Pool Reports of July 27, 2023

In-town pool report #1

Pool is gathering for the extreme heat/climate event which is open to pre-credentialed reporters and will be streamed on

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

IN TWON POOL REPORT 2

FROM THE WHITE HOUSE
n attendance for the President's remarks announcing additional actions to protect communities from extreme heat:

In-Person Participants
Acting Secretary Julie Su, Department of Labor
Liz Sherwood-Randall, Assistant to the President & Homeland Security Advisor
Tom Perez, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
Administrator Deanne Criswell, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Administrator Dr. Rick Spinrad, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Virtual Participants
Mayor Kate Gallego, Phoenix, Arizona
Mayor Ron Nirenberg, San Antonio, Texas

Speaking Program
The President
Mayor Kate Gallego, Phoenix, Arizona
Mayor Ron Nirenberg, San Antonio, Texas
The President

In town pool report 3

The president did not respond to shouted questions on his son Fter the event.

In town Pool report #4

Lunch lid until 1:25 p.m.

On the climate event:

When the president began his climate/heat remarks at 12:06, the temperature outside had just crossed the 90-degree mark, heading toward the higher 90s. Two hours earlier, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser had activated the city's Heat Emergency Plan, which is triggered when either the temperature or the heat index tops 95. The forecast was for the DC Heat Index to reach 107. The presidential lectern was set up in the middle of the stage. Behind him and on each side were monitors which flashed the signs: Protecting Communities from Extreme Heat and Combating the Climate Crisis. He began explaining he was talking with the mayors and holding this event "to talk about the existential threat of climate change—and it is a threat." The event was streamed and attended by credential press, but the highlights:

"Right this minute," he said, the nation is "facing a real crisis" and he wanted to look at the steps being taken "to help people get through this tough time" and cope longer term. "I don't think anyone can deny the impact of climate change," he said, adding initially that he doesn't know anybody who denies climate change. But he paused and amended that to "I don't know anybody who honestly believes climate change is not a serious problem." He cited the impact on wildfires and intense heat. He said he had been surprised to learn that heat is the top weather-related killer, more deadly than floods, hurricanes and tornadoes combined. He talked of the impact of heat on farmworkers, firefighters and farmers. He made the point more than once of the importance of water breaks for workers, though he did not specifically mention the new Texas law that makes it tougher for workers there to break for water. He called the denial of the right to a water break "outrageous." He said heat is costing the country $100 billion a year.

He boasted of the steps the government has been able to take already because of the passage of his American Rescue Plan, Infrastructure law and Inflation Reduction Act, which he called the "most significant climate investment anywhere in the world." After talking about the additional steps announced today and outlined in the earlier fact sheets, he turned to Mayor Kate Gallego of Phoenix who was on one video screen. She started talking at 12:16, thanking the president for his leadership on climate change and emphasizing the impact of this heat wave on Phoenix, a city which she noted is "known for heat." At 12:20, the president asked her for examples of how the city is helping people with cooling centers and the like. The president talked of other steps being taken before turning at 12:22 to another screen where San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg could be seen.

The mayor talked of the "dangerous heat wave" and said his city is "grateful for a president who is willing to tackle the crisis" in an even-handed manner. He said that sustainability and green energy are no longer dirty words in Texas and boasted that his city will be ending the use of coal 40 years ahead of schedule. At 12:26, Biden marveled that "change is taking place in Texas" on energy with more use of solar and wind.

At 12:27, the mayor cited the importance of water breaks to "protect our outdoor workers." AT 12:28, the president started to wrap up, urging both mayor to "don't hesitate to call us if you need help…I really mean it." He recalled his experience playing football when, he said coaches would get in trouble if they did not provide water to the practicing players. "We've got to get through this crisis in the near term and we have to keep people safe," he said.

At 12:31, the event concluded. As the president turned to exit, there was a barrage of shouted questions about his son. He showed no inclination to even acknowledge the questions and left the stage.

In town pool report 5

The Press Briefing will begin at 1:45 p.m.

In town pool report #6

Two-minute warning for the press briefing.

In town pool report #7

The briefing began at 1:52. After 53 questions, it concluded at 2:47.

In-town pool report #8

Pool gathering for Oval Office bi-lat with Italian Prime Minister Meloni.

In town pool report #9

The Oval Office remarks by the president and the prime minister lasted 7 minutes, from 3:15 to 3:22. They were the standard remarks of two allies, with no fresh ground broken. The president concluded with a joke about his wife's Italian grandfather and his Italian neighbors in Scranton. As happened at the climate event earlier, there were shouted questions about his son at the conclusion of the time the pool was present. There were no answers and no acknowledgement of the questions.

Quotes will come in next report

From the White House:

The President is participating in a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of the Italian Republic:

U.S. Manifest
The President
T.H. Gina Raimondo, Secretary of Commerce
T.H. Steve Ricchetti, Assistant to the President and Counselor to the President
T.H. Victoria Nuland, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
T.H. Mike Pyle, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs
T.H. Shawn Crowley, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim
T.H. Amanda Sloat, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Europe, National Security Council
T.H. Christina Segal-Knowles, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for International Economics, National Security Council

Italy Manifest
H.E. Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of the Italian Republic
H.E. Mariangela Zappia, Ambassador of the Italian Republic to the United States
Ambassador Francesco Maria Talò, Diplomatic Advisor, Diplomatic Advisor
General C.A. Franco Federici, Military Advisor
Ambassador Luca Ferrari, G7/G20 Sherpa
Ms. Patrizia Scurti, Chief of the Private Office
Ms. Giovanna Ianniello, Head of the Communication Office
Mr. Mario Sechi, Head of the Press Office

In-town pool report #10

Here was the back-and-forth by the two leaders in the Oval Office. Check the quotes against the official transcript, which, needless to say, tops your pooler's transcription.

President Biden: Let me offer my condolences to those in Italy and across the Mediterranean who are suffering from extreme, extreme weather. And wildfires particularly in the region where they are grappling with this, as we are here in the United States. I just did a major initiative on the dangers of this excessive heat here in the United States, we are grappling with it as well.

As NATO allies, the Transatlantic Partnership is a cornerstone of our shared security and the Italian troops are playing a critical role in Europe, the Mediterranean and beyond. With the United States you are also standing strong with Ukraine. And I compliment you on your very strong support, and defending against Russian atrocities. And that's what they are; it's not just a war. Russia is committing atrocities that we are focusing on. I don't want to get into it. But, you know, I think Italian people, I want to thank them for supporting you and supporting Ukraine. It makes big difference.

Today, we're going to talk about our deepening economic connection, which fueled more than $100 billion in trade last year. In my view, there's no reason why that can't increase. We're also expanding our partnership in new areas, including space cooperation and strengthening our support for developing countries. I look forward to our discussion today, on Mediterranean, our work with Mediterranean nations to address the legitimate migration challenges you have coming from Africa. And Italy's going to be leading the g7 this next time around next year and I also look forward to pursuing that ambitious agenda for progress now. I hope you'll be nice to me as Chairman.

Prime Minister Meloni: Thank you, I'm very pleased to be here today to stick by the friendship that bought the United States… I want to thank President Biden for his hospitality. And this closeness is based on common values, and cultural roots. And our bond was made strong by the contribution of millions of Americans of Italian origin. And that that means Italy is an integral part of the great American nation and contributed in shaping its culture and identity. And also for that our relations are historically strong.

They cross governments and remain solid regardless of their political colors. We know who our friends are in times that are tough. And I think that Western nations have shown that they can rely on each other much than some had believed. Moreover, after the Russian aggression against Ukraine, for all together we decided to defend the international law. And I'm proud that Italy from the beginning played its part in it. We did it simply because supporting Ukraine means defending the peaceful coexistence of people and states everywhere in the war.

Contrary to what some claim Ukrainian resistance distances a World War, does not bring it closer, as some say. Those who believe in peace should be the first supporters of the Ukrainian cause.

And then Italy in the United States have important common interests in financing as well. A global trade that is not only free but also fair. Competition from other nations that do not meet our standards in terms of worker protection, safety, environmental protection, undermine our companies and workers. So free trade without rules has shown its limits. We must find the right balance between openness and the protection our economy, economies and strategic interests.

And similarly, we will discuss also these within the West we must work together to support our industrial system by fostering convergence on our national interest. In this respect the dialogue between us, between Italy Europe, the United States can avoid counterproductive tension to the benefit of everyone. And on the other hand, we also need to be fair with nations that feel they have been exploited of their resources. And that today show distrust towards the west. President Biden knows I care a lot about Africa, about the role that we can play in this countries that can help us building with them a new relation, based on a new approach, which is a peer to peer approach, also, to fight illegal migration and all the problems that we face. It's all things that we will discuss in the g7 presidency of Italy next year.

And then, the United States is our most important trade partner outside the European Union. And I think I do agree with you, Joe, that our trade partnership is very high, but no reason why we could not improve it. So thank you very much for hosting us. And thank you for your time.

President Biden: I think you made an interesting point about how many Italian Americans are here. I just want you to know, I was raised in a neighborhood where I felt self-conscious my name did end in O. I want you to know, I'm the only non-Italian named the Man of the Year by the Italian Society. When I got the award, I said… You know I was thinking about this. And I named all the guys whose families I grew up with. Anyway, I went through the list and I said I was thinking about this--I deserve this award. But I may be Irish but I'm not stupid. I married Dominic Giacoppa's granddaughter. I just want you to know that, so be nice to me.

In town pool report #11

Correction of an omission in Pool Report #10:

Obviously, the word is didn't, not did in this quote:

The correct quote is: "... I was raised in a neighborhood where I felt self-conscious my name didn't end in O."

In town pool report #12

Dinner lid until 6:30.

In town pool report #13

Pool is about to gather for the motorcade to the President's speech at the Truman Civil Rights Symposium at the National Archives.

In-town pool report #14

The rain-soaked motorcade departed White House at 7:18 and arrived at the National Archives at 7:22, the rain all but stopped.

in town pool report #15

The event is in the auditorium at the NationalArchives.A crowd of several hundred.

from the White House:

Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to the National Archives Building:

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Cara Abercrombie, Deputy Assistant to the President & Coordinator for Defense Policy and Arms Control
Ashley Williams, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations
Travis Dredd, Special Assistant to the President & Trip Director

In town pool report 16

after 27 minute speech that included a strong denunciation of Sen. Tommy tuberville's hold on military nominations, President biden's motorcade departed at 8:27 and arrived back at 8:29

In-town pool report 17

Quick transcript of the section of president's speech dealing with the hold on nominations. Please excuse the roughness:

I also got confirmed two four-star generals to lead our combatant commands, the second and third women in the history to do so. It matters. But something dangerous happened. I've worked across the aisle my entire career.. My colleague will attest to that. I'm good friends with republicans. We disagree. A guy I disagree like the devil with but is a decent and honorable man who does what he says is the republican leader in the Senate . We disagree on almost everything. The Republican Party used to always support the military but today they are undermining the military.

The senior senator from Alabama, who claims to support our troops, is now blocking more than 300 military operations with his extreme political agenda. Like general CQ Brown, an F16 pilot and Wing Commander, the first African American to lead any branch of the armed service to be the next chairman of the joint chief of staff . That was nominated. He;s waiting.

And Lisa Franchetti the second woman in our Navy ever to achieve the rank of four-star Admiral who I chose to make history again as the first woman as chief of naval operations. I've also nominated other outstanding leaders of all backgrounds. We need them. Right now, tens of thousands of America's daughters and sons are deployed around the world tonight keeping us safe from an immense national security challenge.

But the senator from Alabama is not. For the first time in more than 100 years we don't have a sitting confirmed commandant in the Marine Corps. By the fall we may not have a chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff. We might not have military leaders for our army and Navy either. This partisan freeze is already harming military readiness, security leadership and troop morale, freezing pay, freezing people in place . Military families already sacrificed so much, unsure of where or when they change stations, unable to get housing or start their kids in the new school because they're not there yet. Military spouses forced to take critical career decisions not knowing where or if they can apply for a new job. A growing cascade of damage and disruption all because one senator from Alabama and 48 Republicans refuse to stand up to him to lift the blockade over the Pentagon policy offering servicemen and women and their families access to reproductive healthcare rights they deserve if their station and states deny it. I think it's outrageous. But don't just take it from me. Hundreds of military spouses have petitioned to end the extreme blockade, one spouse referencing the senator from Alabama said quote this isn't a football game this nonsense must stop right now." (Applause.) Enough

It is time for the senate to confirm the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff and the next commandant of the Marine Corps. It's time for service members to receive the pay and promotions they've earned and deserved. It's time for the Senator from Alabama to let these generals and admirals fully serve their country and service members care for themselves and their family. I urge Senate Republicans do what they know is right to keep our country safe like Harry Truman-- approve all those outstanding election nominees now. Now, Now. (applause) inaudible

…attacks on the military from those voices slandering American military, saying it's becoming weak, soft and less capable. We hear it from the senior senator from Missouri who held his fist high and saluted January 6th even as veterans-turned-police officers protected him and our nation as insurrectionists held a dagger the throat of democracy. We hear it from the junior senator from Texas who fell for Russian propaganda suggesting that their military, the Russian military, is better than ours , calling our military emasculated. Where the hell, [catches himself mids-entence to laughter]. Frankly they have no idea what in God's name they are talking about. As commander in chief I can tell you without reservation not just being in this business for a long time, I've been a student of history. We have and always will have the strongest toughest …fighting force in the history of the world. Inaudible. Sorry to go on, but as my grandpop said, this gets my goat.

In town pool report 18

we have a lid

Foreign pool report #1 - Background

Buongiorno a tutti,

I'll be your foreign pooler for President Biden's meeting with Italian Prime minister Giorgia Meloni (the official title of Italian PMs is President of the Council of ministers).

The bilateral is scheduled for 3pm.

Per our Italian colleagues, there will be no stakeout gaggle but a press conference at the Italian embassy.

The embassy would only tell your pool: "All press engagements will be in Italian and intended for the Italian press."

Meetings:

The last time the 2 leaders met was at the NATO summit in Vilnius and before that, at the G7 in Hiroshima (though there was no formal bilateral)

Their only formal bilateral was back in November on the sidelines of the G20 in Bali.

They also spoke a month ago on the phone, which is when POTUS formally invited Meloni to Washington.

She if the last of the G7 leaders to meet Biden at the White House.

Agenda:

Per Italian officials, the conversation will focus on major international issues:

-The Euro-atlantic alliance (the war in Ukraine and its global repercussions)

Before she took office, Meloni was seen as favorable to maintaining good relations with Russia (many of her political partners also had close ties to Putin and Russia.) But after Russian invasion, Meloni has been nothing but a staunch supporter of Ukraine, backing sanctions against Russia, taking in Ukrainian refugees and backing aid packages to Ukraine.

There is a "shared commitment to continue to fully support Ukraine in the face of Russia's aggression. Italy and the US will continue to work for a just and lasting peace."

-The Indo-Pacific (China)

"China has become an essential interlocutor in international relations and Italy intends to pursue a balanced relationship and responsible dialogue with China."

There have been reports, especially in the Italian press, that Meloni could announce that Italy will pull out from China's Belt & Road Initiative, or at least communicate to POTUS that a pull-out is on the way (the deal expires in march 2024 and Italy has to decide whether to renew it for another 5 years). Recently, the PM said POTUS had never raised the issue of Italy's membership in the BRI. An announcement now would be seen as a strong statement, ahead of Italy's G7 presidency.

Italy joined the BRI in 2019 (under the premiership of Giuseppe Conte) becoming the only G7 nation to do so, hoping to boost trade and investment. At the time, the move was criticized both by the US and Europe but Meloni has suggested she is willing to pull the plug.

-The global South (Africa)

Officials say Africa will be a "central theme" of Meloni's trip to Washington. The continent has also been a main focus of Meloni's premiership.

The Mediterranean, Africa, migration and development will also be among the main themes of Italy's G7 presidency.

"The centrality of the Mediterranean, attention to Africa, the question of resources for development and attention to stability as an element of security must be priorities that concern all allies and partners, and which must be addressed in all international meetings."

The bilateral comes on the heels of the Rome Conference on migration and development and an agreement between the EU-Tunisia (the EU has pledged 100 million euros to help Tunisia curb migration.)

The 'Rome Process' agreed to on Sunday (about 20 countries have joined so far) aims to tackle the root causes of illegal migration and a crackdown human trafficking.

There are concerns that deals like the Rome one or the EU turn a blind eye on the human rights records of partner countries.

(Tunisia has recently been accused of pushing back migrants into the desert to Libya and Algeria without food or water)

Schedule:

Giorgia Meloni arrived in Washington on Wednesday evening.

This morning, she was on Capitol Hill to meet with both Senate and House leadership, including a meeting with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

The Speaker and the PM gave a joint statement to the press following the meeting.

She is expected to hold a press conference later today at the Italian Embassy.

On Friday morning she will be attending a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery

Bio:

Giorgia Meloni is 46 years old.

She took office on 22 October 2022, becoming the first Italian woman to hold that position.

In 2012, she co-founded "Fratelli d'Italia" (Brothers of Italy) and has been its leader since 2014. The party's ideology has been described as nationalist and right-wing populist. FdI is the successor of Alleanza Nazionale (National Alliance) which has its roots in fascism.

The right-wing coalition led by Meloni's FdI won the majority in the 2022 general election. Per a pre-election agreement among the right-wing coalition parties, with FdI scoring the most seats, she was designated as the candidate for PM.

She describes herself as a Christian conservative. She is opposed to same-sex marriage and adoption. Her government is vocal in its defense of traditional families, backing the removal of non-biological parents from their children's birth certificates and ordering babies born abroad via surrogate no to be registered as Italian citizens.

She is governing on a very anti-immigration platform, calling for a naval blockade in the Mediterranean.

While she supports NATO, she has been very critical of the European Union.

She has been a member of the Italian Parliament since 2006.

From 2008 to 2011, she was Minister of Youth under PM Silvio Berlusconi.

Meloni has twice been invited to speak at CPAC, as leader of the FdI, in 2019 and 2022.

Foreign pool report #2 - Oval office quotes

Pool entered the oval at 3:16pm

POTUS leaned over to say a few words to Giorgia Meloni to which the PM laughed.

Your pooler couldn't really make out what he told her.

Giorgia Meloni quotes (please check all quotes against tape)

The PM reiterated the strong bonds between the US and Italy, "based on common values and cultural roots."

She spoke about the millions of Italian-Americans who "contributed in shaping (the US') culture and identity."

She said these ties "remain solid regardless of political colors. We know who our friends are in times that are tough."

"After the Russian aggression against Ukraine, all together we decided to defend international law."

"supporting Ukraine means supporting the peaceful of people and states everywhere in the world."

"Ukrainian resistance distances a world war, it does not bring it closer as some say."

She also spoke about "free and fair" global trade.

On Africa, she said african countries "can help us build with them a new relation, based on a new approach, which is a pair to pair approach, to fight illegal migration."

Joe Biden ended the conversation with a reference to the First Lady's Italian roots and a joke he's made several times in the past.

"I may be Irish but I'm not stupid, I married Dominic Giacoppa's granddaughter."

Neither POTUS nor the PM responded to any of the shouted questions. The 2 instead started talking to each other as the pool was being escorted out of the Oval at 3:24pm.

Foreign pool report #3

Confirmed by the Italian side, after some confusion, there will be NO stop at the sticks. The plan is still to have a press conference at the Italian embassy.

The Italian pool is on its way out of the campus.

Foreign pool report #4 - Departure

PM Meloni left the White House at 4:40pm, waving goodbye through her window at the few reporters standing at the sticks in the blistering heat as her motorcade drove off.

That's it from me. This time for good.

This was my last pool day before moving to Paris.

It's a been a privilege working alongside all of you these past years!