Pool Reports of October 28, 2024

Travel pool report #1 — Checking in

Good morning from Wilmington, it’s a very chilly morning but clear and sunny.

Per his public schedule, the president will cast his ballot during early voting this morning before he flies back to Washington.

Press has been swept and is holding outside the president’s residence.

Travel pool report #2 — Motorcade rolling

Motorcade rolling as of 9:35am. We did not see the president.

Travel pool report #2b — Travelers

From the WH:

Traveling with the President via motorcade:

Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE)
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Dilpreet Sidhu, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Deputy Chief of Staff
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President
Michael Kikukawa, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Communications Advisor for Economic Messaging

Travel pool report #3 — Arrival at breakfast place

At 9:43am the motorcade pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant in New Castle, Delaware. We did not see the president and are holding in the van.

From the White House:

The President is having breakfast with Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester at The Legend Restaurant & Bakery.

Travel pool report #4 — Leaving restaurant, going to vote

The president exited the restaurant at 11:42am with Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester. He said, "Let's go vote!" He's wearing a dark suit and red tie. The Congresswoman was in a cobalt blue suit.

It was a long breakfast, more than an hour. The restaurant, called The Legend, is a quaint-looking building right off Route 40 in Delaware. A big, red roadside sign advertises it's a restaurant & bakery.

A sign on the door, next to the hours of operation, reads in all caps "we have large print menus available."

We are rolling.

Travel pool report #5 — Arrival at polling place

It was a quick ride to the polling place in New Castle, we pulled in at 11:48am. There's a line of well over 100 voters but it's moving. We were brought up to where the president is nearer to the back of the line, greeting voters along with Rep. Blunt Rochester. Biden waved to the press as he approached an elderly woman in a wheelchair, gripping her hand and talking closely with her.

We've now been positioned opposite the entrance.

There were plenty of Harris-Walz signs stuck in the grass on the way in and only a few Trump-Vance.

From the WH:

The President is speaking with Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester and a group of first-time voters. These voters will cast their first ballots with President Biden in Delaware today.

On background: President Biden has known Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester's family for decades. The President campaigned with her father, Theodore "Ted" Blunt, who served on the Wilmington City Council for almost a quarter century, including as president. The President and the First Lady paid their respects at Ted Blunt's visitation in January. The Congresswoman's sister, Marla Blunt Rochester, worked in the President's Senate office, on the Obama-Biden campaign in 2008, and in the Obama-Biden Administration. Congresswoman Blunt Rochester served as a co-chair of the President's campaign.

Travel pool report #6 — More from early voting line

The president is waiting in line — not cutting ahead — and still chatting with people. We hear some laughter. Biden is taking photos with people. Rep. Blunt Rochester was holding a young child earlier. There are at least 50 voters ahead of Biden.

About 10 people in front of him in line is an older man in a red cap that reads "Elect That Motherfucker Again." He's standing with his hands in his pockets.

Per the White House, to clarify earlier, the elderly woman he spoke to was not a first time voter but those voters are in line with him.

This early voting location is a Department of Elections warehouse/office.

Travel pool report #7 — Inside voting room

Still in line — the president is pushing the woman in the wheelchair from earlier. Just a few people ahead of him. He walked over to some of the workers and gave them a thumbs up.

We’re now inside. It’s a small room with a dozen or so workers and one table to check people in. There are five voting booths draped in black cloth.

Earlier, an elderly man who finished voting saluted to Biden, the president smiled and saluted back.

Travel pool report #8 — Biden is voting

The president stepped up to the check in, signed his name with his finger and was directed to a booth. He's voting at 12:25pm.

"Joseph Biden, now voting" announced the woman who checked him in.

The next few after him are first time voters, their names are being announced and they're getting cheers and applause.

Travel pool report #9 — Gaggle and rolling again

The president stepped out of the booth at 12:27 and shook hands with two women. Pool was ushered out.

He came outside 12:31 with the first time voters and we card him over to talk.

Asked if it was bittersweet, he said "This is sweet."

On the Trump MSG rally: "Embarrassing, simply embarrassing."

Asked if he wished more candidates would use him as a surrogate, "We'll I've done a lot of surrogacy but the fact of the matter is I've always had to be president at the same time."

Said he's been on the trail all the time, Pennsylvania, Scranton.

"Very dangerous" on North Korean troops deployed to Russia.

On Elon Musk handing checks to voters "I think it's totally inappropriate."

On a ceasefire in Gaza: "Right now I'm going to get out here getting a secure line follow up on that. We need a ceasefire. We should end. This war should end."

He lined up for a photo with six first-time voters then we were ushered away.

Pool is back on the bus, we did not see him get into his vehicle.

Motorcade rolling at 12:36.

Note: earlier at the check in to vote the president did present his driver's license.

Travel pool report #10 — DANG

We pulled onto the tarmac at DANG at 12:46pm and saw the president boarding Marine One through the van windows.

We have boarded the Osprey. Lifting now to Fort Lesley J. McNair.

Travel pool report 10b — Marine One travelers

From the WH:

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to Fort Lesley J. McNair:

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Dilpreet Sidhu, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Deputy Chief of Staff
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President

Travel pool report #11 — Hand off

Clarifying, POTUS is landing at Fort McNair, not pool. I am handing off to the in-town pooler.

Thanks!

POTUS In-town pool report #1: Fort McNair

Hello from sunny Washington, D.C., where President Biden landed in Marine One at Fort McNair at 1:40 p.m. He stepped off a few minutes later and walked over to the motorcade without addressing reporters.

The motorcade was rolling at 1:45 p.m.

POTUS in-town pool report #2: White House arrival

Motorcade arrived back at the White House at 1:54 p.m. after a short and uneventful drive.

Pool did not see POTUS enter the White House.

POTUS in-town pool report #3: Lunch lid

The White House has called a lunch lid until 5 p.m.

POTUS in-town pool report #4: Diwali event

Pool is situated in the East Room for the White House reception celebrating Diwali. There are a few hundred guests gathered for the event awaiting the president. A red "Happy Diwali" sign is stationed at the front of the room.

The president's remarks should begin shortly and can be viewed live in the usual spaces, so pool will send highlights and color.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

POTUS in-town pool report #5: Biden enters, program details

President Biden entered the East Room at 6:18 p.m. to cheers from attendees.

Biden was preceded by Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who grew emotional as he spoke about his own family and community growing up.

Other speakers were Sunita "Suni" Williams, a retired Navy Officer & NASA Astronaut who addressed the reception via video from the International Space Station, and Shrusti Amula, an Indian-American youth activist who introduced the president. Amula drew cheers when she mentioned the country's "first South Asian vice president, Kamala Harris."

As a reminder, Biden's remarks are streaming live on the White House website. I will send highlights once he wraps up.

Passing along from the White House-

Participating in a photoline with the President:

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08)
Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17)
Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13)
Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller (MD)

POTUS in-town pool report #6: Biden remarks

Biden began speaking at 6:22 p.m. and concluded at 6:33.

He opened by noting that First Lady Jill Biden could not attend because she is traveling to Wisconsin, and that Vice President Harris was traveling as well.

Of Harris, Biden said: "You know, I selected Kamala to be my running mate for many reasons. She's smart, she's tough, she's trusted...There's more experience that she has than the whole of that other guy she's running against. But most importantly...she has character."

Biden said he and Harris bonded over the role their respective mothers played in their lives.

The president said the nation was facing an inflection point.

"American democracy has never been easy. In a country as diverse as ours, we debate, we dissent...but the key is, we never lose sight of how we got here and why."

Biden recalled that he and Jill Biden hosted the first Diwali celebration at the vice president's residence in 2016. He touted the diversity of his administration, including Harris and Vivek Murthy.

"Only in America is everything possible," he said in closing.

POTUS in-town pool report #7: Lid

The White House called a lid for the day at 6:53 p.m. Have a good evening, everyone.

POTUS in-town pool report #8: Hurricane call readout

Passing along from the White House:

This afternoon, President Biden convened a Zoom call to express his thanks to active duty military service members at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, and Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia as well as members of the North Carolina National Guard who provided life saving and life sustaining support in Western North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. He expressed his gratitude for their professional excellence in helping survivors in urgent need of assistance. The President also called elected officials from impacted states, including North Carolina and Florida, to discuss the effectiveness of ongoing recovery and rebuilding efforts following Hurricanes Helene and Milton and to assess what additional support the Biden-Harris Administration can provide to meet community and individual needs.