Pool Reports of June 11, 2022

Travel pool #1 - Checking in

Hello from Los Angeles. I will be your pooler today (see guidance below).
Pool has been tested and swept and is now holding in vans, awaiting Biden’s departure from RON.
As always feel free to reach out if needed. My details are below.

Saturday, June 11, 2022

PDT

8:35 AM Out-of-Town Pool Call Time

10:05 AM THE PRESIDENT departs Los Angeles, California en route Albuquerque, New Mexico
Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California
Open Press

MDT

1:25 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Open Press

2:45 PM THE PRESIDENT receives a briefing on the New Mexico wildfires
New Mexico State Emergency Operations Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Out-of-Town Pool

6:30 PM THE PRESIDENT departs Albuquerque, New Mexico en route New Castle, Delaware
Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Closed Press

EDT

11:55 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives in New Castle, Delaware
Delaware Air National Guard Base

Travel pool #2 - Motorcade rolling

The motorcade is rolling at 9:57.

We are going to the Dodgers Stadium and will then helo to the Los Angeles International Airport.

Your pooler has not laid eyes on POTUS so far.

Travel pool #3 - Marine One

The motorcade reached the Dodger Stadium at 10:06 and copooler Nikki Schwab caught a glimpse of the president boarding Marine One.

A few onlookers along the way during the short ride to the stadium.

Your pooler saw one man flashing his middle finger and holding a sign with the words "Fuck you" and "Biden"

Next stop LAX

Pool report #4 - Leaving Los Angeles, remarks

We landed at LAX at 10:17 AM.

POTUS exited Marine One at 10:25 AM.

He boarded AF1 at 10:29 AM.

He came up to the press and answered questions about the March against gun violence, New Mexico, Saudi Arabia.

On guns he said the march is "important" but also stressed the importance of elections.

On Saudi Arabia he said he has "not yet" made a decision about a visit. He mentioned a "larger meeting" taking place in Saudi Arabia on security issues.

Please check against transcript, it was difficult to hear under the wing.

Will share more quotes.

We will be taking off shortly.

Next stop is Albuquerque, New Mexico

Travel pool #4a - Otter from gaggle in LA

Herewith my Otter from the president’s gaggle under the wing in LA.

https://otter.ai/u/uShgcn8aVEWS67FLF08FmADIKBI

Travel pool #5 - Arrival in Albuquerque, wildfires

Air Force One was wheels down at 1:42 local time. We have 99 degrees here in Albuquerque

On its way to New Mexico Air Force One flew over an area affected by the fires.

At 1:15 PM your pool was briefly brought to an area at the front of the plane so we could see the fires on our left.

Your pooler saw several columns of smoke rising from a mountainous landscape and areas with charred trees.

We did not see the president and we were brought back to the press cabin after a few minutes.

I will share a picture on Twitter.

The flight was otherwise very bumpy and there were no visitors to the press cabin.

Travel pool #6 - Rolling, question on Saudi Arabia and Israel

The president exited AF1 at 1:55 PM local time at Kirtland Air Base.

He spent several minutes on the tarmac chatting with his greeters, see list below.

He was without sunglasses at first but put his Aviators back on after a few minutes.

It is very hot here in Albuquerque (100 degrees the last time your pooler checked her weather app) and also windy.

Your pooler saw Biden hug Governor Grisham and shake Secretary Haaland's hand.

Secretary Haaland was wearing a mask.

POTUS entered the Beast at 2:03 PM.

There was a shouted question about whether he expects a normalization of the relation between Saudi Arabia and Israel and he seemed to answer "We will see". But please check against transcript.

Motorcade rolling at 2:05 PM, next stop is
New Mexico State Emergency Operations Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico

From the WH
Participating in a tarmac greet with the President at Kirtland Air Force Base:
Secretary Deb Haaland, U.S. Department of Interior
Michelle Lujan Grisham, Governor of New Mexico
Deanne Criswell, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency
Martin Heinrich, U.S. Senator (NM)
Ben Ray Luján, U.S. Senator (NM)
Teresa Leger Fernandez, U.S. Congresswoman (NM-03)
Melanie Stansbury, U.S. Congresswoman (NM-01)
Jonathan Nez, President, Navajo Nation

Travel pool #7 - WH Background on wild fires

The WH shares this background

• The White House has been closely monitoring the fires in New Mexico and has been in regular contact with state officials throughout the past month. The President has been briefed regularly and he is committed to ensuring the people of New Mexico have the full support of the Federal Government, and that every effort is being made to provide immediate help to people in the impacted communities and to support the state throughout its recovery.

• The National Interagency Fire Center continues to surge resources to the state. There are now over 4,000 wildfire personnel on the ground fighting these fires and working to protect New Mexicans and their property. The Hermits Peak fire, which is currently the largest in the state, is now 66% contained and the firefighting response continues.

• Following the President’s approval of a Major Disaster Declaration on May 4, FEMA has deployed additional staff to New Mexico to coordinate federal assistance and address unmet needs.

• FEMA now has almost 350 personnel on the ground providing response and recovery support in New Mexico, including helping to register survivors for FEMA and other types of Federal assistance and continuing to complete damage assessments to determine the full scope of recovery needs.

• FEMA has awarded a cumulative more than $3 million to more than 900 impacted households for housing repairs and assistance with rentals, as well as funding to meet critical immediate needs.

• FEMA has continues to work with the State of New Mexico to operate two Disaster Recovery Centers, which provide a wide array of recovery resources to survivors and continues to send Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams out to communities to reach people where they are.

• FEMA has activated Transitional Sheltering Assistance to provide hotel stays for evacuated residents and is working closely with the state to identify long-term housing solutions for displaced residents.

• The Small Business Administration has disaster recovery specialists and public information officers in the field, imbedded with FEMA at the Disaster Recovery Centers and Business Recovery Center in Lincoln County, to work with individuals, families, and businesses to apply for low-interest disaster loans that will supplement what other Federal assistance and insurance do not cover. SBA has already awarded nearly $2.6 million in disaster loans.

• In addition, the Federal government is providing a variety of support to communities, Farmers, and Ranchers to recover and rehabilitate impacted areas.

• USDA-Farm Service Agency (FSA) is offering several disaster assistance programs to assist farmers and ranchers, including support for livestock, restoration of pasture and grazing land lost to fire, and emergency conservation.

• The Department of the Interior (DOI) and USFS interagency Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) teams are working with state officials in New Mexico. These teams identify and implement emergency land treatments to minimize threats to life or property or prevent further damage to natural and cultural resources on Federal land.

• The USDA has an Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWPP) that helps to relieve imminent threats to life and property caused by fire that impairs a watershed, including technical and financial assistance to help communities address these threats.

• The US Army Corps of Engineers and DOI are working to address the impacts from ongoing drought in New Mexico and across the region through several programs to support investment in groundwater wells, water lines, water tanks, and stormflow infrastructure, as well as flood protection and ecosystem restoration efforts to ensure access to clean drinking water for all residents.

Travel pool #8 - Arrival at Emergency Operations Center, briefing

The motorcade reached the New Mexico Emergency Operations Center in Santa Fe at 3 pm after an uneventful ride.

We passed a little group of people waving and taking pictures.

Your pooler also saw a group of people gathered around pickup trucks with a "Fuck Biden" and a "Trump Won" flag.

Your pooler did not see the president exit his car. The pool was brought at 3:04 PM in a room where POTUS will receive a briefing and give remarks.

Officials were waiting for him around tables.

There are flags of New Mexico and of the United States in the background and maps.

POTUS entered the room at 3:12 PM.

I understand the event will stream on the White House website so won't provide quotes.

Travel pool #9 - Briefing on wildfires ongoing, quotes and Otter

The event at the Emergency Operations Center is still going on at 3:32 PM.

I am told it was not streaming.

POTUS was seated next to Governor Grisham who gave a brief introduction.

A few rough quotes from the president's remarks, please check against transcript.

I also add a link to my Otter.

https://otter.ai/u/b4kz33GEd9Y4N4hyJ_CnPFHIYPo

He had warm words for firefighters: "You are all crazy. I love you"

The president said he saw the devastation from Air Force One and added that the wildfires in NM have damaged an "astounding amount of territory" .

Said it looked like a "moonscape"

"We have a responsibility as a government"

He then announced that "the federal government is covering 100% of the costs" which drew applause from the audience.

"We will do whatever it takes"

More tk

Pool was led out at 3:32 PM and is holding nearby.

Travel pool #9a - More quotes from briefing on wildfires, travelers on AF1

More quotes from the president thanks to amazing copooler Nikki Schwab.

"There's an expression where I come from, God made man and then he made some firefighters - they're all crazy."

References how the fires started as prescribed burns:

"99.8 per cent go as planned, but this time, practically, it did not."

Also this from the White House about the travelers on AF1

Traveling with the President on Air Force One to Santa Fe, New Mexico:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Liz Sherwood-Randall, Assistant to the President & Homeland Security Advisor & Deputy National Security Advisor
Kate Bedingfield, Assistant to the President & Director of Communications
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Deputy Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Meghan Hays, Special Assistant to the President & Director of Message Planning
Carla Frank, Special Assistant to the President & Director of Strategic Planning
Lee Slater, Special Assistant to the President & House Legislative Affairs Liaison
Stephen Goepfert, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

Travel Pool #9b - Governor Grisham at the briefing

Thanks copooler Nikki Schwab for sharing these quotes of Governor Grisham earlier, at the beginning of the briefing at the Emergency Operations Center

"President Biden, I want to personally thank you on behalf of the people of this great state for standing together with us here today."

"This is now the largest fire in our long history and while wildfires have occurred since time immemorial, this one was not caused naturally."

"And your administration has leaned in from the very beginning, not only identifying how the fire was caused, by actions of U.S. Forest Service, but recognizing that we need to do things differently together. We are grateful for that assistance, we are grateful for the investments that you continue to make in the state to make sure that we are as safe as possible."

"But this is why, I think we need the federal government to keep accepting responsibility and I know that you have been reviewing our requests to cover 100 percent of the costs of the fire-related recovery effort."

"We need help the debris removal, watershed protection for our workers ..."

"Mr. President I want to say a couple more things. It's really more than all of that work we need to do together. We don't want to lose sight of the fact that 1,200 homes were burned, hundreds of thousands of acres of farm and grazing land destroyed and many family businesses lost. It's about the blood and sweat of generations of New Mexicans who work the land, who fed their families and raised their children - all of that just went up in smoke."

Travel pool #10 - Visit of the Emergency Operations Center

Pool was brought at 4:02 PM in a small amphitheater where approx 15 people are sitting behind computers.

They were facing a huge screen with a map showing active fires in real time, planes and helicopters.

The president entered at 4:37 PM.

He looked at the map while being briefed by

Mark Chappell, the Emergency Operations Director.

Carmelita Austin, agency worker, detailed the coordination of efforts against the wildfires.

Mark Chappell said that "over 1% of New Mexico is on fire"

POTUS then spoke

Please check these rough quotes against audio and transcript

"Thanks for what you do"

"We have a responsibility … at the federal level"

He said he had the "dubious distinction" of visiting many sites of natural disasters

POTUS stressed that there is also a need to deal with the "aftermath" of fires

"I have no reluctance to do everything we possibly can" to meet NM needs

"This is a federal system"

"Climate change will continue"

"And by the way … Windmills do not cause cancer"

"We have to rethink how we develop" and "how we build"

"When I think climate change… I think jobs"

He stopped talking at 4:52 and pool was then led out.

We are now holding in a hallway.

Some audio if needed

https://otter.ai/u/ACmjbWC6zy7TGGrvEdrDLjUnEhQ

Onpassing from the WH

In attendance for the overview of Emergency Operations Center:

Secretary Deb Haaland, U.S. Department of Interior
Michelle Lujan Grisham, Governor of New Mexico
Martin Heinrich, U.S. Senator (NM)
Ben Ray Luján, U.S. Senator (NM)
Teresa Leger Fernandez, U.S. Congresswoman (NM-03)
Yvette Herrell, U.S. Congresswoman (NM-02)
Melanie Stansbury, U.S. Congresswoman (NM-01)
Deanne Criswell, FEMA Administrator
David Dye, New Mexico Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM)
Liz Sherwood-Randall, Homeland Security Advisor
Caitlin Durkovich, Senior Director for Resilience and Response
Sandy Eslinger, FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer

Format

Stop One:
Mark Chappell, the Emergency Operations Director, provides briefing

Stop Two:
Carmelita Austin, agency worker, briefs on interagency collaboration to address wildfires

Travel pool #11 - Meeting with families and survivors

The motorcade started rolling at 5:14 PM and stopped in front of a building at 5:17PM. Your pooler did not see the President enter.

He is meeting " with families and survivors who have been impacted by the fires" according to the White House.

This event is closed press and pool is now holding in a room.

The WH also shares that after his visit of the Emergency Operations Center, the President met with first responders, while pool was holding.

Travel pool #12 - Rolling to Albuquerque

The motorcade started rolling at 6:27 PM.

Your pooler briefly saw the president as the Biest drove past the pool van.

We are driving to Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque.

A note : we will be flying to DANG on the "small" Air Force One

Travel pool #13 - Leaving New Mexico/Flat tire

The motorcade reached Kirtland Air Base in Albuquerque at 7:29 pm.

POTUS exited the Beast at 7:32 and walked over to the plane.

He gestured to the press at the top of the stairs, pointing at the bigger Air Force One parked nearby and then shrugged, smiling. He boarded the small plane at 7:34 PM.

At around 6:40 PM the motorcade slowed down and kept rolling for a while at a lower speed than usual.

We passed two vehicles parked on the side of the road.

Your pooler is trying to find out what happened but please keep in mind that we are now on the small AF 1 with no connection.

On our way here your pooler saw people taking pictures with their phones, and a few kids waving. She also spotted a woman with her thumbs down.

We will be taking off shortly.

Travel pool #13a - Precision

My previous report mentioned a "flat tire" in the title. This is apparently what caused the motorcade to slow down for a while, according to a WH official.

Thanks to Patsy Widakuswara for this information.

Travel pool #15 - DANG

AF1 landed at 1:03 AM at Delaware Air National Guard Base.

The president exited at 1:11 AM, chatted with the greeter for a few minutes and went to his car at 1:14.

The motorcade started rolling at 1:15 AM.

Travel pool #15 - Residence and lid (and correction of pool report number)

The motorcade reached the president’s residence at 1:28 AM and the White House called a lid.

Also, a correction: this pool report is the actual #15 and the previous one should have been #14

Have a good night!