," she said.

A couple cleaned up quotes:

"I am a former prosecutor who specialized in child sexual assault cases and violence against women. The idea that we would require someone who has endured an extreme act of violence and then subject her to the government's will without investing in her the self-determination to which she is entitled to make decisions based on what she believed is in her best interest is outrageous"

"I applaud the leaders, those down-home leaders in Kansas for what they just did two nights ago. Because they organized, and they spoke volumes, they said we trust the women to make decisions about their lives, and they said this is not a partisan issue. They spoke loudly and said it doesn't matter who she voted for in the last election or who she plans on voting for in the next election, don't take her rights from her and allow the government to replace its priorities for her priorities. The vote that occurred in Kansas also made clear what we all know: The majority of Americans agree with this principle."

"To stand for these principles of freedom and liberty does not require anyone to abandon their faith or their beliefs. This is simply about saying the government should not be making the decision for that person."

VP pool report 11: Airport

We left IBEW Local 103 at 2:17 pm en route to the airport. We did not see Harris after being ushered out of the round table.

After a motorcade (once more passing lots of traffic) that was oddly stop-and-go for a bit, including being stopped for a minute or two at a roundabout, we arrived at the airport at 2:34 pm.

Two minutes later, Harris boarded AF2 without acknowledging the pool.

We’ll be wheels up for Martha’s Vineyard shortly. Reminder that we’re on separate planes.

VP pool report 12: Vineyard

We landed at Martha’s Vineyard at 3:11 pm. AF2 followed at 3:30 pm. She deplaned at 3:40 and walked straight to her car with a wave toward the pool under the wing.

There were no greeters.

We will be shortly rolling to two DNC events this afternoon/evening. We’re told the first is a meet and greet that we will not be allowed into. The second will be the fundraiser and we’ll see remarks. Will send background when I have it.

VP Pool report 13: Holding at first event

Pool arrived at a classic Vineyard home down a private road next to a golf course at 4:07 pm. Google Maps tells me it's the Farm Neck Golf Course and we're near Oak Bluff.

It was a picturesque, dare I say, idyllic drive across Martha's Vineyard. We got some waves and gawking from bystanders waiting in their cars, passing by on bicycles, and enjoying the beach on this warm, sunny day (including on what I'm told is "Jaws" bridge.)

Below is background from the WH on tonight's agenda:

Background on Stop #1

Vice President Harris is attending a friends and family event in Martha's Vineyard. While there she will meet and provide informal remarks to more than 25 invited guests.

Background on Stop #2

Vice President Harris is attending a DNC finance event at the residence of Robert Epstein.

The Vice President will give formal remarks to more than 40 invited guests while at the residence.

VP report 14: Headed to next event

As of 5:09 we are rolling to the next event. We did not see VP leaving.

We do expect to hear her remarks at the next event.

One bit of color, for your perhaps amusement: The home we are leaving was flying a rather large Yankees flag from its guest house in plain view of the golf course. Will tweet a picture @talkopan

VP pool report 15: Holding

After another lovely drive with a few onlookers, pool is now holding outside a home at the end of a very long, narrow, wooded dirt road. We pulled up at 5:40. Google Maps tells me we are now in Makonikey.

We are holding in the van until we can get in for remarks.

VP pool report 16: fundraiser remarks.

Link to otter of Harris remarks at the fundraiser https://otter.ai/u/oBnThEvyrLag6uX6U43eiCb9hkg

At 6:08 pool was brought to the backyard of a shingled home overlooking a truly breathtaking view of the water as the sun set. Harris stood on the raised deck and a few dozen guests sat or stood in the yard, glasses of wine available. I will tweet a picture of the view.

There was no news, with Harris remarking on abortion rights and going in a riff about how elections matter and democracy is at stake, thanking donors for showing up in 2020.

"We need to elect two more senators, we need to hold the Senate and get two more, because Joe said he will not let the filibuster stand in the way of" abortion rights and voting rights she said. (applause)

"The work that you all are doing to support this effort matters in a tremendous way in particular when we are looking at the stakes being so high"

"I do believe that we are up for this battle"

Host Betsy Epstein introduced Harris as well as David Epstein and her "husband Bob"

Harris thanked everyone and said "it really does take a community of folks that care about our country"

She said since the Dobbs decision she has wanted to get on road.

Said she met today with Gov Baker "Who has been singing some really outstanding legislation and making clear … some issues are fundamental"

"We can approach some of these issues in a nonpartisan way"

Said she's been in "so-called red states" and "so-called blue states"

"The Supreme Court took a constitutional right that had been recognized from the people of America and the women of America and it will and already is having a profound impact" on Individuals and the founding principles of freedom and liberty

We are 96 days away from a very important election "that in many ways will be an inflection point on this issue"

She said voters can choose to have a "pro-choice Congress"

"Joe Biden had had enough when it comes to the filibuster … on the issue of choice and on the issue of voting rights"

She said abortion was connected to so many other issues that are present in our nation right now. She said she asked her team to do a Venn diagram, one circle: which states have attacks on reproductive choice, another on voting rights, another on lgbt rights

"You would not be surprised to know there is significant overlap," she said to laughter, and a murmur of agreement when she said she wants to add book bans

"There is so much at stake," she said.

She noted she has spoken with heads of states from around the world.

"When we as the United States of America walk in those rooms, traditionally, historically, we've been able to walk in those rooms chin up, shoulders back" as the strongest democracy in the world.

"We are able then because of our standing" exert impact

She had an aside about Angela Merkel, saying "she's warm, she has a sense of humor" and it's a shame how women are portrayed (as cold)

"She leaned over and said, tell me what's going on with voting in your country," Harris recounted.

Harris noted when you're a leader (like America on democracy), people watch what you do.

"This is a moment, I do believe, of crisis, in terms of the vulnerability and the fragility of our democracy and … our willingness to be able to stand up and fight for it."

"Democracies can be very strong, democracy is also extremely fragile and precious. If we do not fight, if we are not vigilant in standing up for it, it will fall, it will fail, it will falter," she said.

She listed some successes of the administration, including adding NATO members, and credited the donors.

"Elections matter, because you all came out in 2020 we were able to do all this work."

We'll be leaving soon, we're told.

VP pool report 17: Leaving fundraiser

We were rolling from the Epsteins’ home at 6:48 pm.

I forgot to mention that Harris spoke with a podium in front of her for notes but mostly looked up from them and at the crowd in delivering her remarks.

We are headed to the airport, as far as I know.

VP pool report 18: Airport and departure soon

Motorcade arrived at the airport at 7:14 pm. The skies have turned a bit grayer and cloudy.

Harris once again boarded (at 7:17) with a wave to the pool but did not come over. So that’s no questions from us taken by her today.

We’ll be wheels up shortly, on our separate plane again.

VP pool report 19: JBA/goodnight

The pool plane just landed at JBA after a rather smooth flight for the ominous clouds and lightning we could see through the windows.

We’ve been told the VP already landed and left in her motorcade.

So that’s all from me today! Have a good night.