Vice Presidential Pool Reports of May 30, 2023

VP Travel Pool Report #1 DNC Fundraiser

Hello all. Zolan Kanno-Youngs here on pool duty for the vice president's visit to a DNC fundraiser in New York City.

The vice president at 6:10 PM entered the home of Lauren Santo Domingo, the cofounder of Moda Operandi and host of this "DNC finance event," according to the White House. Your pooler did not see the VP enter -- press was escorted into the home on East 20th street next to Gramercy Park at 6:30 PM.

58 guests had entered the building about an hour before Harris arrived, according to the White House. The pool was brought into a packed living room with a podium in one corner and a crowd of celebrities seated on furniture and lined against the back walls. One person could be heard noting a Picasso on the wall.

Your pooler spotted a number of celebrities, including Padma Lakshmi, Corey Hawkins, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Anna Wintour, Danai Gurira and Huma Abedin.

Domingo introduced Wintour, who then introduced the vice president.

"All of us need to do everything we can to ensure a Biden-Harris reelection," Wintour said. "Nothing could be more important. Vice President Harris of course does not need an introduction from me but maybe she needs a good night sleep."

She then said Harris has worked on the release of Brittney Griner, debt ceiling talks, meeting with business leaders over artificial intelligence, reproductive rights and gun control.

"We need her everywhere," Wintour said.

Harris then spoke for about 15 minutes.

After thanking Domingo for hosting and Wintour for being "just a force of nature," Harris described how she is "thinking about this moment."

"The work you all did that has been mentioned in 2020 was extraordinary," Harris said. "It really bares a moment of reflection to repeat and think about what was accomplished because of your belief in our country and its people."

"The work you did contributed to a historic turnout in the presidential election," Harris said.

Harris then went on to list some of the administration's accomplishments, including capping insulin prices and the infrastructure package. She also emphasized the threat of climate change.

"The world is rapidly heating," Harris said. "What was going on, pulling out of the Paris agreement, what is going on to deny the reality of what we're witnessing everyday around our country. My home state of California; wildfires, floods, hurricanes. They said please deal with this. And because they voted our administration has invested a historic, it's going to add up to a trillion dollars, to address the climate crisis."

She noted that the administration extended the child tax credit in its first year in office.

"Elections matter," Harris said. "Because people voted and said you know what? It's about time there is a Black woman on the United States Supreme Court." The small crowd broke out in applause.

"I will tell you I lose sleep sometimes thinking about the extent in which powerful forces that are the voices of extremists, what they are attempting to do to divide us. What they are doing to attack hard won freedoms in our country," Harris said. "We don't need to look much further than what happened in the Dobbs decision with Roe vs. Wade and immediately almost thereafter in states across our country criminalizing healthcare providers."

She mentioned her background as a prosecutor investigating crimes against women and children.

"It is immoral to suggest that after someone has survived a violent act that is a violation of their body that you would then, a so-called leader, suggest to that same person, you cannot have the authority to make a decision on what happens in your body next. It's immoral what's happening. Book bans in for God sake in the year of our lord 2023," Harris said, gradually raising her voice and pointing at the crowd as she spoke.

"That's what we are seeing in our country right now. Not everywhere. Not in most places. But some would profess to be leaders and expect that we would just genuflect because they have decided that they have a powerful voice. Well, I suggest the power of the people is greater than that but elections matter and we have to remind people that their voices matter to determine the outcome of these elections," Harris said.

"Elections matter," Harris said. "We matter when we do the hard work."

Your pooler was escorted out of the event after the VP finished remarks and just before the start of the Q&A.

Here's an otter:

https://otter.ai/u/FP38CThZAxdgx-wdONLSyc5jc4c