Vice Presidential Pool Reports of September 28, 2021

VP Pool Report #1 - Gathering for Voter Registration Event

Good morning,

Your pooler has been tested and awaits gathering at 11:20 am.

The pool has not yet been provided information on which school the Vice President is visiting for her surprise visit to a local college.

When the motorcade is en route, the pool is expected to receive more details.

VP Pool Report #2: Arrived at George Mason

The VP motorcade departed for Fairfax, Virginia at 11:53 am and arrived at George Mason University at 12:18 pm.

Mark Ginsberg, George Mason University Provost and Samuel Frye, George Mason University Professor will engage with the VP as she surprises students and pops into their political science class, which is called "Community, Culture, and Change."

The Vice President is on campus to meet with students, commemorate National Voter Registration Day, and make the case that Congress should pass the Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to protect their right to vote.

Additional background information from the Vice President's Office:

The Vice President's visit comes as the White House releases new steps taken by federal agencies to respond to President Biden's Executive Order calling for all-of-government action to promote voting access and to further the ability of all eligible Americans to participate in our democracy. While the President and Vice President continue to call on Congress to pass bold reforms to make voting more equitable and accessible for all Americans, they recognize that we can't wait to act. The strategic plans released today are just the beginning of each agency's commitment to promote nonpartisan voter registration and voter participation.

For months, Vice President Harris has led the Administration's effort to bring together a national coalition on voting rights, engaging Americans across the country: civil and voting rights advocacy groups; poll-workers; advocates in the disability community, and other voting populations that have been historically marginalized to fight for policies that protect the fundamental right to vote.

VP Pool Report #3: Comments and color from the class

The Vice President joined a class of thirteen students. Just behind her was a projection of the George Mason school logo.

Students are lined up outside the classroom in the Fenwick main library.

Quotes from the Vice President's conversation with students:
And some of our greatest movements, I believe, have been fueled not only by community, but about a way of doing policy work and organizing, and politics. That's called coalition building.

When the United States Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1955 with a case called Shelby beholden took out the teeth of the Voting Rights Act that was designed to say one let's acknowledge history.

So, on this national voter registration day, I'm here to talk about where we are in connection with what you have demonstrated as your ability to organize the power of your vote, but also in a climate where the right to vote is being threatened, because there are laws that are being passed to make it more difficult to vote so you don't.

We got to do something about putting teeth back in the voter, the Voting Rights Act, right, but we also need to deal with the fact that we need to have some national standards. So states like Texas and Georgia can't just go on and say it's inhumane you can't give food or water to people in the standing.

One student asked how can the Vice President take away the stigma of division in politics. She replied, "elections matter."

The Vice president added, " These are the way, we decide what will be the decision right voting is the way we get."

"The reality is there is gamesmanship." " But let's never let anybody take us out upon our world participation in ordering what we want for our community in our society. Don't let them turn us off, while important decisions are being made about our life."

The Vice President also explained the importance of labor unions and collective bargaining.

Another student who is not an US citizen asked about the Palestine-Israel development as it relates to democracy. The VP offered this in response:
This is about the fact that your voice, your perspective, your experience, your truth and not get some suppressed, and it must be heard

Just before the pool left, the Vice President said "The goal should be unity but not uniformity."

Please check quotes against official transcript.

VP Pool Report #4 : students names

First student questioner

Jane Nam

Second student questioner:

Jood Alkibsy

Third questioner Kelsey Meloy

VP Pool Report #5 - voter registration table

It began to rain as the Vice President approached the table at 12:56 pm.

It was difficult to hear the VP over the motorcade engines.

Before coming to the table she engaged a crowd of students with a Mason Votes sign in her hand.

The table had voter buttons that said "Mason Votes" and a sign on the table that read "Community Engagement & Civic Learning."

One of the students had a Mason Hoops shirt on and told the VP he was on the basketball team after she jokingly said he's tall but didn't want to assume.

Another student appears to have snagged an exclusive interview with the VP. He pulled out a iPhone to record her response to his question. Your pooler can't hear what was asked.

Pool was ushered off at 1:02 to the motorcade.

Voter registration table names
• Noah Mack, Bonner Student Intern, GMU Office of Community Engagement and Civic Learning
• Camden Layton, Campus Organizer, Virginia Turnout Project
• Natalia Kanos, Student Body President, GMU
• Bryan Childers, General Manager, 2020 MasonVotes and WGMU
• Josh Oduro, GMU Student Athlete

VP Pool Report #6: Motorcade on the move

The motorcade departed for return to the White House at 1:04 pm. No additional stops have been announced.

VP Pool Report 7 return to WH

The pool and motorcade arrived at the White House at 1:31 pm. Your pooler is handing off duty. Thank you!