Vice Presidential Pool Reports of May 16, 2024

VP pool report #1 - JBA departure

Good morning from Andrews Air Force base, where we will shortly be wheels up en route to Milwaukee.

The Vice President arrived at 10:10 AM wearing a forest green pantsuit. She greeted and took a photo with a family of four — a couple and their daughter and son — and waved to the press before boarding AF2 at 10:16.

Aboard AF2 she briefly greeted press off the record. We'll be in the air in a few minutes.

On Background From A White House Official:

Upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews, the Vice President was greeted by Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman, Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Here is the official schedule of events for today:

At 10:15 AM ET, the Vice President will depart Washington, DC en route to Milwaukee, WI. This departure from Joint Base Andrews will be pooled press.

At 11:10 AM CT, the Vice President will arrive in Milwaukee, WI. This arrival at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport will be pooled press and open to pre-credentialed media.

At 12:40 PM CT, the Vice President will continue her nationwide Economic Opportunity Tour by participating in a moderated conversation with comedian, radio show host, and author DL Hughley. This discussion in Milwaukee, WI will be pooled press, open to pre-credentialed media, and livestreamed at WhiteHouse.gov/Live.

At 2:25 PM CT, the Vice President will depart Milwaukee, WI en route to Chicago, IL. This departure from Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport will be pooled press.

At 3:15 PM CT, the Vice President will arrive in Chicago, IL. This arrival at Chicago O'Hare International Airport will be pooled press.

At 4:40 PM CT, the Vice President will participate in a campaign event.

At 5:55 PM CT, the Vice President will depart Chicago, IL en route to Washington, DC. This departure from Chicago O'Hare International Airport will be pooled press.

At 8:30 PM ET, the Vice President will arrive in Washington, DC. This arrival at Joint Base Andrews will be pooled press.

VP travel pool report #2 - Milwaukee arrival

AF2 touched down at Milwaukee's Mitchell International Airport at 11:00 AM CT.

The Vice President deplaned at 11:16. On background from a WH official: Upon arrival in Milwaukee, WI, the Vice President was greeted by:

1. Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo
2. Lt. Gov Sarah Rodriguez
3. Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski
4. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley
5. Mayor Cavalier Johnson

The vice president waved at the press then entered the motorcade at 11:19. Your pooler is rushing to the press van now and will be rolling to the event shortly.

More background on today's event below:

On Background From a White House Official:

Today, Vice President Kamala Harris is continuing her nationwide Economic Opportunity Tour by traveling to Milwaukee, WI for an event about investing in communities, building wealth, and ensuring every American has the ability to thrive. During a moderated conversation with comedian, radio host, and author DL Hughley, the Vice President will highlight how the Biden-Harris Administration has taken historic steps to advance economic opportunity by improving access to housing, creating jobs, investing in small businesses, increasing access to capital, forgiving student loans and medical debt, and championing additional policies that put money in people's pockets and build wealth.

Vice President Harris will be joined in Milwaukee by administration officials, state and local leaders, business leaders, and entrepreneurs. This includes Department of Housing and Urban Development Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman, Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo, Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez, Wisconsin Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, and the offices of U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and U.S. Representative Gwen Moore. This 12:30 p.m. CT/1:30 p.m. ET moderated conversationwill be livestreamed at WhiteHouse.Gov/Live.

I will send along quotes and color from the event once it begins. Please note the livestream link above.

VP travel pool report #3 - arrival at Discovery World

The vice president arrived at Discovery World, a children's science museum and event space along a sprawling lakefront complex near downtown Milwaukee, for her third Economic Opportunity Tour stop at 11:32 AM CT.

It was a quiet drive from the airport. Neither protesters nor supporters greeted the motorcade.

Upon arrival, the vice president toured a resource fair in the hallway outside of the main event space. Roughly 18 booths representing local community organizations and small business resources were in the hallway. She was flanked by Deputy Treasury Secretary Adeyemo and acting HUD Secretary Todman.

A reporter asked her a question about how she felt about the vice presidential debate as she walked in. She did not respond.

Harris, Adeyemo and Todman spoke to a local entrepreneur who was also touring the fair and greeted representatives at booths for the Northwest Side Community Development Corporation and Greater Milwaukee Urban League.

"This is exactly why I did this tour. I am so happy that you all are here. Everything we do in places like Washington, D.C. does not matter until it hits people like you," the vice president said to two women working the Northwest Community Development booth. She took a few of their pamphlets and pens.

Pool was escorted into the event space itself, where Adeyemo and Todman are currently addressing the crowd.

We are still tracking for a 12:40 pm CT start of the Vice President's conversation with DL Hughley. Re-sending the live stream link:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p2T2oIVKUFQ.

VP travel pool report #4 - VP and Hughley conversation

The Vice President took the stage at Discovery World at 12:25 pm CT. The Rufus King High School band played as she walked out.The crowd of roughly 300 was mostly Black and consisted of local and state leaders and Black small business owners.

Hughley listed the officials in the room -- the same group that greeted the VP at the airport in addition to Sen. Tammy Baldwin. "It is so nice to be here with elected officials who are not under indictment," he said after Harris sat down, to laughter.

Some rough quotes and highlights from the conversation below:

"Part of how I'm thinking of this economic opportunity tour is to speak truth and acknowledge -- both acknowledge both the opportunities that exist, but also the disparities and the obstacles."

When the Vice President pointed out racial biases in home appraisals, she received a fair amount of knowing hums and applause. Hughley shared a story of his own struggles selling a home in a predominantly white neighborhood in Southern California.

Lots of applause as well after mentioning a provision the administration is supporting that would prohibit medical debt from impacting one's credit score. On that note, Hughley lauded the Biden administration's work curbing racial disparities in women's health outcomes.

"Yes it is about affordability in health, but it's also about racial bias," the VP said.

Hughley also apologized to the Vice President for what he called his own role in perpetuating a narrative around her role as a prosecutor in California and the impact of her work on Black communities.

She called the 'bootstrap theory' of pulling oneself out of economic ruin "frankly facetious and wrong" in the face of racial and systemic biases. "Not everyone has access to the information but when they do have access -- there's no lack of ambition, ideas, work ethic -- there's no lack of that. And that's why I'm doing this tour," she said and later reiterated: "We're dropping billions of dollars" on American communities.

"That's part of in summary what this tour is highlighting -- to highlight the various dimensions of who we are but in the context of economic opportunity. ... There's a method to the madness, if you will."

Their conversation ended at 1:05 pm CT.

Pool was escorted out of event space after the vice president finished her conversation with Hughley and we are holding in press van before heading back to Mitchell Airport. Will send a note before we are wheels up to Chicago.

VP travel pool report #5 - arrival at Mitchell airport

The motorcade arrived at Milwaukee's Mitchell airport at 1:48 pm CT. The vice president boarded AF2 shortly after, at 1:49.

Before leaving Discovery World, Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo took questions from reporters. The exchange was on the record and an Otter file for those interested is here:
https://otter.ai/u/NHInQc_-lPlMVo77fDeBKR1lyoY.

We will be wheels up for a short flight to Chicago in a few minutes.

VP travel report #6 - arrival in Chicago

AF2 touched down at Chicago's O'Hare Airport at 2:50 pm CT.

The Vice President deplaned at 3:05. She waved to press before getting in the motorcade.

Pool is rolling in press van en route to a supporter's home for a Democratic fund-raiser. Will send more information about the host and general location as soon as I have it.

VP travel pool report #7 - Chicago fund-raiser

The vice president arrived at a home in the tony Chicago suburb of Glencoe, Ill. for a Democratic fund-raiser at 3:50 pm CT.

It was an uneventful ride over outside of a few angry drivers who were stuck in traffic on the other side of I-94 and many curious onlookers in the neighborhood where the event was being held. One family waved a pro-Israel sign as the motorcade passed.

A bit more info about the hosts below

On background from the Biden-Harris campaign:

The Vice President is attending a Biden Victory Fund event hosted by Karen and Jonathan Citow.

Roughly 90 people gathered for the fund-raiser under a tent in the backyard of the Citow's home in Glencoe. It has a red brick terrace and nearly unobstructed view of Lake Michigan, which could be heard splashing gently in the background. Guests are snacking on veggie and steak kebabs, mini veggie rolls and other delights, using Democratic Party napkins with a donkey on them.

The group Invest to Elect is also hosting the event. It is an organization of women who support Democratic women running for office.

The Vice President spoke at 4:24 pm CT. Her remarks lasted for about 15 minutes. She addressed America's position as a global leader, the policies that the Biden-Harris administration has promoted in scientific research and climate and touted Democrats' wins in battleground states in past elections. She also discussed abortion access, civil rights and protecting democracy.

She repeated a line she has used a few times before: "We are winning and we will win."

She said that Democrats have to fight to win tough elections. "Don't throw up our hands, let's roll up our sleeves," she said to applause. She added: "We are not fighting against anything, we are fighting for something."

Alluding to former president Trump, she said the next election was about values like competence and empathy. She ended her remarks on an optimistic note: "I know we're going to be okay."

Her full remarks can be found in this Otter file:
https://otter.ai/u/bGUsQP6gtoSe9HX2xDWu_2Rw2tY

We are rolling back to O'Hare.

VP travel pool report #8 - wheels up to JBA

The motorcade arrived at Chicago O'Hare Airport at 5:23 pm CT.

Vice President Harris exited the motorcade and took a photo with a few members of the advance team. She waved to press before boarding AF2 at 5:30.

We will be taking off for JBA momentarily.

VP travel pool report #9 - arrival at JBA

AF2 landed at JBA at 8:11 pm ET.

The Vice President deplaned at 8:22 and boarded a helicopter headed back to the Naval Observatory.

That marks the last of the VP's public events for today. Your pooler is signing off here.