Vice Presidential Travel Pool Reports of March 22, 2021

VP travel pool report #1: JBA -> Jacksonville

Greetings from JBA where it is sunny, clear and 54 degrees.

The VP is traveling to Jacksonville, Fla., today where she will visit the County Community Vaccination Center CVC Jacksonville at the Gateway Town Center.

It is one of several federally supported vaccination sites in the area that have administered tens of thousands of doses in recent days.

She will also hold an event later at a food panty, Feeding Northeast Florida.

Both stops are meant to sell the particulars of the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package.

The VP’s motorcade pulled up to Air Force Two at 11:50 a.m. and boarded shortly without a backward wave.

We are wheels up to Florida shortly.

VP travel pool report #2: Jacksonville arrival / GOP outreach

AF2 landed in Jacksonville at 1:39 pm.

During the flight:

Peter Velz introduced the pool to Opal Vadhan, the VP's new personal aide who, he pointed out, previously worked for Hillary Clinton.

Symone Sanders came back and took a couple of questions, including one on whether Republicans were invited on the visit.

She said the VP's office reached out to Gov. Ron DeSantis and "the entire Florida delegation" but was not able to get in touch.

On another note, she emphasized that the VP's goal for this trip is to have Americans see themselves reflected back in some of the particulars of the coronavirus relief legislation.

We are rolling shortly to the vaccine center, where the VP will take a tour and view a vaccine being administered. Expected to greet the VP at the vaccination center are:

• Congressman Al Lawson
• Mayor of Jacksonville Lenny Curry (R)
• Bob Spence, Site Lead, FEMA Region IV (He will be the tour guide)

VP travel pool report #3: VP gaggle on covid and the border

It is windy and 66 degrees in Jacksonville.

VP exited AF2 at 1:53 pm. She took three questions, one on the coronavirus and two on the border. Rolling for vaccination center at 2 pm.

Check against transcripts -

On her message to local officials in Florida, many of whom have opened up the state for spring break business despite a pandemic and a spreading variant: "I'm here to emphasize the importance of vaccinations and getting the vaccine, you know when it's your turn, you got to get it. And regardless of what we're talking about in terms of the various variants. One thing is for sure, if you get vaccinated when it's your turn, you are much more likely to avoid contracting COVID Much less having severe symptoms are hospitalization or death."

She said she is not planning to visit the border "today" but that she has been in the past and will do so again.

On Republican pressure to control the situation at the border: "We were left with a very challenging situation. Let's get these kids out of CPB custody and get them into HHS custody. We've got to treat this issue in a way that is reflective of our values as Americans and do it in a way that is fair and is humane and but we have to meet them. There's a lot of work going into that."

Note: Two of the greeters, Curry and Lawson (listed in previous pool report) greeted her at the airport, not at vaccination site. An additional airport greeter per WH: Commissioner Nikki Fried, Agriculture/Consumer Services.

VP travel pool report #4: FEMA vaccination site

Motorcade pulled up to vaccination center at 2:25 pm. Pool was ushered into a large tented building with hundreds of active duty US Navy troops preparing and administering vaccinations inside.

VP entered at 2:33 p.m. with a tour guide and was led over to a table where troops were preparing the vaccine. Amid the sound of many syringes being filled and then flicked, VP was told by her tour guide this is where the "magic" happens.

"Thank you on behalf of the president and myself," she told the people preparing the vaccine. "Tap away!"

The VP was led over to a waiting vaccinator and a woman waiting to receive the shot. Pool was a few yards away so we could not hear the particulars of what was said.

VP asked Shagara Bradshaw which vaccine she was getting (Pfizer). She asked how school was going (Bradshaw is a teacher) but could not hear the response. Your pooler heard VP mention her sorority.

The VP took a photo with Bradshaw. We were ushered out but we were told Bradshaw received her shot just after the photo was taken.

IDs of people who VP interacted with per WH:

Vaccinator: Hospitalman Apprentice Vianni Torres, US Navy

Patient: High School English Teacher Shagara Bradshaw is reviving her second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. (WH official tells your pooler Bradshaw was pulled out of a line of people waiting to receive the vaccine and asked if she'd like to meet VP.)

PS: Spotted by fellow poolers while the motorcade was on its way to the FEMA site: A little girl holding up a hand-lettered, pink and purple sign that said "Girls can change the world."

We are rolling to a food bank, Feeding Northeast Florida, at 2:57 pm.

VP travel pool report #4a: Food bank background

We are still en route. Background on attendees at the coming listening session at Feeding Northeast Florida per WH:

Al Lawson, Congressman (FL-05)
Rep. Lawson has served the people of Florida for 28 years in the state legislature as a member of the Florida House of Representative and the Florida Senate. Re-elected for a second term in November 2018 and sworn-in January 3, 2019, Lawson represents Florida's 5th Congressional District.

Nikki Fried, Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services (moderator)
Nikki Fried, Florida’s 12th Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, is a lifelong Floridian, attorney, and passionate activist. Born and raised in Miami, Commissioner Fried graduated from the University of Florida, where she received her bachelor’s, master’s and juris doctor degrees. While at the University of Florida, she served as student body president – the first woman to hold the position in nearly two decades.

Susan A. King, President and CEO of Feeding Northeast Florida
As the President and CEO of Feeding Northeast Florida, an eight-county regional food bank, Susan is following her personal mission to see that no one in our community goes hungry, and to change food access and health outcomes for the underserved.

Joyce Morgan, Jacksonville City Council
Morgan was elected in 2015 and serves on the city of Jacksonville’s Food Desert Committee.

Dr. Diana L. Greene, Duval County Superintendent of Schools
Dr. Diana L. Greene began her tenure as Superintendent of Duval County Public Schools (DCPS), the 20th largest school district in the nation, on July 1, 2018. During her 33-year career as an educator, she has spent time as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal as well as in curriculum development, staff development and in senior executive leadership.

Garrett Dennis, Jacksonville City Council District 9
On March 24, 2015, Garrett was elected to his first term to the Jacksonville City Council to represent the constituents of District 9. Subsequently, on March 19, 2019, Garrett was reelected to his second term to continue representing the great residents of his district. Councilman Garrett serves on the city of Jacksonville’s Food Desert Committee.

VP travel pool report #5: Food bank arrival

Motorcade arrived at Feeding Northeast Florida at 3:31 pm. More tk.

VP Travel Pool Report #6: Motorcade was rerouted due to police activity

Our route was delayed on the way to the food bank. We were on I-10 when our vehicles slowed down dramatically, to about 20 mph, for several minutes.

Pooler inquired about what happened and this is on background from the White House:

Due to police activity in the area the Vice President’s motorcade was rerouted. I refer you to the local police for anything further.

VP travel pool report #7: Food bank listening session

VP entered the event at 3:40 pm and offered personalized greetings for the attendees.

Nikki Fried, Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, told VP that 40% of black families and 39% of Hispanic families in the area are experiencing chronic hunger.

VP spoke and said that "the work that we did on the American Rescue Plan was designed with you mind, " and broke out some specific benefits from the plan:

- The ARP increases SNAP benefits by 15%, or $230/month, through the end of September.
- The P-EBT program, which provides funds to feed kids who are on free and reduced lunches, is extended through the end of the pandemic
- WIC benefits have been extended by some $880 million

VP told the group that she was concerned of the pandemic's impact on children and "what will have an impact in terms of their ability to develop and to reach their God-given capacity."

VP, on Congressman Al Lawson, who also participated: "I see him in rooms where there are cameras and there are no cameras. And he is always fighting for the people of Florida.

Event is now turned over to participants and is ongoing.
Will dash off further highlights if warranted.

VP travel pool report #8: Food bank event - holding

Event ended at 4:29 pm.

VP stayed to take photos with attendees while pool was ushered out. We’ve been holding outside of the food bank for the past half hour.

Some color - The girl with the sign followed the VP to her next stop. Attached photo was taken by Ken Amaro, a reporter with First Coast News.

VP travel pool report #9: Rolling to JAX at 5:11 p.m.

[APP Note: No additional text was included.]

VP travel pool report #10: JAX departure

VP Motorcade pulled up to AF2 at 5:53 pm.

There was some delay between airport arrival and boarding the plane because the VP was participating in a photo line at a fire station. VP boarded at 5:54 and we are wheels up shortly.

Asked for a reason behind the earlier delay at the food bank, Peter Velz said the VP was participating in local interviews.

The photo I wrote about in a previous pool report didn’t attach but I tweeted it w/ credit @katierogers.

VP travel pool report #11: JBA arrival

AF2 landed at JBA at 7:32 pm. The flight was uneventful until the VP came back for a brief OTR.

She descended the stairs and her motorcade is rolling at 7:45 pm.

That’s a wrap.