Pool Reports of December 12, 2020

Travel pool report #1: JBA

Marine One was wheels down at Joint Base Andrews at 12:25.

POTUS disembarked after speaking briefly to the pilots. He walked to AF1 buttoning coat as he went. He waved from top of steps and entered AF1.

Mark Meadows and his wife, Dan Scavino, John McEntee and DNI Ratcliffe all arrived with POTUS and boarded.

We are off to the Army-Navy football match, held this year at West Point. (Take the under.)

Kash Patel and Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller already spotted on board. And Andrew Giuliani was seen in the departure terminal.

Tail number today is 28000 and we will be wheels up imminently for New York Stewart International Airport.

Travel pool report #2: NY Stewart International

?AF1 was wheels up from JBA at 12:39.

Wheels down to a very foggy New York Stewart International Airport at 13:26 after an uneventful flight with no visitors to rear cabin.

POTUS emerged from AF1 and went straight to motorcade after saluting greeters (details below).

Bad weather call means we are motorcading to Michie Stadium, a journey of about 30 min.

Motorcade rolling at 13:39.

Greeters:

>From the WH:

The President is met by

Col Jeffrey Hedges
Vice Commander, 105th Airlift Wing, Stewart Air National Guard

CMSgt Joseph Caulfield
Command Chief, 105th Airlift Wing, Stewart Air National Guard

Travel pool report #3: West Point

?Motorcade pulled up to the US Military Academy's Michie Stadium at 14:27. Whole place is shrouded in mist giving a rather magical air.

POTUS peeled off and we did not see him.

Small crowd of supporters at gate to airport. Maybe a dozen. One man with a Trump 2020 flag chanted: "Don't give up, don't give up."

Motorcade passed two other pockets of supporters, braving a steady drizzle and a covering of fog, along the route.

As we drove through West Point campus soldiers stood saluting at attention on road intersections.

Travel pool report #4: field level

?Pool is on the field as teams carry out warm up drills. We are on the Navy side. Rolling waves of noise sweep around the stadium as one set of supporters or the other appear on the big screen. The place looks roughly half full.

Floodlights are on in the half gloom of a foggy day.

Turf is slippery underfoot.

We are awaiting POTUS arrival for coin toss. Kick off is at 15:00 and the game is being shown on CBS.

Travel pool report #5: POTUS takes field

POTUS arrives on the field at 14:59 to huge cheers and chants of USA.

He walks up to about halfway line with officers from the two services on either side. also acting Defense Sec Miller, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Milley.

After a prayer, colors are presented and the glee clubs of the two service's academies perform the national anthem. It is followed by a cannon salute.

An invisible flyover takes place, obscured by low cloud/fog.

POTUS moves to center of field for coin toss.
He is not micced up so can't tell if he said any words. Flips the coin - and it is tails, which Navy called. Army to receive.

POTUS climbs to seat in Navy section for first quarter at about the 40 yd line.

A few minutes before the ceremonies began an announcement was made that the poor weather meant the Leap Frogs and the Golden Knights will not be able to jump - eliciting boos around the stadium.

The crowd then came to attention for a rendition of God Bless America.

It came after a series of hype videos that provoked cheers and boos from either side depending on which service was on screen. The quote that best summed up the spirit:
"We are one team. Except on game day."

Music included Nirvana and Whitney Houston plus more recent stuff that your pooler was unable to identify.

Travel pool report #5a: correction

POTUS is in Army section. Apologies.

Travel pool report #6: POTUS mask

With about 6 min to go in first quarter, POTUS has put on a mask for first time we have seen today

Travel pool report #7: POTUS moves

With about three min left in the first quarter, POTUS took off mask and descended stairs heading inside the stadium, as if to go to a suite.

Pool has been taken inside to a room with a big screen. And a chance to warm up.

Travel pool report #8: pool to motorcade

At 15:58 and in second quarter pool is being rushed to vans. Unclear yet if POTUS leaving

Travel pool report #9: POTUS in Navy section

After being rushed to vans and holding for five min, pool was rushed back to field level to see POTUS take up position in Navy section of crowd with about 9 min remaining in second quarter at about 16:01.

Travel pool report #10: motorcade

POTUS left his seat in Navy section at 16:09. Pool followed him out to motorcade.

We are leaving about an hour earlier than schedule on guidance.

Motorcade rolling at 16:14.

Travel pool report #11: NY Stewart Intl Airport

?Motorcade arrived at an even foggier NY Stewart International Airport at 17:02. POTUS was on his way up the steps to AF1 as pool arrived.

Wheels up imminently.

Travel pool report #12: JBA

AF1 was wheels up at 17:15.

Wheels down JBA at 17:55, an hour ahead of schedule issued in last night's guidance. No visitors to press cabin, where the Army-Navy game was showing on TVs

Travel pool report #13: Marine One

?POTUS emerged from AF1 and walked briskly down steps he waved to pool and headed straight for Marine One.

Marine One wheels up at 18:08.

Handing off to in-town pool. Thanks to my copoolers for keeping me straight. I hope you all took the under (as per report #1).