Pool Reports of January 16, 2023

Travel pool #1/rolling in Wilmington

The presidential SUV emerged from the Bidens' wooded neighborhood at 9:28am.

Motorcade rolling under a cloudless blue sky.

Travel pool #2/wake OTR

President Biden has arrived at St. Elizabeth Roman Catholic Church in Wilmington, about 3 miles from his home.

Pool is holding as he attends a wake for a friend. We watched him enter at 9:36am.

Uneventful motorcade. Two blocks from the church, a man at a corner house stood on his porch solemnly watching the motorcade go by, hand over his heart Pledge of Allegiance style.

Travel pool #3/viewing details, rolling

From the press office:

This morning The President is attending a viewing to pay respects to longtime family friend Reverend Monsignor J. Thomas Cini.

Pool held outside St. Elizabeth Roman Catholic Church in Wilmington. We saw agents wanding people as they enter.

President Biden left the church at 9:47am and is now rolling for DANG.

The monsignor died Jan. 4. His obituary indicates this is a viewing, not a wake.

https://www.delawareonline.com/obituaries/wnj128645

Travel pool #4/DANG departure

The motorcade arrived at DANG at 9:58am. The president boarded Marine One at 10am and will go directly to the White House.

Pool boarded an Osprey (Nighthawk 3) before the rotors on Marine One were spinning and did not see him take off.

Handing off to intown pool.

Traveling with the President via motorcade en route Delaware Air National Guard Base:

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Terry Wolff, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for the Middle East and North Africa, National Security Council

Traveling with the President and the First Lady aboard Marine One en route the White House:

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Terry Wolff, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for the Middle East and North Africa, National Security Council

Travel pool #4a/ FLOTUS is not on Marine One

Correction from press office: the first lady is not traveling from DANG to the White House with the president.

In town pool 1

Pool is gathering for Marine 1 are al.

In town pool report 2

No words from president at arrival. Touchdown at 10:59. Solo walk to Oval Office. Inside 11:03

In town pool report 3

Motorcade enroute to Mayflower Hotel. Departed White House North Portico at 11:52.

In town pool report 4

Arrived at Mayflower for NAN "breakfast" at 11:55.

from the white House:

Traveling with the President via motorcade:

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Marc Gustafson, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for the White House Situation Room
Travis Dredd, Special Assistant to the President & Trip Director
Ashley Williams, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations

In town pool report 5

The breakfast remarks are about to begin. It is open press.

from the White House:

Approximately 350 attendees, including National Action Network (NAN) chapter leaders, civil rights leaders, and Members of Congress

Run of show:
Reverend Al Sharpton

The President

In town pool report 6

The president concluded his remarks at 12:47. Motorcade departed the Mayflower at 1:13 for the short ride back. Will include snippets of speech in next report. He promised to work with Republican House but said he would veto bills such as IRS cuts and national sales tax if they reach his desk. Also cited the work he has done with the civil rights community.

In town pool report 7

Motorcade back at White House at 1:15 and travel/photo lid declared.

Check the transcript, but here are snippets from the president's remarks to NAN:

He made his familiar comments on the reduction in the deficit on his watch, contrasting that to the first bill of the Republican House which he said would add to the deficit. Speaking of the critics of his spending and deficit approach, he said, "These guys are fiscally demented, Ithink. They don't quite get it."

AT several points, he was warmly applauded, including when he talked about appointing Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, his support HBCUs, his efforts to address student loan debt, and his executive order when Congress did not pass the George Floyd Act. He also was applauded when he spoke of reductions in black unemployment, capping Insulin at $35 a month for Medicare, and work under the Infrastructure Law to "replacie every poisonous lead pipe in America. Every single one."

He talked about the need to make the rich pay their fair share in taxes and the importance of small businesses in minority communities. He also mocked those who talk of refreshing the tree of liberty with the blood of patriots and want to take on the federal government. To do so, he suggested, would require F-15s, not AR 15s. He also said that it is important to talk about abuses in the past. "That's not being woke. That's being honest," he said.

After his discussion of the first bills moved in the GOP House, he said again that he wants to work with Republicans. But, he added, "Let me be clear: if any of these bills happen to reach my desk, I will veto them."

AFter being introduced warmly by Al Sharpton saying that the president has had their back, Biden returned to that point in closing. "I have your back," he said, "We've got to stand together." He added, "I need your help."