Pool Reports of May 20, 2024

WH out of town pool report #1/ POTUS on the move in Delaware

Hi everyone,

Pool is at POTUS's residence in Delaware, from which the motorcade set off at 12.51pm.

Due to a bad weather call, POTUS is motorcading to DANG and flying on AF1 to JBA.

WH out of town pool report #2/ Arrival at DANG

The motorcade arrived at DANG at 1pm after an uneventful journey.

POTUS boarded AF1 at 1.03pm. Pool did not see him. We are taking off soon.

WH out of town pool 3

From the White House press office:

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

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Chief of Staff & Executive Secretary
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President'

WH out of town pool report #4/ POTUS lands at JBA

AF1 took off at 1.13pm and landed at JBA at 1.34pm after an uneventful flight.

WH out of town pool report #5/ No response to shouted questions

POTUS came down the AF1 stairs at 1.43pm and got into his vehicle without responding to shouted questions about Iran. Motorcade set off a couple of minutes later.

Handing off to in-town pool.

In-town Pool Report #1: Motorcade rolling to WH

Good afternoon from JBA.

POTUS walked off AF1 at 1:43 p.m, and the motorcade started rolling back to the White House at 1:46.

In-town Pool Report #2: WH arrival

The motorcade arrived at the White House at 2:07 p.m. The pool did not see POTUS enter the White House.

In-town Pool Report #3: Lunch lid

We have a lunch lid until 3:30 p.m.

In-town Pool Report #4: pool gathering

Pool is gathering for the Rose Garden celebration for Jewish American Heritage Month.

In-town Pool Report #5: event starting

The event in the Rose Garden just started. The Second Gentleman is speaking first, followed by POTUS. Event is being live-streamed.

Pool spotted Sen. Jackie Rosen, Rep. Jared Moskowitz, Hunter Biden and Melissa Cohen among the many guests at the White House.

In-Town Pool Report #6: guests and photo line

From the White House:

The President and the Second Gentleman are speaking at a celebration for Jewish American Heritage Month in the Rose Garden.

Speaking Program
The Second Gentleman
The President

Notable Attendees
The Vice President
Attorney General Merrick Garland, U.S. Department of Justice
Nani Coloretti, Deputy Director, Office of Management and Budget
Jason Miller, Deputy Director, Office of Management and Budget
Dr. Heather Boushey, Council of Economic Advisers

Participating in a photoline with the President, the Vice President and the Second Gentleman:

Senator Ron Wyden (OR)
Senator Ben Cardin (MD)
Senator Jacky Rosen (NV)
Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-9)
Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (FL-25)
Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-8)
Rep. Sara Jacobs (CA-51)
Rep. Susan Wild (PA-7)
Rep. Kathy Manning (NC-6)
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (FL-23)
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin (NJ)

In-Town Pool Report #7: POTUS remarks conclude

POTUS concluded his remarks at 5:45 p.m.

Notable quotes:

He said what's happening in Gaza "is not genocide"

He added there's "no equivalence" between Israel and Hamas when discussing the ICC arrest warrants

POTUS is now working the rope line but pool is stationed at the far end of Rose Garden and can't see him.

In-Town Pool Report #8: POTUS exit

POTUS left the Rose Garden at 6:12 and returned to the Oval Office.

In-Town Pool Report #9: lid

The White House called a lid at 6:53 p.m.

Have a good night!

In-Town Pool Report #10: Readout of POTUS calls with McConnell and Johnson

From the White House:

Last week, President Biden spoke to Leader Schumer and Leader Jeffries. Today, President Biden spoke to Speaker Johnson and Leader McConnell. It's been over 100 days since Congressional Republicans blocked the bipartisan bill that included the toughest and fairest reforms to secure the border in decades. In these calls, President Biden reiterated that Congressional Republicans should stop playing politics and act quickly to pass this bipartisan border legislation that would add thousands of Border Patrol agents and personnel, invest in technology to catch fentanyl and combat drug trafficking, and make our country safer