Vice Presidential Pool Reports of July 13, 2024

VP travel report 1 — departure JBA

Hi all,

Vice President Harris arrived at JBA at 1:38pm on M2, ready for travel to Philadelphia for APIA Vote town hall.

Wearing a tan/beige suit, she hugged Senator Mazie Hirono (D—Hi) who was greeting her at the steps of AF2. Sen. Hirono will be speaking at the event later.

Vice President came back and spoke to reporters off the record.

Wheels up imminently.

VP travel report 2 — arrival in Philadelphia

Wheels down in a sunny Philadelphia International Airport at 2:22.

VP Harris was greeted off the steps of AF2 by Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05). They spoke for around 3 minutes, alongside Senator Hirono, before VP gave a quick wave to the press and set off.

The motorcade is heading to the Philadelphia convention center for the town hall and should arrive in 15 minutes.

VP expected to give remarks at 3:30. It will be live streamed on APIAVote's YouTube channel.

VP travel report 3 -- remarks at APIAVote

VP Harris took to the stage at the APIAVote town hall at 3:47pm, to a loud applause.

She was introduced to the stage by Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-28), Chairwoman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

The town hall began with speaker Nina Ahmad, the first Asian American to be elected to Philadelphia city council. Congress members Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Jill Tokuda (D-HI) also made remarks before VPOTUS took the stage.

"Vice President Harris has made history and broken barriers as our nation's first Asian American, African American and woman vice president… From day one, she and President Biden condemned anti-Asian hate… The Biden-Harris administration really sees us," Congresswoman Chu said, noting how under the previous administration AANHPI's were "otherized" in Covid data.

"I want to thank Vice President Harris for ensuring that our community is not invisible. She always shows up for us… Kamala Harris has been a tremendous leader and inspirational as a barrier breaking role model."

There was a standing ovation and applause as VP Harris took the stage.

"President Biden and I know this is a community that is a force that must always be recognized," VPOTUS said.

"We always knew this election would be tough and these last few days have been a reminder that running for President of the United States is never easy and nor should it be. But one thing we know about our President Joe Biden, he is a fighter, and he is the first to say when you get knocked down, you get right back up… We will win."

She is still speaking, more to come.

VP travel report 4 -- protests stop VPOTUS mid speech

VP Harris said they are working to combat hate.

"I will not repeat, the vile, vile language that Trump has used. I will say: someone who vilifies immigrants, who promotes xenophobia, who stokes hate and who incites fear should never again have the chance to stand behind a microphone and never again behind the seal of the United States of America."

The VP was then stopped from her speech by hecklers across the room. It was not immediately clear from over here what people to the right of the room were screaming, but they were counted by the room chanting "four more years," as soon as she started speaking again more protestors in other parts of the room began chanting "free, free Palestine," stopping her again.

The VP continued on to discuss reinstating Roe v Wade. "We worked too hard and fought too long to see our daughters grow up in a world with fewer rights than our mothers."

"If people like Mike Pence are not around to stand up to him, our last line of defence is the ballot box," she said in reference to Donald Trump and the supreme court.

"When we fight we win," she concluded, finishing a 20 minute keynote speech to another standing ovation and applause.

Pool did not see VP leave event. We are heading to an off the record stop, will update.

VP travel report 5 -- departing Philadelphia

VP Harris boarded AF2 at 4:42pm, heading back to JBA.

She made a surprise visit to Reading Terminal Market after the keynote speech finished and bought some food from the "Little Thai Market".

Shapiro also made a surprise visit, where he spoke to the cameras and said that PA "was the swingiest of swing states."

The VP ordered a Pad Thai and a curry while the governor ordered a salmon curry, according to a Biden-Harris campaign official.

Wheels up imminently.

VP travel report 6 — wheels down JBA

First up, your pooler got caught on the wrong side of Harris and Shapiro at the stop in Philly.

But kind correspondents share that Harris told cameras she thought Biden did an "outstanding job" at the Nato press conference and described him as a "master of the issues."

We're wheels down in JBA as of 5:23 and that's all for today.

VP disembarked AF2 and boarded M2 at 5:34 with a final wave to the press.

VP pool note -- Trump

Hi all,

VP's office has sent through a pool note on the Trump incident.

From the Office of the Vice President:

The Vice President has received an initial briefing on the incident at Former President Trump's rally.