Vice Presidential Pool Reports of September 20, 2024

VP pool report #1: JBA departure

Greetings from JBA. I will be your pooler for today's trip to Georgia and Wisconsin.

Marine Two touched down at JBA at 12:48 pm.

The VP stepped off the helicopter four minutes later and walked the short distance to AF2. She waved to the pool before heading up the stairs to the plane. She waved again at the top of the stairs and boarded at 12:52 pm.

We are wheels up shortly for Georgia.

VP pool report #2: GA arrival

AF2 was wheels down at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia, at 2:21 pm.

The VP stepped off the plane at 2:36 pm. She shook hands with Sen. Jon Ossoff and chatted briefly with him and the other greeters. She waved to the pool before getting into a black Suburban.

Before departure from JBA, the VP came to the back of the plane and spoke to the pool OTR for roughly seven minutes.

We are rolling toward Atlanta at 2:40 pm.

VP pool report #3

Motorcade arrived at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre at 2:51 pm after an uneventful ride.

VP pool report #4: VP takes the stage

The VP took the stage at 3:20 pm to cheers and a standing ovation.

She is speaking from a stage with a giant American flag as the backdrop and two large blue signs that read: "1 in 3 women lives under a Trump abortion ban"

Shortly before she took the stage, the crowd chanted: "We're not going back! We're not going back!"

The campaign says there are 600 people here for the event.

The VP's remarks are being streamed on C-SPAN.

On behalf of the Harris-Walz campaign

Vice President Harris is delivering remarks on reproductive freedom at a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia.

Speakers:
State Representative Shea Roberts
Dr. Michelle Nelson
State Representative Park Cannon

Program:
Dr. Keisha Reddick, Georgia Ob-Gyn, Introducer
Vice President Harris

VP pool report #5: VP remarks

The VP started her remarks by saying the election is a fight for freedom, including the right for women to make decisions about their own bodies and not have the government tell them what to do.

"We all know how we got here," she said, stressing that when Donald Trump was president, he handpicked three members of the Supreme Court who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade.

She said a woman doesn't have to abandon her faith to believe that the government should not be telling her what to do.

She spoke of two Georgia women – Amber Thurman and Candi Miller – who died after, she said , they were not able to get the medical care they needed because of the state's six-week abortion ban.

Amber "had her future all planned out." But when she found out she was pregnant, the VP said, she decided to have an abortion. Because of Georgia's six-week abortion ban, she said, she could not get the care she needed. Doctors should not have to wait "until the patient is at death's door" before they provide care. But she said Amber had to wait for 20 hours until she was finally in so much distress that doctors that it would be OK to treat her.

The VP recalled meeting Amber's mother and she said she promised her that she will make sure Amber is not remembered as a statistic.

"To those women, to those families, I say … you are no alone, and we are all here."

She reminded the crowd that Donald Trump said he was proud to be the person who got Roe v. Wade overturned. "He is proud, proud that women are dying, proud that doctors and nurses can be thrown in prison" for administering medical care.

"And now, Donald Trump says that he would personally cast his vote in Florida, which is where he now lives, to support their extreme abortion ban just like the one that's here in Georgia," she said.

If Trump is elected again, she said she is certain he will sign a national abortion ban.

She finished speaking at 3:44 p.m.

VP pool report #6: Rolling

Motorcade is rolling back to the airport at 3:47 pm.

VP pool report #7: Back at airport

Motorcade arrived back at Dobbins Air Reserve Base at 3:59 pm after a short, uneventful ride.

The VP posed for photos on the tarmac with a group of 10 people and boarded AF2 at 4:02 pm. The pool has asked for the names of those in the photo line and will pass that info along if it is provided.

We are wheels up shortly for Wisconsin.

VP pool report #8: Madison arrival

AF2 landed at Dane County Regional Airport at 4:51 pm CT.

The VP walked down the steps of the plane at 5:03 pm. She shook hands with her greeters, talked with them briefly and posed for photos before getting into her Suburban. Greeters' names are below.

We are rolling at 5:08 pm CT.

Greeters:
- Governor Tony Evers (D-WI)
- Kathy Evers, Wife of Governor Evers
- Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez (D-WI)
- Attorney General Josh Kaul (D-WI)
- Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski (D-WI)

VP pool report #9: Arrival at coliseum

Motorcade arrived at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Madison at 5:30 pm CT.

A group of bystanders held up the Palestinian flag as the motorcade passed. One man in the group gave the thumbs down.

Pool did not see the VP enter the building.

VP pool report #10: VP takes stage

The VP took the stage at 6:07 pm CT after being introduced by Bill Carroll, president of the Teamsters Joint Council 39.

Carroll called the VP "a lifelong champion of workers."

The coliseum appears to be filled to capacity. The campaign estimates the crowd at more than 10,500.

WiFi in the arena is really spotty, so apologies in advance if pool reports are slow in arriving.

The VP's remarks will be streamed on C-SPAN, so I do not plan to send quotes but will send color.

VP pool report #11: VP finishes remarks

The VP finished her remarks at 6:37 pm CT. She spoke for 30 minutes.

She told the crowd the election would be close right up to the end and urged them not to pay too much attention to the polls.

"We have some hard work ahead of us."

The VP said the country is ready for a new generation of leadership that is optimistic about what can be accomplished together.

She spoke about protecting reproductive freedom, her proposal to provide a tax deduction to help entrepreneurs start small businesses and her plan to give first-time homeowners a $25,000 down payment in assistance to help them get their foot in the door.

She warned that the consequences of putting Donald Trump back in office "are extremely serious."

"Just google Project 2025," she said.

The crowd jumped to its feet and cheered when she said, "We are not going back!"

VP pool report #12: Rolling

Motorcade is rolling toward the airport at 6:41 pm CT.

VP pool report #13: Back at airport

Motorcade arrived back at Dane County Regional Airport at 7:05 pm CT as the setting sun was disappearing over the horizon.

The VP posed for photos on the tarmac with a photo line of roughly a dozen people and boarded AF2 at 7:10 pm CT.

We are wheels up shortly for JBA.

VP pool report #14: JBA arrival

AF2 landed at JBA at 9:50 pm.

The VP walked down the stairs of the plane at 10 pm and headed to Marine Two.

The helicopter was wheels up at 10:05 pm.

VP pool report #15: Lid

The VP's office says she arrived back at her residence at 10:22 pm.

We have a lid.

Have a great weekend, everybody.