Pool Reports of January 19, 2024

In-town pool report #1

Good morning on this snowy Friday. The call time has been pushed back to 12 pm.

In-town pool report #2 - checking in

Checking in from a picturesque, snow-covered White House. We have no changes to the schedule so far. A reminder of what's on deck today:

DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE
FOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2024

In the morning, the President will receive the President’s Daily Brief. This meeting will be closed press.

In the afternoon, the President will welcome bipartisan mayors attending the U.S. Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting to the White House. The President will highlight ongoing partnership between federal and local governments to ensure communities across the country realize the full potential of the Investing in America agenda. This event in the East Room will be open to pre-credentialed media and pooled for TV. [RSVP here [whitehouse.us19.list-manage.com] by 8:00 AM ET]

In the evening, the President will depart the White House en route to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The departure from the South Lawn will open press. The arrival in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware will be covered by the out-of-town pool.

In-Town Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP, NYT
TV Corr & Crew: CBS
Print: Washington Post
Radio: BBC

Out-of-Town Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP, NYT
TV Corr & Crew: CBS
Print: Washington Examiner

Supplemental Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP, NYT
TV Corr & Crew: CBS
Print: VOA

EST

10:00 AM In-Town Pool Call Time

10:00 AM THE PRESIDENT receives the Presidential Daily Briefing
Closed Press

12:00 PM Out-of-Town Pool Call Time

3:45 PM THE PRESIDENT welcomes bipartisan mayors attending the U.S. Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting to the White House
East Room
Pre-Credentialed Media & Pooled for TV (Gather 3:30 PM – Palm Room Doors) [RSVP here [whitehouse.us19.list-manage.com] by 8:00 AM ET]

4:00 PM Supplemental Pool Call Time

5:45 PM THE PRESIDENT departs the White House en route to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
South Lawn
Open Press (Gather 5:35 PM – Palm Room Doors)

6:40 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Out-of-Town Pool

Briefing Schedule

­­­1:30 PM Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby

In-town pool report #3 - Biden/Netanyahu call

The White House sends this along:

President Biden spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to discuss the latest developments in Israel and Gaza. A readout of the call will be issued soon.

In-town pool report #4: Two-minute warning to briefing

Two-minute warning for the briefing

In-town pool report #5 - Briefing underway

The briefing started at 1:48 pm

In-town pool report #6 - briefing over

The briefing ended at 2:54 pm, running just over an hour.

In-town pool report #7 - gather

Pool is gathering now for Biden's event with mayors

In-town pool report #8 - mayors event starts

The president's event with mayors is underway. From the White House:

The President is welcoming bipartisan mayors attending the U.S. Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting to the White House.

Speaking Program
Hillary Shieve, Mayor of Reno, Nevada
The President
David Holt, Mayor of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma asks the President a question
Katie Rosenberg, Mayor of Wausau, Wisconsin asks the President a question

Expected Attendees:

In-town pool report #9 - event ends/Biden quotes

Biden began speaking to the room full of mayors at 4:05 pm and spoke until 4:42 pm. The audience chanted "four more years" after Biden finished his remarks. He took questions from a few mayors afterwards and finished at 4:56 pm.

Biden took some questions from reporters on his way out but your pooler was not in position to hear. Working to get the audio and quotes to you asap.

He talked a little bit about the border and the Senate bill at the end of his remarks. A couple quotes on that at the bottom of this note.

POTUS made several jokes to big laughs from the room. He touted investments and projects that have been announced across the country from the bipartisan infrastructure law. A few quotes from the event:

"We have some good news - we just signed a bill to keep the government open," Biden said. "Some days that counts as progress," Biden added to laughs.

"Mayors get the job done." He highlighted a few former mayors in his administration, including Marty Walsh, Pete Buttigieg and Mitch Landrieu. He said today was Buttigieg's birthday. "He just turned 30," Biden joked.

"A lot of folks who have voted against everything I've done are now announcing all these great projects."

"How can we have the best economy in the world if we don't have the best infrastructure? Not a joke."

He said former President Trump had several "infrastructure weeks" without anything to show for it. "Now we have an infrastructure decade."

He talked about his administration's efforts to address climate change.

He then talked about gun violence. "When we passed the second amendment, you weren't allowed to have a cannon."

"If you're really worried about the government, you need an F16, not an AR15."

About 20 minutes in, Biden turned to the border. "I've been very clear from the beginning: the system is broken." He talked about the proposal he sent to Congress at the beginning of his administration.

"I'm ready to act," Biden said. "I think next week we ought to be able to work out something, at least in the Senate." He said he hoped it would be bipartisan.

He said his administration made it so Medicare can negotiate drug prices. "I've been fighting that for 2,000 years," Biden said.

He reiterated that he thinks part of the reason Hamas attacked Israel was because the U.S. was working to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

In-town pool report #10 - Biden Q&A

A couple quick quotes, thanks to help from fellow co-poolers. More coming soon.

Is a two-state solution impossible as long as Bobi is in power? "No it's not." He went on to say Bibi was not opposed to all two-state solutions. He was then asked if he spoke about it with Bibi this morning and he nodded.

Biden was asked if Trump is trying to derail negotiations on Ukraine and the border. "Ask him," Biden said.

He was asked what do you think about House Republicans trying to impeach Mayorkas. "I don't get it."

Do you think to it admin's policy have caused any of these problems at the border? "No."

Is the border secure? "No."

In-town pool report #11 - fuller quotes

Fuller quotes from Biden's impromptu gaggle at the end of the mayors event. Many thanks to Seung Min Kim for these quotes.

Is a two-state solution impossible with Bibi still in office? "No it's not."

Is the former president trying to derail negotiations on Ukraine? "I'd ask him."

Are you going to reconsider conditions on Israel aid given what Bibi said on a two-state solution? "I think we'll be able to work something out."

How? "There are a number of types of two-state solutions. There's a number of countries that are members of the UN that are still — don't have their own militaries. Number of states that have limitations on (inaudible). And so I think there's ways in which this could work."

What is Bibi open to? "I'll let you know."

In-town pool report #12 - photo line

The White House sends this along:

The President is participating in a photoline with new mayors:

Mayor Yemi Mobolade, Colorado Springs, CO
Mayor Brandon Johnson, Chicago, IL
Mayor Shammas Malik, Akron, OH
Mayor Donna Deegan, Jacksonville, FL
Mayor Freddie O’Connell, Nashville, TN
Mayor Lori Stone, Warren, MI
Mayor Arunan Arulampalam, Hartford, CT
Mayor Leonardo Williams, Durham, NC
Mayor Roberto Alves, Danbury, CT

Supplemental Pool#1 - Motorcading to JBA

Good evening,

As you are aware, POTUS is heading to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware this evening. Due to the bad weather, the President will now motorcade from the WH to JBA. It's 5:56pm and pool is waiting in vans for the President to leave for JBA.

Supplemental Pool#2 - Rolling

At 6:18pm, the motorcade began to move. It's dark, no eyes on the President while boarding the vehicle.

Supplemental Pool#3 - JBA Arrival/Travellers

At 6:46pm, the motorcade arrived at JBA. Upon arrival, POTUS boarded AF1. No Q&A. Since there will be no internet connection, consider this as wheels up.

Per WH:

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

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Marc Gustafson, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for the White House Situation Room
Andrew Bates, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Press Secretary & Senior Communications Advisor for Strategic Response.

Travel pool report #1 — rolling

Picking up from supplemental...

To quote Wayne Campbell, "Hi, I'm Delaware."

POTUS deplaned as motorcade moved into position at 7:34pm, and we're rolling for Rehoboth as of 7:37pm

Travel pool report #2 — travelers

Passing along from the White House —

Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Marc Gustafson, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for the White House Situation Room

In-town pool report #3 — arrival

Motorcade dropped POTUS off at his Rehoboth Beach home at 8:35pm. Pool did not see the President exit the motorcade

In-town travel pool report #4 — lid

... called at 8:38pm. Have a great night

In-town pool report #5 — week ahead

Passing along...

WEEK AHEAD 1/20 - 1/28

On Saturday, the President and the First Lady will remain in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

On Monday, the President will return to the White House.

In the afternoon, the President will convene a meeting of his Reproductive Health Task Force to mark the 51st anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.

On Tuesday, the President, the First Lady, the Vice President, and the Second Gentleman will travel to Northern Virginia to participate in a campaign event.

After, the President and the First Lady will return to the White House.

On Saturday, the President will travel to South Carolina.

On Sunday, the President will return to the White House.