Vice Presidential Pool Reports of September 25, 2024

VP pool report #1 - VP briefed on Cleaves, OH

Hi! I’ll be your pooler today for the VP’s economic speech in Pittsburgh.

Pool has gathered at JBA for her departure.

Per a White House official:

Vice President Harris was briefed on the styrene leak from a parked railcar in Cleves, Ohio. Federal personnel are on the ground and will continue coordinating with state and local officials. President Biden has made clear we will provide any resources that may be needed. The Vice President will receive regular updates from her staff as additional information becomes available. She and President Biden urge residents to heed the warnings of emergency personnel, especially those instructed to evacuate.

VP pool report #2 - JBA arrival/AF2 wheels up

The VP’s motorcade arrived at JBA at 12:50 p.m. The VP got out of her USSS van at 12:51 p.m. and boarded AF2. She was wearing a dark suit, long jacket, and heels.

We’ll be wheels up for PIT shortly. It’s roughly an hourlong flight.

VP pool report #3 - AF2 wheels down at PIT/rolling

AF2 was wheels up at JBA at 1:10 p.m. and wheels down at PIT at 1:51 p.m.

The VP came back to the press cabin and gaggled OTR for six minutes.

She deplaned at 2:09 p.m. and spoke with her greeters, hugging a woman wearing black, presumably Innamorato. She hopped into her USSS SUV at 2:11 p.m.

Pool was rolling to the venue for her Pittsburgh Economic Club address at 2:14 p.m. It’s a roughly 35-minute drive.

From the WH:

Tarmac greeters:

- Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis

- Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato

- United Steelworkers International President Dave McCall

- United Steelworkers International Vice President at Large Roxanne Brown

- Colonel Raymond Hyland, 171st Air Refueling Wing Commander

VP pool report #4 - Arrival at event venue

The motorcade arrived at the Philip Chosky Theatre at Carnegie Mellon University at 2:45 p.m. The ride was uneventful, with some student onlookers taking photos and videos.

VP pool report #5 - Event starts/Mark Cuban spotting

The event started at 3:26 p.m. Here's a link to the livestream:
https://www.youtube.com/live/d2XrDzXwmQI?feature=shared

Mark Cuban, who spoke on a campaign call yesterday, walked into the theatre just before the program started.

The auditorium is full, with people standing to the side and on the balcony, though there is a lot of press. The crowd cheered when an aide put the vice presidential seal on the podium and then laughed when it did not stay put. It was successfully adhered on the second attempt.

The podium is nestled between two blue placards emblazoned with the words "The Economic Club of Pittsburgh" and "Pittsburgh, PA." Behind the podium is another "The Economic Club of Pittsburgh" sign, with U.S. flags and fake plants also adorning the stage.

The audience waited for the VP while listening to jazz music.

VP pool report #7 - VP speaking
[APP Note: This is Report #6. See reporter's comment in Report #7 below.]

The VP walked on stage at 3:31 p.m. to the very start of Beyoncé’s Freedom.

VP pool report #7 - Event ends

Please note the last pool report should have been #6.

The VP concluded her speech at 4:11 p.m. and walked off stage to applause shortly afterward.

From the VP's team:
Introducer: Andrea Stanford

Rough highlights:

Wants to make the middle class the "engine" of the U.S. economy

Acknowledged the cost of living is still too high
"You know it and I know it"

"The American people face a choice between two fundamentally very different paths for our economy. I intend to chart a new way forward and grow America's middle class. Donald Trump intends to take America backward to the failed policies of the past."

Trump has "no intention of growing the middle class"

"You see for Donald Trump, our economy works best if it works for those who own the big skyscrapers, not those who actually build them"

"I want you to be able to build some wealth, not just for yourself, but also for your children and your grandchildren"
Says ambition and aspiration "should be baseline"

"I have pledged that building a strong middle class will be a defining goal of my presidency,"

"The reason is not about politics, and it's not about ideology, from my perspective, it's just common sense."

"As President, I will be grounded in my fundamental values of fairness, dignity and opportunity. And I promise you, I will be pragmatic in my approach. I will engage in what Franklin Roosevelt called bold, persistent experimentation."

"I've always been and will always be a strong supporter of workers and unions," but I also believe "we need to engage those who create most of the jobs in America."

"I'm a capitalist"
Makes a jab at Trump's bankruptcy filings

"I will recommit the nation to global leadership in the sectors that will define the next century. We will invest in biomanufacturing and aerospace, remain dominant in AI and quantum computing, blockchain and other emerging technologies, expand our lead in clean energy, innovation and manufacturing"

Talks about manufacturing tax credits

"We will double the number of registered apprenticeships by the end of my first term"
Makes another jab at Trump of pandemic job losses

"I will never sell out America to our competitors or adversaries."

VP pool report #8 - Holding

On behalf of the Harris-Walz campaign

Vice President Kamala Harris is participating in an interview with Stephanie Ruhle for MSNBC. The interview will air at 7pm ET. Also:

On behalf of the Harris-Walz campaign

Vice President Kamala Harris is delivering remarks at the Economic Club of Pittsburgh.

Speakers:

President of the Economic Club of Pittsburgh, Risa Kumazawa

Andrea Stanford, Pittsburgh Regional Manager for BNY Mellon, Introducer

Vice President Harris

VP pool report #9 - Rolling from event

The motorcade started rolling toward PIT at 5:20 p.m.

VP pool report #10 - PIT arrival/AF2 wheels up/steelworkers meeting

The motorcade arrived at PIT at 5:48 p.m. There was one Trump supporter outside the airport with a Trump flag.

The VP stepped out of her USSS SUV at 5:50 p.m. and took a photo with her advance team before boarding AF2.

We’ll be wheels up shortly.

From a campaign official: Before her remarks, the Vice President met with local leaders and rank-and-file members of the United Steelworkers employed by U.S. Steel, where she reiterated her position that the company should remain American owned and operated, and that as president she would always have the backs of American steelworkers.

VP pool report #11 - AF2 wheels down at JBA

AF2 was wheels up at PIT at 6:06 p.m. and wheels down at JBA at 6:45 p.m.

The VP deplaned at 6:55 p.m. and hopped into her USSS SUV at 6:56 p.m. after interacting with her greeter.

The motorcade started rolling at 6:57 p.m.

VP pool report #12 - Lid

From the WH:

Vice President Harris arrived to the residence at 7:26 p.m. ET. We have a lid.