Vice Presidential Pool Reports of June 21, 2024

VP travel pool #1 - setup

Morning all! I'm your VP pooler today.

Currently awaiting the arrival of Vice President Kamala Harris at the New York Hilton Midtown, where she is expected to deliver remarks to the Unite Here convention at 11:30 a.m.

Unite Here, stylized as UNITE HERE if your publication allows, is a hospitality union representing roughly 300,000 people.

The VP's remarks will be streamed live at whitehouse.gov/live.

Your pooler is based in New York and did not travel with the VP today on AF2 but instead took the E train. Though it's brutal outside — mostly sunny, with a high of 93 — the ballroom is well air-conditioned.

Will send color and quotes, and anything newsworthy. Email and cell below. Shout with questions!

VP travel pool #2 - event arrival

The VP took the stage in the ballroom at the Hilton Midtown at 11:48a.m., after being introduced by Elena Newman, a guest room attendant at the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas. Gwen Mills, the union's president was also on stage. VP Harris hugged them both and chatted briefly.

Ms. Newman wore a red T-shirt with "Defeat Trump" written in white lettering on a black box on it. She referenced having the VP's support during a contract fight, saying, "When we were fighting for our new contract, she came and supported us. She showed love to the housekeepers and all the workers. and we won."

After Ms. Newman called POTUS and VP the most pro-union presidents, a thunderous pounding on tables filled the room.

VP Harris is standing at a black podium with the VP seal on it. Behind the VP as she speaks, on either side of the stage, are two multi-colored and geometric banners that have Unite Here's slogans: "It's Up to Us" and, in Spanish, "Depende de Nosotros."

Toward the left side of the stage (house left) is a separate, bright red podium with the Unite Here slogan on it where other speakers had been speaking this morning. And off the left side of the stage (that's house left) is a glowing replica of the Empire State Building, lit up in red-orange.

The ballroom has been filled with long tables where attendees are seated at a mix of long tables, grouped by Unite Here's locals.

Photo of set-up available upon request.

One side note that I didn't clarify earlier: Unite Here represents workers in both the United States and Canada.

VP travel pool #3 - remarks

VP Harris opened her address by saying "It's good to be in the house of labor" and thanked Elena Newman for introducing her. She also thanked Gwen Mills, Unite Here's newly-elected president, who is the union's first female leader in its history.

VP Harris credited her and President Biden's election to the union, saying "in 2020, in states like Georgia, Nevada and Arizona, it was you" who organized to help Democrats win.

"It is because of your work and your support that Joe Biden is President of the United States and I am the first woman elected vice president," the VP said. "I'm really clear about how we got here."

VP spoke admiringly of the work of Unite Here, which she traced back to women and immigrants at textile factories in Massachusetts. And she commended the gains the union has made, particularly the contract signed by Culinary Workers Union Local 226.

She spoke about the Biden administration's record on issues of concern to workers, including affordable health care, including capping the cost insulin at $35 of month for seniors.

She spoke at some length about medical debt, saying "we are finally making it so that medical debt can no longer count against your credit score."

Then VP Harris shifted her focus to the upcoming election, which she noted was 137 days away. "There is a very clear contrast between who we have looked out for and who the last administration looked out for," she said.

VP travel pool #4 - walkoff + remarks on immigration / election

VP Harris left the stage at 12:06 p.m., after speaking for roughly 16 minutes.

She spoke about Biden's recent announcement on undocumented souses of American citizens:

"On the issue of immigration, we believe in keeping families together, not tearing them apart. So now thousands of American citizens who have been in the country for 10 or more years can stay in the country while they apply for a green card. So can their children."

VP Harris added: "We also made it easier for thousands of Dreamers who have graduated college to secure work permits, because our entire nation benefits from their extraordinary skill, talent and ambition."

She attacked Donald Trump, saying he has shown "time and time again" that "he only cares about himself." She criticized him for being proud of his role in overturning Roe v. Wade, for his "admiration for dictators" and his statement that he would be a dictator on Day One.

She also attacked his comments at an outdoor rally in triple-degree heat in Las Vegas, where he told supporters that "I don't care about you. I just want your vote."

Her take: "Maya Angelou told us how we think about these kinds of moments," continuing "She said when someone tells you who they are, believe them the first time."

She concluded by urging Unite Here to keep organizing and to help defeat Trump in November. "We need you to continue to organize. We need you to continue to mobilize. We need you to continue knocking on that door and practicing how to do it again. And we need to make your voices heard."

VP travel pool #5 - wrapping up

The VP's motorcade left the Hilton Midtown at 12:38 p.m. After her speech, she worked the rope line for a bit, with folks snapping photos and others standing on chairs to try and capture her in a selfie.

Correcting quote at the end of note 3, afte pooler was asked to check the tape again. Will admit that the remark seemed garbled to me, but after listening a few more times, offering this that better reflects her pronunciations.

"I stand here as we are 137 days away from the most important election of our lifetime. And there is a very clear contrast between who we have looked out for and who the last administration would fought for."

That's it for your print pooler. I am not traveling with the VP for the rest of her day in NYC. Available for Qs.