Pool Reports of September 8, 2022

Pool report #1

Good Thursday morning, I'll be your in-town pooler today.

Passing along from the White House this morning—

President Biden is holding a call this morning with allies and partners to underscore our continued support for Ukraine as it defends itself from Russian aggression.

And passing along the schedule for today:

9:00 AM THE PRESIDENT receives the President's Daily Briefing
Closed Press

12:30 PM In-Town Pool Call Time

1:45 PM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks highlighting the arrival of updated COVID-19 vaccines
Roosevelt Room
In-House Pool (Gather 1:35 PM — Brady Press Briefing Room)

6:30 PM THE PRESIDENT departs the White House en route National Harbor, Maryland
South Grounds
In-Town Travel Pool (Gather 6:00 PM – Palm Room Doors)

7:00 PM THE PRESIDENT participates in a reception for the Democratic National Committee
Montgomery County, Maryland
In-Town Travel Pool

8:45 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives at the White House
South Grounds
In-Town Travel Pool

Briefing Schedule

12:30 PM Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre

Pool report #2/ briefing moved to 12:45

Hi all,

The press briefing will now start at 12:45pm, per the White House.

Pool report #3/ 2 min

2 minute warning to the press briefing.

Pool report #4

Pool was told to hold off from gathering yet ahead of the president's scheduled remarks in the Roosevelt Room on COVID-19 vaccines.

Pool report #5/ no remarks

From the White House—

The President's remarks this afternoon have been cancelled.

Pool report #6/ lunch lid

White House called a lunch lid until 3pm.

Pool report #7

In-town travel pool will gather at 5:25pm to load into vans, unclear yet where exactly we are headed.

The original guidance had Biden's departure for National Harbor, Md., at 6:30pm.

Pool report #8/ rolling

Motorcade started rolling at 5:47pm.

Traveling with the President and the First Lady in the motorcade:

• Jen O'Malley Dillon, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
• Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
• Anthony Bernal, Assistant to the President & Advisor to the First Lady
• Vinay Reddy, Deputy Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
• Carla Frank, Special Assistant to the President & Director of Strategic Planning
• Terry Wolff, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for MENA
• Travis Dredd, Special Assistant to the President & Trip Director

Pool report #9

Motorcade arrived at the British Embassy on at 5:56pm

Biden will be signing a condolence book for the queen.

Dozens of people were gathered outside on Mass Ave.

Pool report #10/ book signing

Biden and the First Lady entered a room at the embassy at 5:59pm and were greeted by the British ambassador and her husband.

He walked over to the condolence book and asked if he could write a message, taking a card with notes out of his jacket pocket. The ambassador said, "if you would like to Sir."

He wrote for a few minutes, while the First Lady watched over and the ambassador stood to the side, behind him. The First Lady then sat down in the chair and appeared to sign her name.

"We mourn for all of you. She was a great lady, I'm so delighted I got to meet her," Biden said and he walked over to embassy staff.

The staff laughed a comment, which was inaudible to the pool.

"Our hearts are with you," the First Lady said.

"As my mother would say, God love you," biden said, and thanked the staff. He then walked out of the room, holding hands with the First Lady.

A photo of the queen sat on the table with the condolence book and a bouquet of flowers on the other side of the table. A projector showed a photo of the queen to the left of the table.

We are loaded back into the vans.

Pool report #11

The motorcade arrived at National Harbor at 6:40pm for the president to participate in a reception for the Democratic National Committee.

Pool did not see POTUS. We are in the reception room, where there are probably two or three hundred people and a stage set up with a Democrats.org light blue backdrop.

Pool report #12/ inscription

From the White House, photo of the president's inscription in the condolence book.

Pool report #13

DNC chair Jaime Harrison took the stage at 7:19pm and his remarks will be followed by Biden.

There is a livestream up on c-span, if helpful. I will also send out notes.

Passing along from the White House-

Run of Show

Jaime Harrison, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee
The President

Pool report #14

Biden started speaking at 7:28pm and was introduced by Harrison.

He offered his condolences to the queen at the top.

"Before I begin I want to say a few words about Queen Elizabeth. I just stopped by the British embassy to sign the condolence book in her honor. I had the opportunity to meet her before she passed and she was an incredibly decent and gracious woman. And the thoughts and prayers of the American people are with the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth in their grief."

"60 days. 60 days until the midterm elections," Biden said.

"Organize, mobilize, and vote, vote, vote, vote."

"I want to be very clear up front, not every Republican is a MAGA Republican… the mainstream Republicans, there's still a few of them left."

"They ain't got no shame," he said, after mocking Republicans for touting new bridges and roads due to the infrastructure law.

"We took on the NRA and we beat them," he said to a loud applause from the crowd. "I'm not stopping here. I'm determined to ban assault weapons."

"Think of the kids going back to school at those places, you saw what happened there. They're scared to death. It's just wrong."

He spoke about the high cost of insulin, climate, the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, Sen. Rick Scott's tax plan.

"Guess what, you know Republicans talk about being fiscally responsible, we are reducing the deficit.. last year I reduced the deficit $350 billion."

"You think they would have cared about inflation, reducing it, they would have voted for the inflation reduction act but every single republican, house and senate, every single one, every republican in the house, every republican in the senate, they voted against it," he said to a loud "boo!" in the crowd.

"Now every single American needs to return the favor and vote them out of office."

"If they had it their way, they'd come after contraception, marriage equality, the whole right to privacy," he said, referring to Republicans.

"Republicans have awakened a powerful force in this country: women." "Here you come."

He mentioned Sen. Ron Johnson to another boo from the crowd. And he mentioned "the last guy" to laughs from the crowd.

Biden said that "extreme MAGA Republicans" "embrace political violence."

"You can't be pro insurrection and pro democracy."

He mentioned that Trump said he would pardon people who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6.

He finished his remarks at 7:52pm.

Pool report #15/ departure

Pool was ushered out of the room while Biden was mingling with guests and we held in vans for just under an hour.

Pool did not see the president leave.

Motorcade started rolling at 8:51pm back to the White House.

Pool report #16/ lid

Motorcade arrived back at the White House at 9:09pm. Pool did not see Biden enter the White House.

We have a lid.

Have a good rest of your evening, all!