Pool Reports of September 27, 2024

In town pool #1 - Gathering

Good morning,

Your pool has gathered for the ride to JBA. The President is motorcading following a bad weather call.

In town pool #2 - Rolling

The motorcade started rolling to JBA at 9:03 am.

Your pooler did not see the President.

In town pool #3 - JBA

The motorcade came to a stop on the tarmac at 9:28 am after an uneventful drive.

Handing off to the travel pool now.

Have a good day!

Adding this note from the WH

Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to Joint Base Andrews:

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff

Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting

Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach

Emilie Simons, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Deputy Press Secretary

Terry Wolff, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Senior Director for the Middle East & North Africa Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

Out of town pool report #1- JBA

Good morning from JBA.

President Biden's motorcade arrived at 9:27am. He exited an armored car 2 minutes later and waved to the media, not stopping to talk. He boarded AF1.

We will be wheels up for Scranton shortly.

Out of town pool #2- traveling with

Passing along-

Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport:

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach
Emilie Simons, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Deputy Press Secretary
Terry Wolff, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Senior Director for the Middle East & North Africa
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

Out of town pool report #3- wheels down

AF1 was wheels down at Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport around 10:15am.

Biden deplaned at 10:24am. He walked right to the beast. We are rolling at 10:27am.

Out of town pool report #4- FEMA briefing

Passing along—

This morning, the President was briefed by FEMA Administrator Criswell on the initial impacts of Helene, and he is praying for everyone affected by the storm, including those who lost their lives and the survivors who are still facing its impacts.

At his direction, the FEMA Administrator will travel to Florida to survey the damage and meet with state and local officials. The President has approved emergency declaration requests from the Governors of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. At the President's direction, over 1,500 FEMA and federal personnel have been deployed to the region, including 11 Urban Search and Rescue teams, medical teams and power restoration teams. Federal resources have supported approximately 400 rescues.

The Administration stands ready to provide further support as needed and remains in close touch at the state and local level. This storm will still have dangerous effects as it travels northward and the President continues to urge residents to remain vigilant and heed the instructions of local officials.

Out of town pool report #5- arrival

Motorcade arrived at a church at 10:45am. We did not see the president walk in.

The President is attending the funeral of his childhood best friend, Thomas Bell.

Harris-Walz signs were spotted and one Biden for President sign along the drive from the airport.

Out of town pool report #6- church

Your pooler is now in St Paul's Catholic Church, where Biden is attending the funeral and is expected to give a eulogy.

Out of town pool report #7- eulogy

Biden was seated during the funeral mass in the front row, in the right aisle. He began his eulogy at 12:20pm.

He said he was baptized in this church and that him and Bell went to school at St. Paul's and their families were friends for generations.

"Tommy knew how much I cared about the Bell family and how much I cared about Scranton."

"Scranton climbs in your heart. There's no way of getting it out, even if I wanted to. I don't."

Biden mentioned the gang of four (a childhood friend group made up of him, Bell, and two others). Biden said on Saturdays they would come home from watching movies, climbing from tree limbs together and using their imagination to envision crocodiles in the river.

"Tommy was an unusual man. He was, everything was an adventure. Nothing was mundane. The ordinary was boring and the extraordinary was thrilling."

The president mentioned that he stuttered as a kid--

"Tommy would look at me and say Joe… you can do anything, you can be anything, he was like a coach. He was a friend with a special heart who always put light in your heart."

He also called him "a friend who was larger than life."

"When you're with Tommy, you knew you could win."

Biden recalled when he announced for president, Bell convinced him he could win.

"A friend with a special grace who could laugh away fear."

"All the years later, no matter what was going on, I was his Joe and he was Tommy. Nothing changed in our relationship."

"Tommy lived the way we should, not reckless but still all out… nothing held back."

"Tommy always believed hope and history did rhyme," Biden said, citing the Irish poet Seamus Heaney.

"The fact is that Tommy had an incredible impact on people, an incredible impact on my family."

Biden said his sister, Valerie, cried on the phone for about five minutes when he told her Bell died.

Biden said if he had to define Bell in a single word: "character."

"Immense character," "extraordinary character."

The president become emotional during his eulogy--

"I apologize, I'm supposed to be the president and not get emotional, but Tommy brings out all the emotion in me. I could always count on Tommy and hope he knew he could always count on me as well."

The president recalled that after Beau died, he found comfort in Bell and in his church.

"To Tommy's family, I know it's hard to believe, but having lost a son, a daughter, a wife…they will come…when you open that closet and smell a fragrance … brings a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye."

The president paused for a few seconds, getting emotional for a second time--

"Tommy was a —," he said, pausing again. "All these years, we stayed close, it matters."

"I apologize for getting emotional. I thank you all for allowing me to participate."

He said he used to joke with Bell that they both married above "their station."

Biden ended his eulogy at 12:31pm. Some people in the crowd stood up to clap for him. He gave himself the sign of the cross and sat back down in the pew.

Your pooled walked out of the church a minute later. Now holding in the vans.

Before Biden spoke, Bell's daughter gave a eulogy.

Biden embraced her when he walked up for his remarks and she kissed him on the cheek.

She thanked the president at the beginning of her eulogy for being there for their family and for calling her mother last week. She said it wasn't surprising the Biden was at the funeral because he's the living embodiment of the idea that all roads lead back to Scranton.

She also said that her father, Biden, and two others were the four horsemen as young boys and were inseparable.

Out of town pool report #8- Beirut/ Helene

Per a White House official:

After he gave his eulogy, the president was briefed on the strikes in Beirut by his national security team and separately was briefed on the latest impacts of Hurricane Helene.

The pool is still holding in the vans outside the church.

Out of town pool report #9- rolling

The motorcade is rolling from St. Paul's Catholic Church in Scranton at 1:43pm.

We did not see Biden enter the motorcade.

Out of town pool report #10- boarded AF1

Motorcade arrived at the airport at 2pm and Biden boarded right away. He turned and saluted at the top of the steps.

We will be wheels up for Dover shortly.

Passing along.

Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Dover Air Force Base:

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach
Emilie Simons, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Deputy Press Secretary
Terry Wolff, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Senior Director for the Middle East & North Africa
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

Out of town pool report #11- wheels down/ questions

AF1 was wheels down in Dover at 2:42pm.

Biden deplaned at 2:50pm.

Biden answered some shouted questions--

A reporter asked if he supports Israel's decision to try to kill Nasrallah:

"The United States had no knowledge of or participation in the IDF action."

"We're gathering information."

"Need to get more information," added in.

On the US Steele sale:- "I haven't changed my mind."

How concerned are you about escalation (in the middle east):

"I'm always concerned about that."

How concerned are you about the hurricane?

"It looks bad, there are 25 people dead and rising waters."

Handing off now to the supplemental poll.

Out of town pool report #12- greeter

Passing along--

Greeting the President upon arrival to Dover Air Force Base:

Colonel William McDonald, Wing Commander

Supplemental pool report #1 — Rolling from Dover

Hello from Dover AFB, I'm picking up from the out of town pooler. The president landed at 2:41pm and we saw him speak to the out of town pool after he got off the plane.

There was a bad weather call. Motorcade is now rolling to Rehoboth Beach.

Supplemental pool report #2 — Rehoboth

We dropped the president off at his home at 3:41pm. Motorcade was uneventful. We're holding near his residence.

Supplemental pool report #3 — Lid

We have lid as of 4pm. Have a great evening!

Supplemental pool report #4 — POTUS briefed on Middle East

From the White House:

President Biden has been briefed several times today by his national security team on the latest developments in the Middle East. He has directed the Pentagon to assess and adjust as necessary U.S. force posture in the region to enhance deterrence, ensure force protection, and support the full range of U.S. objectives. He has also directed his team to ensure that U.S. embassies in the region take all protective measures as appropriate. The President will continue to receive regular updates.