Pool Reports by Matt Viser, The Washington Post
| Sent: | Reports: |
| October 13, 2024 07:27 |
Out of town pool report #1 / rolling to JBA A good early Sunday morning from the White House, where the sun has started to rise and the motorcade started to roll at 7:26am. We left from the North Lawn, caught a brief glimpse of POTUS emerging out the main door, and are now heading to JBA for the trip to Florida. The full schedule is outlined in the daily guidance, but after arriving in Tampa we are expecting an aerial tour, briefing, meeting with first responders and families, and remarks. |
| October 13, 2024 07:57 |
Out of town pool report #2 / Lifting from JBA The brisk motorcade ride was relatively uneventful — the sun peeking up over the Capitol as we drove down Pennsylvania Avenue the main highlight — and we arrived at the JBA tarmac at 7:47am. POTUS, in khaki pants and a blue blazer, emerged and walked up the stairs at 7:49am. AF1 is moving and heading for takeoff at 7:56am. A list of travelers, in the motorcade and aboard AF1, are below 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 Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to MacDill Air Force Base: Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Department of Energy |
| October 13, 2024 10:06 |
Out of town pool report #3 / wheels down in Tampa AF1 landed at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa at 9:44am, after an uneventful flight where MSNBC was on the TVs and the press cabin received no visitors. After taxing for several minutes, POTUS emerged at 9:58am to greet several officials awaiting him, hugging and shaking hands. POTUS is in aviators and stripped shirt, with black tennis shoes and a black cap. The group of greeters, according to the WH, included: Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) POTUS didn't come over and engines were too loud for shouted questions. He walked the other direction to board Marine One at 10:04am. We are now heading toward Ospreys and soon lifting for an aerial tour of storm damage. |
| October 13, 2024 10:45 |
Out of town pool report #4 / aerial tour We lifted around 10:10am, largely in conjunction with Marine One (and had views out the back of the Osprey of Marine One). We flew over Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg, with a view overhead of Tropicana Field, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays where the roof was ripped off by Hurricane Milton. We then went up the coast near Treasure Island and St. Pete Beach before circling back toward downtown St Petersburg and landing at Albert Whitted Airport (where there is some noticeable damage by the hangers). Joining the President aboard Marine One for the tour, according to the WH: Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Department of Energy Marine One touched down at 10:39am, and POTUS was greeted by: Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13) We are next heading for a briefing. |
| October 13, 2024 11:10 |
Out of town pool report #5 / briefing arrival Motorcade was rolling at 10:48am, and passed onlookers amid downed tree limbs. We slowed a bit as we passed by Tropicana Field, with a clear view of the damaged roof. We passed debris off the side of the road and billboards that contained the structures but with signage blown away. As we arrived at St. Pete Beach, damage was extensive, with mattresses, filing cabinets, couches all sitting outside homes. Some had messages spray painted on signs, appliances, and old mattresses, including one that read "Mayor, Gov, Mr Pres, Small Businesses Need Help Too." One had "Family owned and devastated." Another, simply, "Help us." There wasn't too much dissent noticed, although one man gave a middle finger as the motorcade passed, another had a sign that read "FJB." Motorcade arrived at 11:05am. One aspect of note as POTUS arrived after the aerial tour: The first to greet him getting off Marine One was Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican and frequent critic of Biden whose district nearby is among those impacted. Hat tip to eagle eye co-pooler, WSJ's Jimmy Vielkind. |
| October 13, 2024 11:23 |
Out of town pool report #6 / briefing POTUS emerged from his car at 11:08am and was greeted by several people, including Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla). He walked over to a spot that had a map positioned on one easel and a photo of flooded streets from the area on another. POTUS was briefed about the storm and its aftermath. It was difficult to hear but they presented POTUS with details about search and rescue missions and the significance of some of the damage. Pool is being repositioned, about a half block away to an area where he is scheduled to greet first responders and people impacted by the storm. Details from the WH on the operational briefing at St. Pete Beach Residential Area: Participants Attendees |
| October 13, 2024 11:35 |
Out of town pool report #7 / greeting residents and first responders POTUS walked over to an area on 73rd Avenue where there were about a dozen residents, in shorts and t-shirts, and a dozen first responders, in uniforms. He interacted with each person, handing out challenge coins as he shook hands. Sen. Rick Scott and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna were right behind him, a rare moment of bipartisanship. The street is full of debris in front of each home, with remnants of what once stood. There's appliances, dangled wires, mattresses, and grocery carts. We have moved over to where POTUS is scheduled to deliver his remarks momentarily. The backdrop is a collapsed home and a few palm trees still standing. Remarks will be streamed but pool will try to flag anything else of note. |
| October 13, 2024 11:59 |
Out of town pool #8 / remarks POTUS spoke for about eight minutes amid rubble, a destroyed home behind him and debris on the street next to him. As he walked through the uneven ground leading to the lectern, he held the arm of Cathie Perkins, director of Pinellas County emergency management. "Thankfully, the storm impact was not as cataclysmic as we'd predicted," he said. "But for some individuals, it was cataclysmic…entire neighborhoods were flooded and millions without power." He recounted the story of his home being struck by lightening, and fearful that he'd lose momentos that couldn't be replaced. "The thing I was most concerned about was not just the home was all those things, all those all those pictures I saved my and my daughter drawings when she was little." He also talked about having bipartisan support amid disaster. "It's in moments like this, we come together to take care of each other, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans," he said. "We are one United States, one United States. I also came here to talk about all the progress we have made together." POTUS also announced $612 million to support communities unplaced by recent hurricanes, which includes $47 million for Gainesville Regional Utilities and another $47 million for Florida Power and Light. "This funding will not only restore power, but will make the region's power system stronger and more capable," he said. He closed by thanking first responders. "This is all team effort, folks. You made a big difference in a save lives. But there's much more to do. And we're going to do everything we can to get power back in your home, not only helping you recover, but to help you build back stronger." After POTUS concluded his remarks, he turned it over to a trio of other speakers: Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Department of Energy The remarks concluded at 11:52pm, and pool hustled to the vans. Motorcade rolling at 11:57pm. |
| October 13, 2024 12:21 |
Out of town pool report #9 / lifting for Tampa Motorcade again traveled past damaged homes and businesses, fallen trees and the views of the Tropicana Field roof. We arrived back at Albert Whitted Airport at 12:14pm, with POTUS getting on Marine One and pool into Ospreys. We are lifting shortly to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. |
| October 13, 2024 12:46 |
Out of town pool report #10 / POTUS comments POTUS came over to poolbefore boarding AF1. Asked where Gov. DeSantis was today and if he spoke to him today: "No I didn't" "By the way I think we're making real progress. Everybody seems pretty happy with the way it's going," he said. "The next thing is to make sure we get money in there for small businesses…Republicans and Democrats are happy with what we're doing. We're making progress." When asked why he gave permission to deploy the THAAD, anti missile defense system, to Israel, he responded: "To defend Israel." He declined follow up questions as he left to board AF1. We earlier had a short flight across the Tampa Bay, with Marine One landed at MacDill Air Force Base at 12:30pm. Those traveling in Marine One for that trip, according to the WH: Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Department of Energy After arriving, POTUS came over briefly. We should be wheels up momentarily, heading to Philadelphia. |
| October 13, 2024 14:47 |
Out of town pool report #11 / wheels down AF1 was wheels down in Philadelphia at 2:39pm. Uneventful flight, with no visitors to the back cabin. TVs switched partway through the flight from MSNBC to NFL's Sunday Ticket, displaying four games at once. From the WH, here are those who were traveling with the president en route to Philadelphia International Airport: Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Department of Energy |
| October 13, 2024 15:06 |
Out of town pool report #12 / Marine One lifts POTUS walked off from AF1 at 2:57pm, carrying his cap in his hand. He walked about 30 yards on the tarmac to board Marine One, which lifted at 3:04pm. Traveling with POTUS on Marine One, according to WH: Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff One added note on Gov. DeSantis: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told the pool that he, like other state officials, was invited to participate in the events POTUS had today in Florida. But the WH did not hear back from him. Many thanks to co-pooler Jimmy Vielkind of WSJ for the help on a day with lots of movements, and enjoy your Sundays one and all. Handling off to the supplemental pool, awaiting POTUS at Delaware Air National Guard Base. |
| October 13, 2024 15:11 |
Out of town pool report #13 / Roy Cooper call Passing along from the WH: The President spoke by phone today with North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, to discuss ongoing recovery and rebuilding efforts following Hurricane Helene. The White House also released a Fact Sheet on the Biden-Harris Administration's recovery efforts in North Carolina: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/10/13/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-continues-recovery-efforts-in-north-carolina-following-hurricane-helene/ [whitehouse.gov] |
Pool Reports below by Danny Kemp, Agence France-Presse
| Sent: | Reports: |
| October 13, 2024 15:30 |
Supplemental pool report #1 - DANG Good afternoon from the supplemental pool at a sunny and cloudless Delaware Air National Guard base. Marine One touched down at 3.21 pm. POTUS stepped out at 3.25pm wearing a blue jacket and tan pants (trousers), and climbed directly into a waiting black SUV. The motorcade is now rolling at 3.28pm. Passing on from the WH: Greeting the President upon arrival to Delaware Air National Guard Base: Colonel Christopher Farmer, Director of Staff, Delaware National Guard Joint Force Headquarters |
| October 13, 2024 15:44 |
Supplemental pool report #2 - POTUS home The motorcade arrived outside President Biden's Wilmington home at 3.38pm. Pool did not see POTUS. Pool is now holding in the van. |
| October 13, 2024 16:31 |
Supplemental pool report #3 - Lid The White House called a lid at 4.25pm. Have a great evening! |
Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Pool Reports of October 13, 2024 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/374650