Pool Reports by Michael Collins, USA Today
| Sent: | Reports: |
| May 29, 2022 07:01 EDT |
Out-of-town pool report #1: Schedule Good morning from Wilmington. I will be your print pooler for POTUS' trip to Texas. FLOTUS will accompany him. AF1 is scheduled to land at Kelly Field in San Antonio at 10:10 am CDT. From there, POTUS will take Marine One to Uvalde. Arrival time in Uvalde is scheduled for 11 am CDT. The Bidens are scheduled to pay their respects to the shooting victims by visiting a memorial at Robb Elementary School. They also are scheduled to attend Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, meet with survivors and family members of the shooting victims, and meet with first responders. The meetings with survivors/family members and first responders are expected to be closed press. |
| May 29, 2022 07:41 EDT |
Out-of-town pool report #2: En route to DANG Motorcade is rolling to Delaware Air National Guard Base at 7:40 am. |
| May 29, 2022 07:52 EDT |
Out-of-town pool report #3: DANG arrival Motorcade arrived at DANG at 7:48 am. The Bidens boarded AF1 at 7:51. POTUS did not stop to take questions. We are traveling aboard the smaller AF1. We are wheels up shortly. |
| May 29, 2022 10:14 CDT |
Out-of-town pool report #4: San Antonio arrival AF1 landed at Kelly Field in San Antonio at 10:06 am CDT. The three-and-a-half-hour flight was uneventful, with no visitors to the press cabin. We are waiting for the Bidens to step off the plane. From the White House: Traveling with the President and the First Lady to Uvalde, Texas: Mike Donilon, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President Greeting the President and the First Lady on arrival at Kelly Air Force Base: Brigadier General Russell Driggers, Commander, 502nd Air Base Wing |
| May 29, 2022 10:22 CDT |
Out-of-town pool report #5: More arrival The Bidens stepped off AF1 at 10:14 am CDT. POTUS was wearing a black suit and sunglasses. The first lady was wearing a black dress and heels. They chatted briefly with the greeters and then walked toward Marine One. Names of greeters are in pool report number four. Pool was loaded into the ospreys while Marine One was still on the ground. Wheels up at 10:22. |
| May 29, 2022 11:05 CDT |
Out-of-town pool report #6: Uvalde arrival Marine One touched down at Garner Field in Uvalde at 10:50 am CDT. The Bidens stepped off the chopper eight minutes later and walked to the receiving line, which included Gov. Abbott. Other names are below. They talked with greeters for several minutes, but the pool was too far away to pick up any of the conversation. We are rolling toward Robb Elementary School at 11:04 am. From the White House: Greeting the President and the First Lady on the tarmac: Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas We are rolling toward Robb Elementary Achool. |
| May 29, 2022 11:36 CDT |
Out-of-town pool report #7: School arrival The motorcade arrived at Robb Elementary at 11:14 am CDT. Spectators all along the motorcade route through Uvalde held up their cellphones and took photos. A young man holding a child in his arms flashed the peace sign as we passed by. A crowd that had gathered near the school cheered as the Bidens walked to the memorial, which includes white crosses bearing the names of each victim. They placed a bouquet of flowers at the memorial. The First Lady and POTUS held hands with the school superintendent and principal and talked with them for several minutes. Pool could not make out the conversation. (Names are below). At one point, POTUS wiped away a tear. The Bidens then somberly walked for several minutes along the memorial, pausing to read the victims' names and touching some of their photos. As Gov. Abbott arrived at the school, a man in the crowd of spectators shouted: "We need help!" We are rolling toward the church at 11:35 am. From the White House: Joining the President and the First Lady to pay respects at the memorial at Robb Elementary School: Dr. Hal Harrell, Superintendent, Uvalde County Independent School District |
| May 29, 2022 11:47 CDT |
Out-of-town pool report #8: Church arrival Motorcade arrived at Sacred Heart Catholic Church at 11:40 am. The Bidens are attending a Mass at the church. Along the motorcade route, a man held up a sign that read: "Uvalde Strong." A woman held up a blue and white flag with the word "BORDER" written across the top. Pool did not see the Bidens enter the church. POTUS is not expected to speak at the service. From the White House: Greeting the President and the First Lady on arrival at Sacred Heart Catholic Church is Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller |
| May 29, 2022 12:22 CDT |
Out-of-town pool report #9: Church service The Bidens walked into the church sanctuary at 12:04 pm CDT. The first lady reached out and lightly touched the hands of several people seated along the aisle as she and POTUS made their way to their seat in the first-row pew. About 600 people are attending the service. A violinist and pianist played Ave Maria and other inspirational songs before the service started. The service began around 12:10 pm CDT. "Our hearts are broken," Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller said. The service is under way. |
| May 29, 2022 13:16 CDT |
Out-of-town pool report #10: More from church service About 20 minutes into the service, children were invited to come to the front of the church. They sat down on the floor. Speaking directly to the children, the archbishop said they had seen their parents cry over the past few days. But he said the children would help the community heal. He told them how Jesus died, "rose from the dead" and then went to heaven. "He prepared a place for the 19 little ones we lost," he said. "Our response must be one of hope and healing," he said. "We must move forward together." He urged the community to "resolve to support one another with respect for our differences." Part of the service was in Spanish. At 1:11 pm, POTUS lightly kissed the first lady as the crowd gave the sign of peace. Pool was escorted out of the church at 1:12 pm and did not see the Bidens take communion. |
| May 29, 2022 13:38 CDT |
Out-of-town pool report #11: Church departure The Bidens exited the church at 1:28 pm, walked to the Beast and waved to a crowd of spectators gathered to watch their departure. "Do something!" someone in the crowd yelled. "We will," POTUS replied We are rolling at 1:33 to the next event, which is the meeting with survivors and family members of the shooting victims. |
| May 29, 2022 13:43 CDT |
Out-of-town pool report #12: Arena arrival Motorcade arrived 1:39 pm at Uvalde County Arena, where the Bidens are meeting with survivors and family members of the shooting. The meeting is closed to the press. |
| May 29, 2022 16:38 CDT |
Out-of-town pool report #13: Motorcade rolling The Bidens' meeting with survivors and victims' family members has ended. Motorcade is rolling at 4:37 pm CDT. We are heading back to Garner Field, where the president and the first lady will meet with paramedics, mental health services providers, firefighters and law enforcement officials. |
| May 29, 2022 17:00 CDT |
Out-of-town pool report #14: Back at Garner Field Motorcade arrived back at Garner Field at 4:55 pm CDT. Pool is holding while the president and first lady meet with paramedics, mental health services providers, firefighters and law enforcement officials. |
| May 29, 2022 18:00 CDT |
Out-of-town pool report #15: Departing Uvalde The Bidens' meeting with first responders has ended. It was closed to the press. At 5:53 pm, the motorcade drove away from the hangar where the meeting took place and returned to Marine One. The ride took about two minutes. The president and first lady boarded the helicopter at 5:56 pm. Pool is loading into the osprey for the return flight to San Antonio. Wheels up shortly. |
| May 29, 2022 18:43 CDT |
Out-of-town pool report #16: AF1 departure Marine One touched down at Kelly Field in San Antonio at 6:35 pm. The president and the first lady stepped off the helicopter six minutes later and held hands as they walked back to AF1. They walked up the steps of the plane at 6:42 pm. POTUS did not take questions from the pool. We are rolling shortly for Delaware. |
| May 29, 2022 22:59 EDT |
Out-of-town pool report #17: DANG arrival AF1 arrived back at Delaware Air National Guard Base at 10:47 pm. There were no visitors to the press cabin during the flight. POTUS and the first lady walked down the steps of the plane at 10:55 pm and got into an SUV. We are rolling at 10:58 pm. |
| May 29, 2022 23:12 EDT |
Out-of-town pool report #18: Lid Motorcade arrived back at the president's residence at 11:09 pm. We have a lid. Goodnight, all. |
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Pool Reports of May 29, 2022 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/356241