Pool Reports by Eli Stokols, POLITICO
| Sent: | Reports: |
| June 8, 2024 12:20 CEST |
Out of town pool report #1 - rolling Paris Good afternoon from Paris. Pool did not see POTUS but motorcade is rolling from the RON at 12:20 p.m. local and headed for the Arc de Triomphe and the welcome ceremony. |
| June 8, 2024 12:40 CEST |
Out of town pool report #2 - Arc de Triomphe arrival and ceremony start Paris Motorcade arrived at the Arc de Triomphe at 12:28 p.m. after an uneventful drive past hundreds of onlookers behind barricades along the streets near the RON. Pool moved to a spot across the circle and at 12:32 saw from a distance as POTUS and FLOTUS exited their SUV and greeted President and Mrs. Macron, who had arrived before POTUS departed the RON and been waiting here for a bit. They walked from the front of the Arc past soldiers on both sides as the U.S. national anthem began playing followed by La Marseillaise. At 12:37, the two presidents watched as soldiers laid a large wreath beside the eternal flame that burns beneath the Arc. Then the two both gripped a large sword and placed the end of the sword into the flame. Then they walked back to the front of the flame and stood together. Ceremony ongoing at 12:39… |
| June 8, 2024 13:02 CEST |
Out of town pool report #3 - ceremony wraps Paris Pool continues to be positioned at a distance across the street from the Arc and is watching the ceremony on a giant video board. Picking up the play by play from pool report #2… POTUS, with his hand over his heart, stood next to President Macron as a choir sang the Star Spangled Banner. At 12:43, four jets did a flyover. Bagpipes began playing right after and both presidents passed along a French delegation who were assembled beneath the Arc and shook their hands as President Macron made introductions. At 12:46, the Macrons and then the Bidens signed a guest book on a stand beneath the Arc as the bagpipes continued to play. Then the two presidents moved to shake hands with the flag bearers and then with some uniformed men in wheelchairs. POTUS knelt to speak to several of them and gave one elderly lady a kiss on the hand. They made it to the American delegation at 12:54 and POTUS greeted the dignitaries (see list below) and the Macrons followed behind him. At 12:58, the presidents stood as a man, speaking in French, listed the military branches that took part in the ceremony. Then POTUS and President Macron and both First first ladies walked back out toward their limos. Pool is running back to vans at 1:01. Also, the WH passes along this list of attendees: Traveling with the President and the First Lady via motorcade en route to the Arc de Triomphe: Antony Blinken, Secretary of State |
| June 8, 2024 13:07 CEST |
Out of town pool report #3a - delegation list Paris To clarify, the list of attendees in pool report #3 were those who traveled to the Arc de Triomphe with POTUS. The lists below are the official delegations that just took part in the welcome ceremony. From the WH: The President and the First Lady are greeting President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron of France in an Official Welcome Ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe. U.S. Delegation French Delegation |
| June 8, 2024 13:24 CEST |
Out of town pool report #4 - palace arrival Paris Motorcade was rolling from Arc de Triomphe at 1:07 p.m. Pool spotted a procession on horseback marching down the Champs Élysées as we sped past. Aides said POTUS is not in fact taking part in the parade itself. We arrived at the Élysées Palace at 1:10 and pool moved into the courtyard. At 1:18, the Beast pulled up and through the narrow gate and onto the gravel. POTUS and FLOTUS got out at the start of a red carpet and walked up past a phalanx of uniformed guards. President and Mrs. Macron came down to greet them. All four turned toward a press riser and stood for 30 seconds or so before walking up the steps, waving and posing for photos again, and then turning and heading through the glass doors and into the palace at 1:22. Pool moving now to a hold. |
| June 8, 2024 15:17 CEST |
Out of town pool report #5 - unexpected coffee spray Paris Pool was not expecting anything prior to the press statements but was brought back over to the central part of the palace. After a bit of a wait in the main courtyard, we were brought in at 3:12 p.m. to get a look at POTUS and President Macron having a chat. The two leaders were seated across from one another at a metal patio table outside beneath an umbrella in a beautiful garden. This was billed as a coffee but there was no coffee on the table. POTUS, his back to the pool, was talking but his voice was too low to hear what he's saying, despite us being about 15 feet away. Radio pooler Tam Keith picked up a snippet: Biden saying, "my last conversation with Xi…" But that's all we got for the moment. Pool was there for about 30-45 seconds and then asked to clear out. KJP and Ben LaBolt were also standing with the pool. Heading back to the hold now and will share any audio of the comments if we get it. |
| June 8, 2024 15:33 CEST |
Out of town pool report #6 - awaiting press statements + bit more of Biden quote Paris Pool has moved into the room for the press statements. More members of the press here than just the two pools. There are two lecterns set up in front of flags and a big white backdrop that, lest anyone be confused by the setup, reminds us that this is a "Press Statement" and not a press conference. Will send timing update if/when we have one, but the press statements will be available to all in real time on whitehouse.gov/live Additionally, here is a bit more on the very hard to hear Biden comments to Macron outside just a moment ago. According to AP's Chris Megerian, Biden said something about coordinating and investing at home. Then he said "My last discussion with Xi, he said to me, he said, why are we talking about putting a tariff on some of the vehicles. And I said it's a simple reason, I said you're not abiding by any of the [inaudible.]" |
| June 8, 2024 16:09 CEST |
Out of town pool report #7 - statements underway sorry, no 2-min warning given. They just walked in at 4:09 Aides entered the room at 4:07 and are seated in the first couple rows. This is open press and available at whitehouse.gov/live |
| June 8, 2024 16:26 CEST |
Out of town pool report #8 - press statements end + notes Press statements concluded at 4:25 after 16 minutes of comments. They walked off stage quickly and ignored a shouted question about whether they came to an agreement on redirecting the seized Russian assets. Macron spoke first for about 11 minutes, talking about the US-France alliance and thanking Biden for the US playing a "critical role" on Ukraine, noting that "we see eye to eye" on the response to the war. He said he hopes all the allies will agree to a $50b peace fund for Ukraine. Macron also expressed support for the peace proposal for Gaza that Biden outlined over a week ago. Thanks Biden for being "a clear and loyal partner who respects Europeans and who wants to build on these agreements" and for "honoring Paris, Normandy and France" with his visit. Biden began speaking at 4:20 and said, "as a student of French history," it was "a moving experience" for him to be at the Arc de Triomphe welcome ceremony. He welcomed the safe rescue of four hostages freed in Israel and said "we won't stop working" until all are released. He then spoke about how special it was meeting with D-day veterans this week and that he won't ever forget it. "This week, we have shown the world once again the power of allies and what we can achieve when we stand together." He touted the $61 billion defense aid package for Ukraine and again apologized for it taking six months to get through Congress. "You know Putin's not going to stop at Ukraine. All of Europe will be threatened. The United States is not going to let that happen ... we will not walk away." "Every day the French people and the American people are connected in countless ways." "The bonds between our nation are strong, vast and rooted in the most important element: shared values." |
| June 8, 2024 16:38 CEST |
Out of town pool report # 9 - motorcade rolling Paris Motorcade was rolling away from Élysées Palace at 4:33 pm. Pulled up to the RON at 4:37. Expected to hold here until returning for the dinner. |
| June 8, 2024 16:52 CEST |
Out of town pool report #10 - lunch lid Back at the RON. We have a lunch lid until 6:20p local. |
| June 8, 2024 19:19 CEST |
Out of town pool report #11 - rolling Paris Motorcade is rolling away from the RON at 7:19 p.m. and headed back to the Élysées Palace for the state dinner. No eyes on POTUS as he departed. Jake Sullivan chatted with the pool for a few minutes outside the RON while we waited to load up. No news was made. |
| June 8, 2024 19:31 CEST |
Out of town pool report # 12 - palace arrival Paris Motorcade arrived at the Élysées Palace again at 7:24. The Beast pulled through the courtyard gates at 7:25 and onto the gravel as the military band began to play. POTUS and FLOTUS got out and were greeted by President and Mrs. Macron. POTUS wore a black suit with a black tie. FLOTUS wore a blue dress with a large white bow in the back (help us out, Kate Bennett). They turned to the photographer riser for a moment and then stepped inside at 7:28. |
| June 8, 2024 19:36 CEST |
Out of town pool report #13 - receiving line Pool has moved to a hold room. From the WH: The President and the First Lady are participating in a receiving line with the following participants: Mr. Gérard Larcher, President of the Senate |
| June 8, 2024 20:28 CEST |
Out of town pool report #14 - toasts Paris Pool entered the palace at 8:12 for the dinner toasts. Macron started to speak (in French) at 8:13 at the far end of the ornate, columned ballroom. Lots of gilding on the ceiling, walls and columns, and large crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Pink peonies and roses and candles in the center of the tables. Macron drew sustained applause — a standing ovation, in fact — when he recognized the 100-year-old D-day veteran, Harold Terens, who just married his 96-year-old girlfriend at Normandy and wished them a happy marriage (thanks to co-pooler extraordinaire Aurélia End for translating). "We are allies and allies we shall remain," Macron concluded, as glasses clinked and were raised at 8:21. POTUS began right after. "France was our first ally, and that's not insignificant," he said, again crediting France for helping the U.S. secure its freedom from Britain. "This has been the most remarkable trip I've ever made," he said about his time in France. He spoke about the "audacious mission" of D-day and how troops who came ashore were given a pocket guide to France with useful tips. "No bragging, the French don't like it." He got a few laughs as he went through some other examples. "France and the United States have always been there for one another," Biden said. "We stand together to defend the very values that are the soul of our two nations." Asking attendees to raise a glass, he concluded: "May we continue to seek democracy … and may we always stay together." The two presidents and their spouses stood together and toasted. Pool ushered out at 8:26 and headed back to our hold. |
| June 8, 2024 22:33 CEST |
Out of town pool report #15 - rolling Paris Motorcade was rolling away from the palace at 10:32 p.m. as the sky had finally just darkened. Guests were departing out of the main doors and walking across the gravel courtyard as the pool moved to vans. Pool spotted Pharrell Williams in a cowboy hat wandering out into the Rue du Faubourg St. Honore and walking away. He walked past and did not seem interested in chatting with the pool but he did say the dinner was "great" and encourage us to "have a blessed day." |
| June 8, 2024 22:44 CEST |
Out of town pool report #16 - RON and lid Paris Motorcade arrived back at the RON at 10:36 p.m. Pool did not see POTUS and FLOTUS enter the building. Travel/photo lid called at 10:43. À bientôt! |
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Pool Reports of June 8, 2024 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/372640