Vice Presidential Pool Reports of July 18, 2024

VP pool report #1: Departure from JBA

Hello, I am your pooler for Vice President Harris' campaign trip today to Fayetteville, North Carolina, where she will deliver a speech.

The event is open to pre-credentialed media and will be live streamed on Biden-Harris campaign social media accounts. Her remarks are set to be delivered at 1:55 pm.

The VP arrived at Joint Base Andrews on Marine Two at 11:29 am with heavy wind swirling on the tarmac. She boarded Air Force Two at 11:34 am without answering shouted questions from the pool on topics that included whether she watched JD Vance's speech last night at the Republican convention.

AF2 departed JBA at 11:46 am.

VP Pool Report #2: Arrival in North Carolina

AF2 touched down at Pope Army Airfield at 12:32 pm with VP Harris aboard.

The flight was uneventful. Although the VP usually comes to the back of the plane to chat with the pool off the record before takeoff, she did not do so today.

Among those greeting the VP at the airfield was Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina. Full list below.

We were rolling to the venue at 12:49 pm.

On background from the VP's office:

Greeters:

- NC Governor Roy Cooper
- Cumberland County Board of Commissioners Chairman Glenn Adams
- Fayetteville, NC Mayor Mitch Colvin
- Lieutenant General Christopher Donahue; Commander, XVIII Airborne Corps and Ft. Liberty, NC
- Colonel Allen C. Morris Jr.; Commander, 43d Air Mobility Operations Group and Task Force Gryphon

VP Pool Report #3: Harris about begin her remarks

VP Harris is about to begin her remarks at the gymnasium of Westover High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Stream is available on the VP's campaign X account: https://x.com/KamalaHarris/status/1813996753793724894

One of her introductory speakers was Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina, who expressed support for the Biden-Harris ticket. "I know that she and Joe Biden need four more years to finish the job," he said.

There are roughly 200-300 people standing on the gym floor in front of the stage or on a set of risers to its left.

On background from a Biden-Harris campaign official:

On Thursday, July 18, the Vice President will deliver remarks at a campaign event in Fayetteville, North Carolina. After her trip to Greensboro last week, this will be the Vice President's seventh visit to North Carolina this year and 15th trip to the state since
taking office.

Additional speakers will include Governor Roy Cooper; State Senator Val Applewhite; Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin; U.S. Army Veteran Scott Peoples; Kellie Artis, a military spouse whose family is stationed at Fort Liberty; and Gabriella Johns, an organizer for the
North Carolina Coordinated Campaign.

VP Pool Report #4: Harris Speech Highlights

VP Harris used her speech mainly to go after JD Vance before praising President Biden as a fighter for the middle class and warning that a Trump/Vance administration would overturn many of Biden-Harris' biggest accomplishments.

Campaign said there was a crowd of 500, larger than my estimate in a previous pool report.

Some highlights:

On 2024 election: "This here is the one. The most existential, consequential and important election of our lifetime."

On Vance speech/life story:

"It's a compelling story. And it is not the full story."

"He did not talk about Project 2025, their 900-page blueprint for a second Trump term. He did not talk about it because their plans are extreme and they are divisive."

On Republican convention:

"In recent days they've been trying to portray themselves as the party of unity."

"You cannot claim you stand for unity if you are pushing an agenda that deprives whole groups of Americans of basic freedoms, opportunity and dignity."

"You cannot claim to be for unity if you fought to overturn a free and fair election."

With his VP pick, "Donald Trump is trying to distract people. He wants to distract people away from his record and his project 2025 plan."

"We are not falling for the okie-doke."

Before laying into the policy contrasts between Biden and Trump, she said: "As many of you know, I am a former prosecutor, so I say let's look at the facts, shall we?"

Crowd was enthusiastic throughout and ended with chants of "four more years."

We are rolling back to Pope Army Airfield as of 2:30 pm

VP Pool Report #5: Return to JBA

AF2 touched back down at JBA at 3:58 pm in a very slight drizzle.

The VP boarded M2 without taking questions from the press, including whether she'd spoken to President Biden today.

It was notable that the VP did not talk with the pool once during her trip to North Carolina, either on or off the record. She almost always makes at least a brief effort to do so on her travels.
And with that, your pooler is signing off.