Vice Presidential Pool Reports of December 1-2, 2023

VPOTUS Travel Pool Report #1 - Departure for COP

Good morning from Andrews, where VPOTUS is set to depart for Dubai and the UN's COP28 climate summit.

VPOTUS arrived on Marine 2 at 7:58 am eastern and boarded the plane for the roughly 15-hour trip.

AF2 will be rolling soon.

On background attributed to a WH Official:

The Vice President is en route to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates to represent the United States at COP28 on behalf of the President.

On Saturday, she will deliver the United States' National Statement at COP28 and then will participate in a Leaders Session event on renewable energy.

Throughout her engagements, the Vice President will make clear that the Biden-Harris Administration is delivering on the most ambitious climate agenda in history, both at home and abroad, and she will advance our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support adaptation, and boost climate resilience.

While in Dubai, the Vice President will have an opportunity to meet with regional leaders and consult with them on latest developments in Gaza and, in particular, she will focus on day-after planning.

Shortly after October 7, the President and Vice President began conversations with their national security team about post-conflict Gaza and that has now extended to regional partners. In her meetings, the Vice President will outline our principles for post-conflict Gaza, lay out specific proposals that put Palestinian voices at the center, and build regional support for our efforts.

She will emphasize that any post-conflict plan for Gaza must include a clear political horizon for the Palestinian people and ensure that Gaza and the West Bank are reunified under one entity.

We will continue to work with all of our partners, including Israel and Arab nations, and especially with the Palestinians, to ensure a shared vision and approach to what happens in Gaza when the fighting ends.

VPOTUS Travel Pool Report #2 — refueling

Air Force Two landed at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany for refueling at 9:41 pm local time after about 8 hours in the air. VPOTUS is on her way to the COP28 climate summit in Dubai.

We will be in the ground for about two hours, per the White House and then back up in the air for the rest of the flight to Dubai.

VPOTUS came back to the press cabin for about 5 minutes to chat off the record with reporters at the beginning of this leg.

Later in the trip, two senior administration officials spent about 30 minutes with the press for a background conversation. The discussion centered around the climate issue and VPOTUS plans for climate engagements at COP. There was not any breaking news; the officials declined to provide advance details of any specific announcements that VPOTS was planning to make during her time at the summit.

Here are some highlights and quotes:

On VPOTUS message at the summit: The vice president will make it clear that the world needs to "make sure that everybody is at the table and everybody is stepping up. Everybody has to step up."

One central element: Roubust transparency about how countries are moving forward.

Critical during the summit: "How do we bring rigor and transparency to call it the niches where it's been easier to have puffery rather than real delivery of climate results?"

On the challenges that remain in fighting climate change:

"You set these targets, you shine the light on it and then you figure out if people are actually putting their money where their mouth is."

Officials said that one piece of evidence that they are making progress is the fund to help poor economies, which has gotten commitments from Saudi Arabia and others.

"Last year this was an ask. This year, it's a decision. Coming out this COP, it will be an effort of building a start up within the world bank."

On disappointment among young people when it comes to the promises made by POTUS and VPOTUS on climate, the officials said that the administration has delivered on those promises, and said that the public and private investment in clean energy and climate action will end up being 2.5 times what they had originally predicted.

"The conversation we're having going into this COP about the scale of deployment of clean energy in this decade is remarkable."

"What the United States laid out in April of 2021 in terms of its nationally determined contribution has leveled up NDCs from countries the world over."

"There are elements of what was proposed on the climate side that did not get it enacted. But if you look at volumetrically, relative to what was proposed what was enacted was something north of 80%."

"There are definitely places that if President Biden had 60 Democrats in the United States Senate that he would have passed." (The official noted funds for building green and resilient housing stock and a $30 billion climate corps, both of which were proposed by POTUS and not ultimately enacted.)

On the disappointment from young people, the official noted that "advocates from the outside, part of the role of how we make progress is continually pushing institutions to do more."

On why VPOTUS decided to go to the summit on short notice.

"It was important for both the president and vice president to ensure that a leader from the United States was at COP," an official said, adding that VPOTUS want to "make sure we are telling the world the story of progress that we have made in the US"

At COP: "I think you're gonna hear her speak directly to some young leaders, yes."

On what the US and other wealthy nations need to do for the global south and poor nations:

"I'd love to say there's one single playbook for every country. But the reality is we gotta go to bottom up and design transition playbooks. And they've got to be designed form the folks who know it best."

On whether foreign leaders tell VPOTUS they worry about the possibility that Donald Trump will be reelected and reverse the US positions on climate (again.):

The official declined to comment directly on conversations, but said: "The need to ensure that the US's climate action ambition is long lived is a component of making sure that the US is going to follow up on its commitments."

More tk later.

VPOTUS Travel Pool Report #3 -- Departure from Ramstein

Air Force Two is about to roll for Dubai at 11:47 pm local time in Germany after an uneventful refueling stop.

One clarification from the White House regarding the background briefing: They note that when the official spoke about the climate investment being 2.5 times greater than expected, the official was referring to estimates by outside analysts. Your pooler regrets not including that context.

More tk soon.

VPOTUS Travel Pool Report #4 — Dubai arrival

Air Force Two landed in Dubai at 9:17 am local time after an uneventful flight from Germany. Your pooler did not see VPOTUS during this leg and no staff came back to talk to us.

VPOTUS has several events scheduled at COP, according to the White House. The motorcade will be departing shortly for the first stop of the day.

More TK shortly.

VPOTUS Travel Pool Report # 5 — arrival at hotel

VPOTUS deplaned at 9:35 am local and spent a couple of minutes talking to some greeters. (See below) The motorcade departed shortly after.

The motorcade arrived at the VPOTUS hotel at 10:42 am local time and we are now holding for the next movement.

More TK…

Mike.

On Background From A White House Official:

Upon arrival at Al Maktoum International Airport, the Vice President was greeted by H.E. Sarah Bint Yousif Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advance Technology Chairperson of Emirates Scientists Council and Ambassador Martina A. Strong, U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.

VPOTUS Travel Pool Report #6 - First COP Remarks

The pool is at the Expo Center in Dubai awaiting VPOTUS remarks, which are slated to begin at 1:50 pm local time. I am not sure we will get a 2-minute warning or not. But the remarks are being streamed on WhiteHouse.gov.

The room is a large convention center room with four very large screens on the wall behind the speakers, which are the leaders of the nations attending the summit. There are a series of long, white tables in front of the lectern, with representatives from each country sitting at the tables.

Your pooler will send along any color that might happen off screen.

VPOTUS Travel Pool Report #7 - 2 minute warning to VPOTUS remarks

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

VPOTUS Travel Pool Report #8 -- VPOTUS meeting with Al-Sisi of Egypt

At 2:54 pm local time, your pooler received this:

On background attributed to a WH Official:

Vice President Kamala Harris is currently meeting with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi of Egypt in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates on the sidelines of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28). The Vice President is discussing latest developments in Gaza, including our efforts to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza and surge humanitarian aid into Gaza. The Vice President is also discussing the U.S. approach to post-conflict Gaza. A readout will follow.

VPOTUS Travel Pool Report #9 -- VPOTUS misses panel discussion

VPOTUS was supposed to deliver remarks at a COP session titled "Fast-tracking the Just, Equitable & Orderly Energy Transition." The session was open press to pre-credentialed media but not livestreamed.

The meeting was delayed more than an hour. But when VPOTUS was introduced, she was not in the room. The panel got underway without her and after three of the speakers have already spoken, she is still not in the room. The White House has said she is coming, but have declined to say why she is late or when she will come.

The room was kind of like an IMAX theater with a movie screen that wrapped around the audience in a big circle. It also has a bit saucer-shaped ceiling with a changeable screen that said "UNITE. ACTION. DELIVER."

One clarification about the previous pool report. The meeting with President Al-Sisi of Egypt was closed press. Your pool had no access to that meeting.

More tk...

VPOTUS Travel Pool Report #10 -- VPOTUS arrives at meeting

VPOTUS arrived at the COP meeting just as the final speaker, from Brazil, was finishing his remarks. She did not say why she was late but launched into some remarks of her own.

A few quotes: "The urgency of this moment is clear. The clock is no longer just ticking. It is banging and we must make up for lost time."

"We must lead with courage and conviction, and we must treat the climate crisis as the existential threat that it truly is."

"Today the United States is proud to join more than 115 nations in a commitment to double energy efficiency, and to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030"

"When the United States increases renewable energy production and innovation, it lowers the cost and boosts the efficiency, or renewable energy technology around the globe, which of course makes it easier and more affordable for countries around the world to meet their climate goals."

"Today, I am proud to announce that the United States is launching a new partnership to help build clean energy supply chains around the globe."

More tk soon...

VPOTUS Travel Pool Report #11 — VPOTUS and John Kerry

Two tidbits.

After finishing her remarks, VPOTUS dashed off the stage as the moderator was asking the panelists to do a photo. VPOTUS was almost out of the room but quickly turned around, walked back onto the stage for the group photo.

A moment later, as she walked to the motorcade, she ran into John Kerry walking the other direction. The two greeted each other warmly as a bunch of press and others gathered around. Your pool was quickly raced to the motorcade and didn't hear anything.

VPOTUS is now headed to a meeting with President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed of the United Arab Emirates.

VPOTUS Travel Pool Report #12 — photo spray with MBZ

VPOTUS motorcade drove just a few minutes away to another part of the convention center where VPOTUS got out and was greeted by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed and many other officials from the UAE. They chatted briefly as VPOTUS shook hands with several people. Your pooler could not hear what was said.

The pool was then led into a meeting room where VPOTUS and MBZ were seated on a couch, chatting casually. Your pooler could not hear their conversation and VPOTUS did not make any remarks. Your pooler was quickly led out of the room.

We are now holding

More TK ….

VPOTUS Travel Pool Report #13 — Qatar call Background attributed to a WH official;

The VP called the Amir of Qatar today after hearing talks broke down on a renewed pause in fighting.

Alongside the President, The Vice President has been focused on securing the release of hostages, with a priority on Americans, and has been regularly briefed about negotiations to secure the release of hostages and increase humanitarian assistance into Gaza.

She has joined more than a dozen calls between the President and Prime Minister Netanyahu, as well as calls between the President and the Amir and President Sisi of Egypt.

She met with families of American hostages on October 27, and in recent days she has spoken with the families of Abigail Edan and Liat Beinin, two American hostages who were released by Hamas as part of the deal brokered by the President.

VPOTUS Travel Pool Report #14 — Abdullah

VPOTUS walked out of the meeting with MBZ and down a hallway where she was greeted by King Abdullah of Jordan. The two greeted each other warmly and then moved into a second meeting room and sat next to each other on another couch. They exchanged pleasantries that your pooler could not hear. neither one made remarks and your pooler was quickly ushered out of the room.

Your pooler is now waiting in a van in the motorcade for the next movement.

More tk ….

VPOTUS Travel Pool Report #15 — three min warning for VPOTUS presser

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