Vice Presidential Pool Reports of August 7, 2024

VP Pool Report 1: Departure for Eau Claire

Greetings from JBA where it is cloudy and muggy. The VP is about to start her first full day on the campaign trail with her freshly picked running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota.

Marine Two pulled up to the VP's plane at 10:38 am.

VP, wearing a white suit jacket and khaki pants, boarded Air Force Two without responding to questions. We are wheels up to Wisconsin shortly.

Schedule is below as a reminder:
At 10:45 AM ET, the Vice President will depart Washington, DC en route to Eau Claire, WI. This departure from Joint Base Andrews will be pooled press.

At 12:00 PM CT, the Vice President will arrive in Eau Claire, WI. This arrival at Chippewa Valley Regional Airport will be pooled press and open to pre-credentialed media.

At 1:20 PM CT, the Vice President will deliver remarks at a campaign event. These remarks in Eau Claire will be pooled press and open to pre-credentialed media.

At 3:30 PM CT, the Vice President will depart Eau Claire, WI en route to Detroit, MI. This departure from Chippewa Valley Regional Airport will be pooled press.

At 5:50 PM ET, the Vice President will arrive in Detroit, MI. This arrival at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport will be pooled press and open to pre-credentialed media.

At 6:40 PM ET, the Vice President will deliver remarks at a campaign event. These remarks in Detroit will be pooled press and open to pre-credentialed media.

VP Pool Report 2: Wisconsin arrival

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

AF2 departed JBA at 11:02 ET and landed in Eau Claire at 12:22 CT.

Before takeoff, VP spent about five minutes OTR with pool. The flight was otherwise uneventful. Some of the aides traveling with her are Sheila Nix, the VP's campaign chief of staff, and Erin Wilson, a deputy chief of staff.

The disembarking was a bit delayed. JD Vance's plane could be seen taxiing in the distance shortly after we landed.

At 12:41 pm VP and Gov. Walz disembarked to applause. They said hello to greeters and a pack of Girl Scouts from Troop #3307. Their shirts said, "This is a country of possibilities."

One of the scouts said something that made them laugh at one pint they appeared to be talking about summer plans "I'm planning on going somewhere in 90 days," the VP replied

VP and Walz did not respond to questions and - one was for Walz about Vance accusing him of stolen valor - and climbed into an SUV. We are rolling for the rally venue at 12:49 CT.

From the WH:

Tarmac greeters:

-Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez (D-WI)

- Chairman Nancy Coffey, Eau Claire County Board of Supervisors

- President Emily Berge, Eau Claire City Council

- Members of Girl Scout Troop #3307

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

There was no service at the rally site til now. We arrived at 1:20 pm. Program began at 2:12 with Walz.

The warmup music included a live set from Bon Iver and a playlist that featured Cher, Florence and the Machine and Diana Ross.

A local farmer named Les Danielson introduced Walz as a "lifelong Midwesterner" who "understands rural America." He criticized Trump-era trade policies and said they had devastated small businesses and farms in the area.

Walz took the stage at 2:12 to Springsteen's "Born to Run. (what else) VP took the stage at 2:30 pm to the chest-vibrating "Freedom" by Beyoncé. Part of her opener was "bringing greetings for our incredible president, Joe Biden."

There seemed to be several heat-related episodes happening at the rally. Pool saw one woman on a stretcher and another on the ground on the way in. And during Walz's speech he stopped to get help for someone suffering in the heat.

Rally is going on now and will be live streamed on the Harris campaign's social media pages.

On the way to the rally venue, the VP motorcade passed several clusters of people waving American flags and waving. One woman was waving her middle fingers at the motorcade.

The closer we got the more we saw full parking lots and hundreds of people clustered outside waiting for her. We could hear Bon Iver as we pulled into the dusty driveway. There are 12,000 people here per campaign.

On behalf of the Harris-Walz Campaign:

Vice President Harris and Governor Walz are headlining a campaign rally at Eau Claire Event District in Eau Claire, WI.

Pre-Program
Camden Hargrove, WI State Team Field Organizer
Sarah Godlewski, WI Secretary of State
Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-MI)
Governor Tony Evers
Bon Iver, Folk Music Band

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

The rally ended at 2:25 pm. We began rolling at 3:03 pm.

Motorcade pulled up to The Local store, which looks like a general store for locally made goods, at 3:18 pm. It smelled like cinnamon.

VP and Walz entered at 3:20. Justin Vernon of Bon Iver was with them wearing a Harris Walz camo hat. Walz's daughter, Hope, was also there and wearing the hat.

"The whole day was amazing," Vernon said. "Joyful. I think we're all feeling it."

Harris showed Vernon an album, extolling the virtue of vinyl, and them they perused snacks. Walz marveled over the Minnesota items. At one point Hope was directing him around the store.

Pool was moved away as the pair + Vernon were greeting children and headed to motorcade. Pool have asked what they purchased but at one point VP was holding what looked like a bag of candies. Holding at 3:27 pm.

VP Pool Report #6: Airport arrival

Motorcade pulled up at airport at 3:46 p.m.

Walz emerged from his SUV further back in the motorcade carrying a large white binder. He paused for a moment, consulted with Harris's campaign chief of staff and another Harris aide before walking up to VPs SUV.

They chatted briefly and did not respond to shouted questions. They boarded at 3:50 pm. We are wheels up for Detroit shortly.

Question answered -
On behalf of the Harris-Walz campaign: During the visit to The Local Store at Volume One, the Vice President purchased raw honey and cheese curds. The Governor purchased a reusable water bottle and a record — Break Me Open by S. Carey from Eau Claire. He is the drummer and supporting vocalist of Bon Iver.

VP Pool Report #7: Detroit arrival

Detroit

AF2 landed at 6:17 pm ET. Walz spent about 8 minutes with the pool OTR during the flight, which was a little bumpy. The VP did not join him.

There was a huge crowd waiting at the airport. Beyoncé's "Run the World (Girls)" was playing at an ear splitting volume when pool disembarked.

The crowd sang along to Whitney's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" before VP disembarked with Walz. They walked into the rally to "Freedom" and there was an extremely loud and enthusiastic crowd they let the pool linger with for a few.

Rally with Harri is starting soon at 6:35 pm

VP pool report #7a: More on event

On behalf of the Harris-Walz campaign:

Vice President Harris and Governor Walz are headlining a campaign rally at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Detroit, MI.

Pre-Program
Lavora Barnes, Chair, Michigan Democratic Party
Wayne County Executive Warren Evans (D-MI)
Mayor Mike Duggan, Detroit (D)
Representative Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13)
Representative Haley Stevens (D-MI-11)
Representative Hillary Scholten (D-MI-03)
Representative Dan Kildee (D-MI-08)
Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI-12)
Musical entertainment: Detroit Youth Choir
Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist (D-MI)
United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain
Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Representative Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-07)
Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI)

Program
Governor Walz
Vice President Kamala Harris

Travel Report #8: Rally concludes

The campaign says there were 15,000 people in Detroit, the largest of this campaign so far.

After fulsome intros from Slotkin, Whitmer and Stabenow, the headliners began. Walz was introduced by a first-time voter named Adam Todd.

"Holy hell, can you throw a party here in Michigan," Walz said. He praised Whitmer for knowing how to "fix the damn roads" and told the crowd "you have got a treasure here in Michigan."

Walz on the GOP: "The one thing I will not forgive them for is they try to steal the joy from this country. But you know what? Our next president brings the joy. She emanates the joy."

"In Minnesota we respect our neighbor's personal choices," he said. "Our golden rule is: mind your own damn business. It's amazing what minding your own business does to make things work better. Don't like a book? Don't read it!"

Harris took the stage to "Freedom" at 7:53 pm and took in the crowd for a couple of minutes. "We're gonna do this. We are DOING THIS," she said.

She said the election would be a fight: "When you know what to stand for you know what to fight for and we know what we stand for."

"I know Donald Trump's type. I've been dealing with him for my whole career."

She shut down a chant of "LOCK HIM UP," as she did earlier in the day, with the following: "Here's the thing, the courts are gonna handle that. We're gonna beat him in November."

The rally was interrupted by a band of protesters about midway through: Kamala Kamala You Can't Hide, We Won't Vote for Genocide," the shouted.

This was her reply: "I'm here because I believe in democracy. I believe everyone's voice matters. But I'm speaking now. I am speaking now."

Rally finished at 8:21 pm. Pool is holding.

At least six people needed medical attention over the course of the rally that pool observed.

There were volunteers with water, Fig Newtons, and large boxes full of blue KAMALA FOR EVERYBODY T-shirts on hand.

VP Pool Report #9: Rolling to RON at 8:48 p.m.

VP pool report #8 was mistakenly called Travel Pool Report #8. Forgive me!

VP Travel Report #10: Lid

Detroit
Lid called at 9:22 pm.