Vice Presidential Pool Reports of December 3, 2023

VPOTUS Travel Pool Report #1 - departure from Dubai

VPOTUS motorcade arrived at the airport in Dubai at 9:08 am local time. VPOTUS boarded Air Force Two after briefly greeting some people for the approximately 15 hour trip back to Washington DC, via Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

We will be wheels up soon.

More TK …

VPOTUS Travel Pool Report #2 — greeters.

On Background from a White House Official:

Upon arrival at Al Maktoum International Airport, the Vice President was greeted by His Excellency Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources, Ambassador Martina A. Strong, U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, and Mr. Eissa Bin Jerais, Head of International Protocol at the Presidential Court.

VPOTUS Travel Pool Report #2 — Ramstein arrival
[APP Note: This report likely should have been numbered 3.]

Air Force Two arrived at Ramstein Air Base at 1:48 pm local time for refueling. We are expected to be on the ground for about an hour and a half.

VPOTUS came to the back of the cabin during the flight to sing happy birthday to a member of her staff. She stayed and chatted off the record to the press for about five minutes.

We also had a visit from another administration official, who talked off the record for about 10 minutes.

After refueling, the next stop is Andrews.

More TK…

VPOTUS Travel Pool Report #4 — some news /JBA arrival / gaggles

Air Force Two touched down at 7:02 pm eastern time Sunday, ending a very quick VPOTUS trip to Dubai. On the flight, there were several off the record or background gaggles and an off-the-record discussion with VPOTUS.

That brings to an end a trip that started at 8 am eastern on Friday morning. It was a pleasure being your pooler for the trip.

Mike

First, however, there was a bit of news.

The White House passes along two readouts of calls VPOTUS made with Israeli President Herzog and President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority. In the first readout, you will note that Phil Gordon, the national security adviser to VPOTUS stayed back in Dubai and will travel to Israel and the West Bank in the days ahead to continue the discussions that VPOTUS had with several leaders from the region while at the COP summit.

Below the readouts, you will find highlights and quotes from a senior administration official who talked with reporters for about 17 minutes. Two other administration officials came back at various times for short, off the record discussions.

The off-the-record conversation with VPOTUS took place on the second leg of the trip and lasted about 30 minutes.

From the WH:

Readout of the Vice President's Call with President Isaac Herzog of Israel

Vice President Kamala Harris spoke today to President Isaac Herzog of Israel on her flight to Washington, D.C., from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where the Vice President had several conversations with Arab leaders on the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The Vice President reiterated the strong U.S. support for Israel's right to self-defense and she and President Herzog discussed latest developments in Gaza. They spoke about the situation in the West Bank and the Vice President reiterated our concerns with steps that could escalate tensions, including extremist settler violence.

Building on the Vice President's meetings in Dubai, the Vice President reiterated the importance of planning for the day after the fighting ends in Gaza, and she underscored our commitment to a two-state solution. The Vice President told President Herzog that, to follow-up on this conversation and her meetings in Dubai on day-after planning, her National Security Advisor, Dr. Phil Gordon, would travel to Israel and the West Bank this week for additional discussions.

Readout of the Vice President's Call with President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority

Vice President Kamala Harris spoke today with President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority on her flight to Washington, D.C., from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where the Vice President had several conversations with Arab leaders on the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The Vice President reiterated U.S. support for the Palestinian people and their right to security, dignity and self-determination. She underscored our commitment to a two-state solution and said that the Palestinian people must have a clear political horizon. They spoke about the situation in the West Bank and the Vice President reiterated our concerns with steps that could escalate tensions, including extremist settler violence.

Building on her meetings in Dubai, the Vice President discussed U.S. ideas for planning for the day after the fighting ends in Gaza, and the Vice President reiterated U.S. support for a unified West Bank and Gaza under a revitalized Palestinian Authority. The Vice President told President Abbas that, to follow-up on this conversation and her meetings in Dubai on day-after planning, her National Security Advisor, Dr. Phil Gordon, would travel to Israel and the West Bank this week for additional discussions.

***

The senior administration official came back early during the second leg of the flight home to talk with reporters. No big news, but some interesting observations. Here are some highlights and quotes:

On the college campus tour: "It was her idea…and sometimes you just start doing stuff and she wanted to do it."

"When we started, it was almost like when we did repro… It just get kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger. So, the college tour, we started and it was so energizing for her that I think she was like oh my gosh, we have to do more."

The tour included HBCUs, trade schools, schools that focus more on Latino and Latina students and apprenticeship programs. "There was a lot of enthusiasm there. An overflow crowd almost every where we went. I think everywhere we went," the senior administration official said.

"It also gave her an opportunity to talk about the last one, especially is when she got questions, about what was happening in the Middle East," the senior administration official said.

Asked how the college campus tour will influence the VP's activities over the next year, the senior administration official cited similar discussions and events that the VP previously participated in on issues, like reproductive rights in 2022.

Asked what it was that energized the VP during the college campus tour, the senior administration official said the VP was impressed by the students—"she loves GZ because of the questions and how they would interact with her."

The senior administration official acknowledged that the sentiments among students who participated in the college campus tour may not reflect all young voters, saying the VP is "well aware." But the official added, "the energy was still there."

The Vice President also wants to talk about the economy before the end of the year, the official said.

Asked to define the VP's role on the campaign, the senior administration official said the VP plans to fan out across the country, raise money, and campaign with people who want her to campaign with them.

"It's going to be super active," the senior administration official said.

On Bidenomics messaging: "We have that conversation with her. More accurately, she has that conversation with us. What does that mean? What do you say? What does that mean to someone in the grocery store?"

On 2024, will she talk more about the economy and prices being too high.

"You have to. It's the elephant in the room."

"The big things may be good, but people are still feeling it and you have to acknowledge that."

On Bidenomics: Is there a conversation about using that word?

"She has had conversations with us about what's that mean? What are you saying? What does that mean to someone. In the grocery store. That's how she always is about issues. She really tries to break it down. You'll hear more about that."

On whether there is an intentional difference in her rhetoric on Gaza than the president.

"She's very much where Tony is and where Austin is."

"It's a really complex issue. Lots of different equities and interests. I think this is where she is now, with the leaders she was talking with now."

"As she says, there's public and private conversations. She and the president are in the same place."

Is the VP office on the same page as the campaign?

"It's very well coordinated." Noted how helpful it has been to have Sheila Nix on the campaign. "It's been really seamless."

On Axelrod critique that they should be attacking Trump more now.

"There's a time and a place for everything. And I think there's a lot of free advice out there. I think there will be a time when this decision becomes very binary for people. There will be those attacks on TV and elsewhere, digital for sure. I get what he's saying."

Too soon to do that now?

I think right now, when there's so much chaos on their side, maybe let them hang out there a little longer. Husband the resources as they say."

How did VPOTUS approach meetings on Hamas / Israel? What did she bring to the moment

"She brings an opportunity for candor."

"She focuses on so much is what happens after she leaves the room. What's the follow up. Who's going to call."

"The notes are there, they are never looked at. It's just aggressive candor."