Vice Presidential Pool Reports of March 9, 2024

VP travel pool report #1

Hola hola! Your print pooler is back at it today on this sunny, beautiful day in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

VP Harris arrived at LAX around 11:46 a.m.

Wheels up: ~11:58 a.m.

Wheels down in Vegas: ~12:42 p.m.

We're heading to a high school in North Las Vegas for a Latino-focused campaign event.

She was greeted by Rep. Steven Horsford, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, and Attorney General Aaron Ford (D-Nevada) upon her arrival in Vegas.

ICYMI including the campaign's statement that went out earlier today on Voto Latino endorsing the Biden-Harris for reelection —

The following is a statement from Biden-Harris 2024 Campaign Manager Julie Chavez Rodriguezfollowing the endorsement of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for reelection by Voto Latino at Vice President Kamala Harris' rally in Las Vegas:

"This election, there is so much at stake for Latinos – for our families, our freedoms, and our health care. Donald Trump isn't just running on an anti-Latino platform; he's using our community as a political punching bag for his extremist campaign. Well, Donald Trump doesn't know the power of our vote.

"President Biden and Vice President Harris are honored to earn the support of Voto Latino. They've spent their first term delivering progress on the issues that matter most to our community and are running to fight for our rights, our safety, and to create more opportunity for Latinos. It was in no small part due to Voto Latino and their powerful coalition of Latino voters – who saw the damage Donald Trump had inflicted on our community and nation - and who also organized, worked, and won, sending Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to the White House in 2020. And it is because of Voto Latino that we've been able to make so much progress: rebuilding our economy from the bottom up and middle out, taking on Big Pharma and winning to lower prescription drug prices, making historic investments in our small businesses, and addressing gun violence. Together, we'll defeat Donald Trump again this November, so we can continue to make progress for Latinos and keep our country moving forward."

Voto Latino's statement here: https://x.com/votolatino/status/1766515631698973132?s=46

VP travel pool report #2

Rep. Steven Horsford, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, spoke for a few minutes about ways the Biden administration has been delivering for Latinos and working families in Nevada and across the country.

Speaking at Mojave High School in North Las Vegas, Horsford got an applause when he highlighted that Biden called for raises for teachers in his State of the Union address. He also got applause as he mentioned Biden's work to address housing and health-care costs, including capping the cost of insulin for seniors.

And, of course, need to mention today's playlist. Songs include: La Vida Es Un Carnaval by the legend Celia Cruz, Real Groove by Kylie Minogue and Como Te Voy A Olvidar by Los Angeles Azules.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto slammed former President Donald Trump directly, saying immigrants are not "poisoning the blood of our country," in a reference to comments he has previously made.

"Are we going to let Donald Trump say those things and get away with it?" she asked the crowd. People in the crowd of a couple hundred people yelled no.

Maria Teresa Kumar, head of Voto Latino, introduced Harris to the stage. She led the crowd in a chant: "Four more years."

Kumar said: "The reason that Donald Trump spreads hateful rhetoric is that he's afraid — he's afraid of a multicultural America. Look around. This is the coalition that brought Biden-Harris to the White House. We'll do it again and he knows that. We have the power because we have the numbers and the vision and the passion…"

Kumar announced the Latino organization's endorsement of Biden-Harris, saying they have earned the community's trust. Kumar also announced Voto Latino will invest $44 million to get Latinos energized and out to vote.

"If you're tired and exhausted, it's because you're putting it all on the field."

Harris took the stage with La Vida Es Un Carnaval playing and loud applause from the crowd. Some voters held Latinos con Biden Harris signs.

Harris made mention of her relationship with her mother to connect with attendees: "So like so many of the leaders in this room, my mother raised my sister and me to understand the value of hard work, the importance of community and the responsibility that we each have to each other, to serve for the greater good."

Harris was interrupted by an attendee/protestor. What she said was inaudible from the press area but Harris stopped her remarks and said: "Everyone has a chance to speak. Right now, I'm speaking…" The person was removed from the event.

Got a loud applause when she said she will continue to fight for an assault weapons ban.

Harris slammed Trump for standing in the way of the bipartisan border security bill that Biden wanted to get passed and signed into law.

"We want to fix this problem but the former president wants to run on it 'cause he ain't got nothing else to run on."

"His fight is not for the people. He fights for himself."

She quoted Maya Angelou saying when someone tells you who they are, believe them the first time. She pointed to Trump as someone who has shown the American people who he is.

"In this election we all face a question… what kind of country do we want to live in?"

When Harris wrapped up, she worked the front of the stage taking selfies and having brief conversations with supporters there. One young man wiped tears after she hugged him. Vivir Mi Vida by Marc Anthony was playing.

VP travel pool report #3

Harris made a brief stop at Broadacres Marketplace, where she walked through meeting a few business owners. And now she's off to the air base to fly out from Vegas.

-fin-

More background from the Biden-Harris Campaign (much of which was included in pool report #2 but just in case):

In the latest stop of her Western swing, Vice President Harris held a campaign event on Saturday at Mojave High School in North Las Vegas to mobilize Latino voters and underscore the stakes of this election for families.

Vice President Harris drew a sharp contrast between the Biden-Harris administration's work to lower costs and protect health care access for Latinos and Donald Trump's agenda of killing Nevada jobs and threatening Nevadans' personal freedoms.

The Vice President was introduced at the event by Maria Teresa Kumar, the President of Voto Latino. Earlier on Saturday, Voto Latino endorsed President Biden and Vice President Harris for re-election, saying "their exceptional first term has earned our trust – and our votes. But the job's not done."

Immediately prior to the event, Vice President Harris held a meeting with Latino community leaders who have been guiding organizing efforts on behalf of the campaign on the ground in Nevada.