Pool Reports by Shirish Date, BuzzFeed
| Sent: | Reports: |
| January 30, 2020 9:14 |
WH Pool Report 1 Good morning from the White House, where it is still, somehow, January. There are no pooled presidential events on the schedule today. Will advise if that changes. The president is scheduled to leave the WH aboard Marine 1 at 1315 and return at 0020 late tonight, should you care to come shout questions over idling General Electric jet turbines. The WH has given notice of this event in the briefing room this morning: 10:00AM Press Briefing with Senior Counselor Kellyanne Conway, ONDCP Director Jim Carroll, and Assistant Secretary of Public Health ADM Brett Giroir James S. Brady Press Briefing RoomOn Camera It is, obviously, open press. |
| January 30, 2020 13:32 |
WH Pool Report 2 The president emerged from the West Wing at 1327 dressed in a dark suit, red tie and overcoat. He waved at reporters waiting on the South Lawn driveway but continued walking directly to the helicopter without taking questions. Also boarding were a handful of aides, among them: Dan Scavino and Jared Kushner. Marine 1 was airborne at 1332 en route Joint Base Andrews. Handing off to the travel pool for the trip to Michigan and Iowa. |
| January 31, 2020 12:23 |
WH Pool Report 3 — return President Trump returned to the White House at 0017 when Marine 1 set down on the South Lawn after the short flight from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. He stepped off the helicopter sans tie and collar open and walked past a small group of reporters gathered by the South Portico, waving and giving a thumbs-up but not taking any questions about John Bolton. He entered the building at 0020. The White House press office at that point called a lid for the day. To those still awake, have a good night. |
Pool Reports by Sebastian Smith, Agence France Presse
| Sent: | Reports: |
| January 30, 2020 13:50 |
WH travel pool report 1 POTUS arrived on Marine One at JB Andrews at 1:42 pm. He boarded AF1 at 1:46 pm with a wave to pool, but no stopping for questions. Spotted traveling with the president on M1 were Jared Kushner and Dan Scavino. There was also a surprise appearance on AF1 by none other than Sarah Sanders, who is joining the president in an unofficial capacity for the day. We have a flight of approximately 90 minutes to Harrison Charter Township, MI, for a stop at the Dana Inc manufacturing plant in Warren, where the president is scheduled to give a speech on the USMCA trade pact. We are then scheduled to fly on to Des Moines, IA, for an evening campaign rally in Drake University's Knapp Center arena. Aboard AF1, Live Impeachment trial coverage is playing on Fox News in the cabins. |
| January 30, 2020 15:16 |
WH travel pool report 2 AF1 touched down at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Charter Township, MI, at 2:58 pm. Pool got no visitors during the flight, which was uneventful, other than impeachment coverage on Fox through the cabins. POTUS disembarked at 3:12 pm and shook hands with greeters (see pool report 3). A crowd of about 100 supporters shouted "Trump " from behind a barricade. Pool did not have an opportunity to ask questions. Motorcade now rolling for the Dana Inc manufacturing plant in Warren, where the president is scheduled to tour the facilities and give a speech on the USMCA trade pact. Roll time about 25 minutes. |
| January 30, 2020 15:16 |
WH travel pool report 3 - greeters The WH passes on these details of the greeters: THE PRESIDENT arrived at Selfridge Air National Guard Base (MTC) met by: State Representative Lee Chatfield |
| January 30, 2020 15:17 |
WH travel pool report 4 - Dana details Onpassing WH details on the event at Dana Inc: Today, President Donald J. Trump will tour Dana Incorporated in Warren, Michigan and deliver remarks to its employees. Dana Inc. strongly supported the passage of USMCA because the company and its employees will greatly benefit from this new Trump trade deal. The USMCA was supported by a large coalition of outside stakeholders and industries including agriculture, technology, automotive, and labor unions. USTR estimates the USMCA will create 76,000 jobs in the American automotive sector aloneover a five-year period. This is the President's fifth visit to the State of Michigan during his presidency and his first in 2020. The following individuals are expected to attend: The White House Trump Administration Members of Congress Dana Incorporated Participants |
| January 30, 2020 15:45 |
WH travel pool report 5 POTUS motorcade arrived at the Dana Inc plant at 3:44 pm. During the drive, Many people caught in immense tailbacks, due to highway closures for security, leaned from their idling cars or climbed out to record the passing motorcade on cellphones. Pool saw a few knots of supporters on the roadsides and several dozen gathered in Warren with Trump 2020 signs and US flags. Pool did not lay eyes on Trump. We are now going in for a tour, followed by remarks - which are open press - on the USMCA. More to come... |
| January 30, 2020 16:15 |
WH travel pool report 6 POTUS has just taken the stage for his speech. Earlier, Trump entered a large factory floor crammed with machinery and industrial tools. He was shown what appeared to be a shiny new auto axel and a Dana Inc sales chart. Pool then rushed to another spot where Dana staff showed Trump a large and very complex looking machine , which was not immediately identified. The president ‘s remarks on USMCA are from a stage set up on another part of the factory floor. This has been decorated with the US flag and banners reading "promises made - USMCA- promises kept ". Michael Jackson's "Beat it" just played as the warm up song, followed by "Macho Man" by the Village People. Several hundred people are in the audience. Flanking the podium are several dozen people, nearly all men, in blue work shirts. As the speech is open press pool will not transcribe. But I will send color as possible. More to come... |
| January 30, 2020 16:46 |
WH travel pool report 7 POTUS's remarks winding up at 4:45 pm and pool moving out to the motorcade. The speech on USMCA drew frequent applause, especially when he talked about "that glorious phrase… Made in the USA." There was also a brief chant of "four more years." On trade: Manufacturers: "They're all coming back because they want to be where the action is." "We found the magic wand" to create manufacturing jobs. "I used to say those are the best jobs, those are great people.Those are unbelievably talented people." "I've kept my promise…. so that other countries aren't ripping us off. They were ripping us off." Says dairy and auto workers are big winners. "We will create up to 80,000, 80,000 minimum new jobs." "USMCA closes these terrible, unfair loopholes." The speech also included many bits that had nothing to do with the new trade pact. Coronavirus: "Working very closely" with China "We think we have it very well under control. We have very little problem in this country" -- "five." 2016 and his rise to the presidency: "I'm your spokesman." " "We had a tremendous landslide electoral college victory." "They said don't bother with Michigan -- as a Republican you're never going to win." He said that a last-hour speech he made in Grand Rapids, MI, in 2016 drew 32,000 people. Impeachment: "A disgrace to our country". Iraqi Chaldean Christian refugees in Michigan: Said it's a "very tough time for Christians" and that he "talked about it long and hard on the (AF1) flight" and has decided to "give those who need it an extension to stay in our country." Invasive species: "We're going to protect the Great Lakes from Asian Carp. Whoever thought that was going to happen?" The Soo Locks, in the Great Lakes: "The locks were rotting away" but he says that will be resolved under his presidency. Media: "The fake news back there." "Even they will admit I did more" than he'd promised. The crowd waiting for the Iowa rally tonight: Says the crowds are so big that "they're all over the media," with numbers "never seen before." Pool moving to the motorcade now. More to come… |
| January 30, 2020 16:54 |
WH travel pool report 7* here is the complete quote on coronavirus from President Donald Trump right now in Warren, MI: "Working very closely" with China "We think we have it very well under control. We have very little problem in this country at this moment -- five. Those people are all recuperating successfully." |
| January 30, 2020 16:58 |
WH travel pool report 8 POTUS Motorade rolling at 4:51 pm. Dozens of supporters were on the sidewalk outside the factory with Trump 2020 signs, also a group of opponents, including a woman with a sign that said "I demand witnesses." |
| January 30, 2020 17:27 |
WH travel pool report 9 POTUS boarded AF1 at 5:21 pm. No comments to pool. We're taking off shortly for Des Moines, IA, for a campaign rally in Drake University's Knapp Center arena. |
| January 30, 2020 18:29 |
WH travel pool report 10 AF1 landed at 6:05 pm (CST) at Des Moines International Airport after a quiet flight, where the cabin TVs were all tuned to President Trump's impeachment trial. POTUS disembarked at 6:21 with a wave of his gloved hand and a slight stumble at the bottom step onto the tarmac. He hugged Iowa Gov Reynolds and shook hands with other greeters (see 10a report). Pool could not ask questions. Motorcade rolling at 6:24 pm for Drake University where a re-election campaign rally will take place. Side note: former acting attorney general Matthew Whitaker is also traveling on AF1. |
| January 30, 2020 18:30 |
WH pool report 10a Des Moines greeters per the WH: THE PRESIDENT arrived at Des Moines International Airport (DSM) met by: Governor Kim Reynolds |
| January 30, 2020 20:45 |
WH travel pool report 10 -- summary from rally POTUS finished at 9:35 m CST and pool moved out to the motorcade, which is still waiting. POTUS took the stage at 8:07 pm CST after a warm-up speech by VP Pence and a string of musical golden oldies -- Phil Collins, Village People -- played at eardrum-shaking volume. The volume of Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA was such that pool's work table vibrated. The Knapp Center was filled to its approximately 7,000 capacity and then some, with the basketball court also holding standing room only. Here are a few excerpts from President Trump's speech to be checked against transcript/recording: Election view: "we're going to defeat the radical socialist Democrats that are right down the street." "If we don't win your farms are going to hell." Name-calling of opponents: "Boot-edge-edge" "mini-Mike" "Sleepy Joe" "Joe had a crowd so small the other day that they set up a round table." Trade deals: "Europe is next. I wanted to finish China before we started on Europe." Talking to farmers: "You're going to make a lot of money." "We've never had a better relationship with China than we do right now. It's a beautiful story." "USMCA, the biggest trade deal ever signed in the history of the world." "wait till the end of next year: the growth will astronomical." "They sold you out… but now the era of economic surrender is over." Solemani: "he took a hard hit." When Trump pivoted to this, after having just talked about al-Baghdadi, a man in the crowd yelled out "boom." Impeachment: "we're having the best years in the history of our country and I just got impeached." "that's not going to work. Just watch." Compared to "dark period" of Nixon, "This is a happy period for us." Green New Deal: "would destroy our wonderful cows." "That want to kill our cows. That means you're next." Illegal immigration: "threatens innocent American lives more than you can ever believe." "today's Democrat party glorifies illegal immigration." "Many are fine people and all of that, but some of them are stone cold rapists and murderers and people their countries don't want." "Right now we have a love affair with Mexico…. I got Mexico, they're great, they put up 27,000 soldiers on our southern border." health care: "we got rid of the individual mandate, the most… which essentially killed Obamacare" "if we win the House we will have the best health care of any country in the world." Adam Schiff: "shifting and turning in his bed, sweating like a dog" "oh what a sick guy he is" On why he should be reelected: "Look, you know: I can make the speech really short. All I have to do is say is, 'hello Iowa, you have no choice: you have to vote for me. Otherwise, everything that you've built in your entire life will be gone. Goodbye Iowa, have a good day.' Instead, I work my ass off up here, OK?" |
| January 30, 2020 18:40 |
WH travel pool report 11 Motorcade arrived at Drake University's Knapp Center arena at 6:38 pm CST. Along the way pool saw scatterings of supporters and bystanders braving the cold on icy sidewalks to film the passing motorcade. Pool did not see POTUS entering the arena. We are now heading to the pen for the speech, which is open press and will not be hard to find on live transmission. I will send color and snippets. |
| January 30, 2020 | [APP Note: Report #12 does not exist or was not received by the APP.] |
| January 30, 2020 20:51 |
WH pool report 13 - rolling Motorcade rolling for airport at 8:46 pm CST. Also apologies for any confusion but the last report summarizing the rally should not have been marked 10 but 12. |
| January 30, 2020 22:02 |
WH travel pool report 14 Motorcade arrived at Des Moines Intl Airport at 8:58 pm CST. Pool didn't see Trump boarding AF1. Wheels up shortly for Andrews. |
| January 31, 2020 00:08 |
WH travel pool report 15 AF1 landed at Andrews at 11:50 pm EST. Brad Parscale came back to chat off the record during the flight, which was otherwise notable for the live TV coverage of Senator Alexander's "no" vote on witnesses at the impeachment trial. POTUS disembarked just after midnight without talking to pool. Marine One was wheels up at 00:08 am Friday. Handing off to in-town pool, with thanks to co-pooler Geoff Earle of mailonline.com. |
Donald J. Trump, Pool Reports of January 30, 2020 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/349910