First Lady Pool Reports of September 22, 2023

FLOTUS Pool Report #1 - Seattle

First Lady Jill Biden arrived at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle around 2:30 p.m. Friday for a tour of a metastatic cancer laboratory and sit-down conversation with researchers.

Dr. Biden met with Fred Hutch staffers and patients during the visit, along with King County Executive Dow Constantine and other cancer care supporters. The tour and listening session are part of White House Cancer Moonshot efforts.

During the lab tour, Dr. Biden spoke with Dr. Cyrus Ghajar, a Fred Hutch professor who specializes in cancer spread, about what problems his lab is trying to solve, innovative new therapies and ongoing clinical work.

Dr. Biden looked through a microscope to see bone marrow samples from breast cancer patients, and spoke with lab researchers about how they use various markers to profile patients' cells.

Later, Dr. Biden spoke with a group of Fred Hutch scientists, and a breast cancer survivor, about next steps in pediatric oncology, cancer survivorship and decreasing the financial burden of care.

Dr. Biden agreed that prevention is key and that after the rate of cancer screenings fell during the pandemic, "We've got to catch up."

Fred Hutch has helped pave the way in U.S. cancer research and other diseases since 1975, and is known for groundbreaking findings in bone-marrow transplantation and CAR T-cell research.

The session ended around 3:30 p.m. Later Friday, Dr. Biden will attend two private political fundraisers in the Greater Seattle area.

FLOTUS pool report #2 – Seattle / Shoreline

Greetings from Seattle and happy autumn!

I'm your pooler for FLOTUS' last two events of the day: a pair of campaign receptions in Shoreline and Mercer Island for the Biden Victory Fund.

(For those unfamiliar with the area, Shoreline and Mercer Island are both suburbs located immediately adjacent to Seattle. Shoreline is Seattle's northern neighbor and Mercer Island lies to the east, in the middle of Lake Washington.)

FLOTUS' motorcade left the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle at 3:28 PM Pacific Time, bound for Shoreline.

We arrived at 3:54 PM after a sunny and pleasant drive. A few folks who might have been nearby residents snapped photos of the motorcade as we pulled into the neighborhood.

According to the campaign, the First Lady's fundraiser in Shoreline is at the home of Jaime Van Horne Robinson and Jaison Robinson. They reside in a mansion on a large, beautiful, and leafy estate with a circular driveway and a spacious, detached garage.

Pool held in a lounge type room above the garage upon arrival.

At 4:12 PM, pool was ushered into the event space. The reception was held on the back patio of the mansion, which has a nice view of Puget Sound flanked by trees. A buffet and cocktail tables were set up along one side of the house for the guests.

Pool spotted Martin Luther King Jr. County Democratic Party Chair Carrie Barnes among the guests, who numbered about one hundred. Some guests were standing and others sitting.

Jaime introduced FLOTUS.

"I can't tear myself away from this beautiful view," FLOTUS said upon stepping in front of the podium. She spoke of how happy she is to be back in Seattle.

She asked if anyone was from Philly; several raised their hands.

FLOTUS recounted meeting POTUS and joked about how many times he had proposed to her, and how she had seen him live out his faith.

"He has an unshakeable hope in the future of our country," she said, going on to tout the administration's record.

She got applause when she mentioned passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (and specifically its climate action provisions), the confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, and POTUS' work to create jobs.

"He did all of this with integrity, with humanity, and with wisdom," FLOTUS said.

POTUS needs four more years to get the job done, she told the crowd.

"My husband… has always been a champion for women," she emphasized.

She mentioned POTUS' decades-long work, including as a U.S. Senator, to defend access to contraception, access to abortion, and writing the Violence Against Women Act.

"Look what's going on. Watch what's going to go on this week," FLOTUS said, lambasting House Republicans for failing to pass legislation to prevent a government shutdown and launching an impeachment inquiry.

"Your choices are so clear," she said, referring to the upcoming 2024 election, characterizing the Republican opposition as marked by chaos and corruption.

She asked attendees to go out and talk to their friends about Biden's record.

"We need you. All of you. Don't let it be like that election in 2016, when we woke up and said to ourselves, 'my God, what have we done,'" she said.

"Together, we're going to win this election, and then we're going to finish the job," she said in closing.

Pool was ushered out at 4:26 PM.

Please reach out with any questions.

More to come.

FLOTUS pool report #3 – Seattle / Mercer Island (last report)

Hello again from the Pacific Northwest!

FLOTUS has finished her final Seattle-area stop, a Mercer Island event for the Biden Victory Fund.

The motorcade departed from Shoreline, the previous stop, at 4:48 PM Pacific and headed to Mercer Island. A little more than ten minutes before the time advertised on the First Lady's schedule for the second reception (6 PM), we were on the island.

As we approached the event location, we passed a neighbor waving and holding a big sign that read "We Love Jill Biden." At about 5:55 PM, a very short distance from our destination, we made an impromptu stop so that FLOTUS could greet a group of enthusiastic kids from the neighborhood.

Pool was invited out of the van to observe, requested permission to take photos, and this request was granted. Please reach out if you'd like any of the photos.

Pool heard FLOTUS discuss her visit to Mercer Island and then explain that she will be getting in her plane to go to California after she departs the neighborhood.

FLOTUS then posed for a photo with the kids (several of whom were wearing Girl Scout uniforms) prior to getting back into the motorcade.

We were on the move again moments later and it took all of two minutes for us to finish our journey.

After a brief hold, pool was escorted to the back of the home of Joe and Judy Schocken, who are the hosts for this Biden Victory Fund reception, according to the campaign. The property abuts Lake Washington, with a dock and shoreline. Most of the guests were seated for the remarks.

Pool was in position to observe at 6:19 PM.

The sun was getting low as the event began, casting the yard in a beautiful evening light.

FLOTUS walked out at 6:22 PM to be introduced by Joe Schocken.

U.S. Representatives Suzan DelBene, Adam Smith, and Kim Schrier (who each represent slices of East King County) were present. They were acknowledged and thanked during the introduction along with the event's many co-hosts, such as former Ambassador Suzi LeVine, who couldn't attend.

An eagle flew overhead just before FLOTUS stepped to the podium, which caught the attention of many of the attendees. Many audibly marveled at the sight.

FLOTUS was given a standing ovation and began speaking at 6:28 PM.

"I think that was a sign, that eagle," FLOTUS said.

As in Shoreline, FLOTUS asked if anyone was from Philly, and two people indicated that they were.

And again, she recounted meeting POTUS, their first date, and Joe Biden's many marriage proposals.

"I knew if I said yes to Joe, it had to be forever," FLOTUS said.

"Over the years I've been continually inspired by his resilience and his optimism."

"Anyone can tell you what they want to do. Joe can tell you what he's done."

FLOTUS highlighted many of the same accomplishments she touted in Shoreline (Inflation Reduction Act/climate, Justice Jackson, jobs), but also declared that POTUS had restored America's credibility on the world stage.

She mentioned her recent trip to New York and emphasized how many people came up to her and said how thankful they were to see wise leadership at the helm of the United States again.

Referring to the Trump years, she drew a contrast with the previous administration, denouncing "U.S. policy dictated by late night tweetstorms," "relentless attacks on our institutions" and "contempt for the rule of law."

FLOTUS framed the choice in the 2024 presidential election as a choice between "chaos, crisis, and corruption, or strong and steady leadership that actually gets things done."

"You helped put him in the White House last election, and we need your help to finish the job. I want to ask you to start now and talk to your friends about what's at stake in this election. I want you to talk about how much my husband Joe Biden has delivered for America," she said.

FLOTUS then asked attendees to remember how they felt the morning after the November 2016 election, repeating her Shoreline comments.

The end of the 2024 presidential election cycle is more than a year away, but FLOTUS urged Biden Victory Fund donors to get engaged now.

"I know it's early, but we're going to start early," she said.

She concluded with (what sounded like, word for word) the same closing line from the Shoreline event and got another standing ovation.

The pool's van separated from the motorcade and departed from the reception at 6:42 PM, while FLOTUS was still mingling with guests.

FLOTUS is next headed to California for the second leg of this West Coast trip, which will include campaign receptions in Los Angeles and San Diego.

It's been a privilege to be your pooler today! Please reach out with any questions and enjoy your weekend.