Vice Presidential Pool Reports of September 24, 2021

Pool Report 1 - VP Harris meeting with Quad Leaders

Good afternoon! Jon Decker of Gray Television is your print pooler for the Vice President's meeting with Quad Leaders in the Vice President's Ceremonial Office.

Vice President Harris is meeting at 4:45pm. with The Honorable Scott Morrison MP, Prime Minister of Australia, His Excellency Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, and His Excellency Suga Yoshihide, Prime Minister of Japan.

There will be a pool spray at the top. It will not be live-steamed. Please check any quotes against the transcript.

Pool Report 2. VP meeting with Quad Leaders

Per the White House:

The Quad Leaders Summit concluded at 4:19 PM.

A note: Prime Minister Modi has already left the White House complex. He is not attending this meeting.

The pool was led into the ceremonial office from the balcony. The three leaders were already seated.

Vice President Harris spoke first - addressing Prime Minister Morrison and PM Minister Suga.

"Today is an important day….renewing our partnership that we have based on mutual interests and shared challenges but also the opportunities presented by these challenges. Today we will continue to discuss our partnership and those challenges."

VP Harris the spoke of the pandemic. ""we have discussed the mutual challenges we face because of supply issues and we must coordinate in that regard."

VP Harris also said the leaders discussed snd and will continue to discuss the issue of cyber security and economic issues.

"The United States is a proud member of the Indo-Pacific region "

PM Morrison spoke next.

He address the Vice President directly saying " You have a unique perspective on the Indo-Pacific because you're a West-Coaster"

""Whether it's cyber security or security, it's good to be here in Washington to reaffirm our alliances."

PM Suga was the last to speak saying through a translator:

"I extend my deepest respect to the United States for it's leadership. The last time we met was at our meet in April. Last month I had the opportunity to meet your husband at the Para-Olympic Games as head of the US Delegation. Thank you for hosting this session."

Several questions were shouted at the leaders who did not respond. We were ushered out of the room immediately as their session began.

Pool Report 3. VP Meeting with Quad Leaders

From the White House:

US Delegation:
VP Harris
T.H. Dr. Philip Gordon, Special Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor to the Vice President

Australia Delegation:
T.H. Scott Morrison MP, Prime Minister of Australia
Ms. Michelle Chan, National Security Adviser and Senior Adviser (International) to the Prime Minister

Japan Delegation:
H.E. Suga Yoshihide, Prime Minister of Japan
Mr. Yamada Shigeo, Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs

VPOTUS Foreign Pool Report #1 (9/24/21)-Greetings

Good afternoon or Konnichiwa from the White House.

My name is Taka Abe with Japan's Nippon Television. It's my pleasure to be your foreign pool reporter this afternoon covering Vice President Harris's meeting with leaders of the Quad; Australian Prime Minister Morrison, Indian Prime Minister Modi, and Japanese Prime Minister Suga. The meeting is scheduled for 4:45pm in the Vice President's Ceremonial office in Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

Your pool was COVID tested earlier today.

This morning VP Harris was in New York where she appeared on "The View" remotely after 2 of co-hosts were found to have tested positive for breakthrough COVID cases right before her scheduled in-studio appearance. On the show, she said that they are strong women and that she knows they will be fine. She also said, "it really does speaks to the fact that they are vaccinated and vaccines really make all the difference because otherwise we would be concerned about how hospitalization and worse."

According to Sabrina Singh, VP Harris's deputy press secretary, the Vice President did not have contact with the hosts before the show, and her schedule today will continue as planned.

VPOTUS Foreign Pool Report #2 (9/24/21)-Background

Before the pool spray of the meeting, I would like to provide some background information.

President Biden hosted the first Quad Leaders Meeting with the 3 prime ministers virtually on March 12 of this year, and the Quad launched the vaccine partnership, climate working group, and the critical and emerging technology working group.

The second Quad Leaders Meeting was held in person at the White House today.

Australian Prime Minister Morrison:

PM Morrison had a meeting with President Biden in New York on Tuesday, the 21st. He then met with Secretary of Defense Austin and Speaker Pelosi separately in DC on Wednesday, the 22nd.

PM Morrison was sworn in as the Prime Minister in August 2018, and re-elected in May, 2019 after the "miracle" federal election. Only he knows exactly when the next federal election will be.

By the way, for those Washingtonians wondering when we will see the new embassy building on 16th St, the construction project is scheduled to be completed in early 2023, according to the embassy.

India Prime Minister Modi:

PM Modi met VP Harris and Japanese PM Suga separately yesterday (Thur the 23rd) in DC. PM Modi met both leaders in person for the first time.

PM Modi and PM Suga have spoken over the phone 3 times (Sep 2020, March and April 2021)

PM Modi was sworn in as the Prime Minister in May, 2014 and re-elected in May 2019 after a "landslide victory" in the general elections. His current term will end in 2024.

Japanese Prime Minister Suga:

PM Suga had a breakfast meeting with Australian PM Morrison this morning more than an hour. Their previous meeting in person was last June on the margins of the G7 Summit in UK.

The first and only meeting between PM Suga and VP Harris was in April of this year. He also met the Second Gentleman, Douglas Emhoff in Tokyo this past August when Mr. Emhoff led the US delegation to Japan at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 summer Paralympic Games.

PM Suga became the Prime Minister on Sep 16, 2020. On September 3, 2021, he announced that he will not run in the upcoming election for his party's leadership, and would therefore step down as the Prime Minister. The leadership election of the ruling party, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), will be held on September 29, 2021, and there are 4 candidates in the contest as below.

Mr. Fumio Kishida: Former Foreign Minister. He attended elementary school in New York
Ms. Sanae Takaichi: Former Internal Affairs Minister. She was a Congressional Fellow for Representative Schroeder (D-CO)
Ms. Seiko Noda: Ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)'s Executive Acting Secretary General. She studied in Michigan when she was a high school student.
Mr. Taro Kono: Current Vaccine Minister. Former Foreign and Defense Minister and Georgetown graduate (SFS '86)

Whoever becomes the new leader of the party will most likely become the next Prime Minister at the parliament's extraordinary session on October 4. Therefore PM Suga's term will end in 10 days.

VPOTUS Foreign Pool Report #3 (9/24/21)-PM Modi won't be here

Pool was told Indian PM Modi won't attend the Quad meeting with VP Harris for scheduling reasons.

VPOTUS Foreign Pool Report #4 (9/24/21)-Quad Leaders Mtg

Pool was led into the Ceremonial Office at 4:12 pm for a pool spray at the top of VP Harris's meeting with Quad leaders.

Pool was outside the room for a while, and pool was ushered in again at 4:53pm.

3 leaders were already inside the room. They all wore masks.

They sat down in front of a large oval table.

First VP Harris spoke. She said we discussed many issues including climate crisis, pandemic, etc.

Australian PM Morrison spoke and Japanese PM Suga in Japanese afterward.

Japanese PM Suga said that we just had the 1st Quad leaders meeting in person, appreciated for US leadership.

All leaders didn't take any questions.

Your pool was ushered out at 5 pm.

Usually VP Harris goes out on balcony for a photo op with foreign leaders, but not this time.

I will send more quotes from these Prime Ministers soon.

According to an Australian Embassy staff, PM Morrison will hold a press availability around 6pm near the pebble beach.

VPOTUS Foreign Pool Report #5 (9/24/21)-Delegations

US Delegation:
VP Harris
T.H. Dr. Philip Gordon, Special Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor to the Vice President

Australia Delegation:
T.H. Scott Morrison MP, Prime Minister of Australia
Ms. Michelle Chan, National Security Adviser and Senior Adviser (International) to the Prime Minister

Japan Delegation:
H.E. Suga Yoshihide, Prime Minister of Japan
Mr. Yamada Shigeo, Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs

VPOTUS Foreign Pool Report #6 (9/24/21)-Some Quotes

Here are some quotes from 3 leaders, but please check official transcript for exact comments.

VP Harris
It is an honor to greet you and receive you in our official office. It's good to see you PM (Suga) again and thank you for being a host to my husband when he attended the Paralympics. PM (Morrison) it's good to see you in person after a lengthy telephone conversation where we discussed many issues of mutual importance. Today is an important day. You had a meeting with the President where we renew the partnership we have based on mutual interest and shared challenges. Today we will discuss our partnership, challenges, be it the pandemic and our desire to end the pandemic. Our concern to addressing the climate crisis. To discuss what we can do as partners in terms of shared and mutual prosperity and assist our neighbors and friends. We discussed what the pandemic made clear about supply chain issues. We must cooperate and coordinate in that regard. Finally, cyber security, an issue that presents an ongoing threat to each of our nations. There is great work that can be done through technology but it can also be weaponized. I want to welcome you and thank you. The US is a proud member of the Indo-Pacific region. We look forward to continuing with our partnership and strengthening the work we do together.

Australian PM Morrison:
It's great to be here with you and my friend Suga. We thank him for his participation as the leader of his country. We'll miss you. VP, you have a unique perspective of the Indo-Pacific because you're a west coaster. We welcome that perspective. On COVID, looking to discuss how the pandmeic becomes a pandemic of the disadvantaged. Australia is one of the most multicultural countries on earth. Whether it's cyber security issues, defense security issues with the AUKUS partnership we announced that week. It's good to be here in Washington and close the week of reaffirming our strong alliances and the 70th year of the ANZUS alliance.

Japanese PM Suga (English translation):
A few minutes ago at the WH Biden hosted the first in-person Quad summit. I extend my respect to the US for it's leadership. Today's summit was useful in reaffirming our commitment for a free and open Indo-Pacific and adding momentum to our cooperation of the Quad. The last time we met VP Harris, was our meeting in April when I visited the US. It's a pleasure to see you again. Our discussion in April covered extensive ground, including challenges faced by our countries, friendship between Oakland and Yokohama. It was a meaningful meeting. Last month I had the opportunity to meet your husband who attended the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympic Games. I thank the US for it's consistent support for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Thank you for hosting this session.

VPOTUS Foreign Pool Report #7 (9/24/21)-Official Timeline

According to the Japanese side, VP Harris's meeting with Quad leaders began at 4:54pm and ended at 5:47pm.

That's it from your foreign pool reporter today.

Have a great weekend to all.