Pool Reports of January 15, 2024

White House out-of-town pool report #1

Good morning from Hagerstown, Md, where it is a cool 25 degrees with some light flurries.

We are running behind schedule by about 45 mins.

President Biden landed on Marine One at 10:25 am and disembarked by himself a few minutes later.

Biden is wearing a blue blazer, blue shirt and no necktie. He gave a brief wave toward reporters but did not take any questions.

Let me know if you have any questions. We are off to Philly soon.

From the White House:

Traveling with the President aboard Marine One en route to Hagerstown Regional Airport:

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Jen Daskal, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Homeland Security Advisor

Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Philadelphia International Airport:

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Ben LaBolt, Assistant to the President & Director of Communications
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
John Kirby, Deputy Assistant to the President & NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications
Jen Daskal, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Homeland Security Advisor

WH out-of-town pool report #2 wheels up

We are wheels up on Air Force One at 10:37 am en route to Philadelphia.

WH out-of-town pool report #3 rolling

Air Force One landed in Philadelphia at 11:07 am after a short, uneventful flight.

President Biden disembarked Air Force One at 11:21 am and greeted Philadelphia Mayor Parker first with a handshake and hug before greeting the others.

Biden showed off a green "Philabudance" hat as he walked down the AF1 steps. It's the name of the food bank where POTUS is headed.

Biden did not take questions from the press. The motorcade pulled out of the airport at 11:25 am. We are rolling.

From the WH:

Greeting the President upon arrival at Philadelphia International Airport:

Rep. Dwight Evans (PA-03)
Former Congressman Bob Brady (PA)
Austin Davis, Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
Cherelle Parker, Mayor of Philadelphia, PA

WH out-of-town pool report #4

The motorcade pulled up at Philabundance at 11:35 am.

Outside the food bank, a group of pro-Palestine protesters held signs saying "Stop the genocide!" as Biden arrived. They were also chanting toward the motorcade.

Inside the food bank, volunteers are stuffing cardboard boxes with packaged food — rice, canned goods etc — on an assembly line as "The Groove Line" by Heatwave is playing.

We are waiting for Biden's arrival

WH out-of-town pool report #5

President Biden walked into the assembly-line food bank room at 11:45 am. He's wearing a blue mock zip-up sweater with a button-up shirt underneath and the green hat he was holding earlier.

"Where do you want me? he said with a smile, picking up a bag of apples.

"What's your age?" Biden asked some of the young volunteers.

As President Biden stuffed boxes, Philadelphia Mayor Parker worked beside him.

Biden struck up conversations with most of the volunteers near him. It was hard to hear most of the time.

Biden told a woman across from him that his wife is a teacher.

Another young woman told the president she is getting her master's degree in English.

The music selection over the load speakers turned to Salt n Peppa's "What a man."

As the work continued, a woman with a Philabundance badge came over and shook Biden's hand.

Biden did not take any questions from reporters who were lined up against a walll.

The press pool was ushered out at 11:52 am.

WH out-of-town pool report #6

From the WH:

The President is volunteering at Philabundance, a hunger relief organization in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for the third year in a row in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service. The President is packing produce.

Greeting the President upon arrival at Philabundance:

Cherelle Parker, Mayor of Philadelphia
Loree D. Jones, CEO, Philabundance
Michael Smith, CEO, AmeriCorps
Catherine McLaughlin, Board Chair, AmeriCorps

Other volunteers consist of area youth ages 13-25 who volunteer with Philabundance or AmeriCorps.

WH out-of-town pool report #7 rolling again

The presidential motorcade pulled out of the parking lot of Philabundance at 12:51 pm.

We held in the pool vans for nearly an hour without sight on POTUS.

Your pooler also did not lay eyes on Biden entering the beast.

The small group of pro-Palestinian protesters mentioned earlier — about 15 or so — remained outside as we drove out.

"Shame on you!" they chanted as POTUS whizzed by.

WH out-of-town pool report #8

The motorcade pulled back up at the airport at 1 pm. Biden boarded AF1 before the press pool could get over to the steps.

On the way to the airport, the motorcade drove by small groups of people near the Eagles and Phillies stadiums waving at the president as he went by. It was an otherwise uneventful trip.

From the WH:

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

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Karine Jean-Pierre, Assistant to the President & Press Secretary
Ben LaBolt, Assistant to the President & Director of Communications
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Jen Daskal, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Homeland Security Advisor
Jamie Citron, Deputy Assistant to the President & Principal Deputy Director of the Office of Public Engagement

WH out-of-town pool report #9

Air Force One was wheels up out of Philly at 1:10 pm.

WH out-of-town pool report #10

Air Force One landed back at JBA at 1:43 am after an uneventful flight.

Biden disembarked AF1 at 1:54 pm with flurries in the air and got into a black suburban at the front the motorcade.

He ignored two shouted questions — one about Gov. Abbott, the other about whether he will watch the Iowa Repubclian caucuses tonight.

I will now be handing it off to the in-town pool reporter.

From the WH:

Greeting the President upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews:

Colonel Angela Ochoa, 89th Air Wing, Joint Base Andrews

In-town pool report #1 - bad weather call

Due to a bad weather call, the in-town pool is heading to JBA

In-town pool report #2 — JBA departure

Amid snow flurries,

POTUS’ motorcade left JBA for the White House at 1:56 p.m.

In-town pool report #3 - return to WH & corrected info from WH on POTUS’ previous volunteering with Philabundance

The motorcade returned to the WH at 2:20 p.m.

Your pooler did not see POTUS enter the building.

Also, the WH sends the following to correct previous information that was distributed to the out-of-town pool for an earlier report:

The President volunteered at Philabundance, a hunger relief organization in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service. The President has previously volunteered at Philabundance twice before in 2021 and 2022.

In-town travel pool #4 -lid

We have a travel/photo lid. Enjoy the snow.