Pool Reports of June 1, 2021

In-town pool report #1: Capito meeting tk

Good morning,

No changes to today's schedule, but the White House sends this along on background:

"The President is looking forward to hosting Senator Capito on Wednesday afternoon at the White House, where they will continue their bipartisan negotiations about investing in our middle class and economic growth through infrastructure."

In-town pool report #2: Gathering for POTUS departure

His WH departure to Tulsa is scheduled for 11 am. --

In-town #3: Holding at ellipse for departure

POTUS running 15 min behind so far.

In-town pool report #4: No news departure

POTUS, wearing a mask, arrived at the ellipse at 11:23 am. He gave a wave to the pool and quickly boarded Marine One, without responding to waves to come over.

Aides traveling with him today include Jen O’Malley Dillon, Cedric Richmond and Susan Rice.

Marine One lifted off for JBA at 11:26 am.

More complete list from WH:

Traveling with the President to Joint Base Andrews:

• Susan Rice, Director of the Domestic Policy Council
• Cedric Richmond, Director of the Office of Public Engagement
• Jen O’Malley Dillon, Deputy Chief of Staff
• Vinay Reddy, Director of Speechwriting
• Stephen Goepfert, Personal Aide to the President

In-town pool report #5: WH arrival

Marine One touched down on the ellipse at 8:53 pm. POTUS had a mask on when he disembarked but took it off as he strode across the grass. He gave the pool a short wave and climbed into a waiting SUV for the short drive home at 8:56 pm.

In-town travel pool report #6: Lid

The White House called a lid at 9 pm. --

Travel pool report 1

Greetings from a splendidly sunny JBA.

POTUS disembarked Marine One at 11:39 and boarded AF1, ready for departure to Tulsa International Airport.

Pool got a wave from President Biden but no chance to ask questions. Staff accompanying Biden off Marine One included Susan Rice, Jen O'Malley Dillon and Cedric Richmond .

We're wheels up imminently. Flight time time about 2-1/2 hours.

Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will brief during the flight. You'll be able to follow audio of this on the White House website so pool will not cover unless there is additional material.

On arrival, Biden is scheduled to visit Tulsa's Greenwood Cultural Center and meet with survivors of the racist massacre that took place in the Greenwood community 100 years ago, resulting in the deaths of hundreds and annihilation of a neighborhood popularly known as the "Black Wall Street."

Weather in Tulsa is forecast to be in the 60s with a chance of showers.

The White House provides this list of staff traveling with the president:

• Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge
• Susan Rice, Director of the Domestic Policy Council
• Jen O'Malley Dillon, Deputy Chief of Staff
• Cedric Richmond, Director of the Office of Public Engagement
• Vinay Reddy, Director of Speechwriting
• Kurt Campbell, NSC Coordinator for the Indo-Pacific
• Karine Jean-Pierre, Principal Deputy Press Secretary
• Shuwanza Goff, Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs & House Liaison
• Ashley Williams, Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations
• Stephen Goepfert, Personal Aide to the President
• Travis Dredd, Trip Director
• Meghan Hays, Director of Message Planning
• Jenn Jones, Department of Housing and Urban Development Chief of Staff

And for the record:

Upon arrival to Joint Base Andrews, the President will be greeted by Colonel Marcus Cooley, 89th Mission Support Group Commander.

Travel pool report 2 - Tulsa arrival

AF1 landed at 1:07 pm CDT in Tulsa. During the flight we had the approximately 25 minute briefing from Principal Dep Press Sec Jean-Pierre, which was audio streamed, and a fleeting visit to say hello by Meghan Hays, director of message planning.

POTUS disembarked at 1:20 pm without talking to pool. The motorcade then zipped across the runway to a cargo hangar where Biden is scheduled to spend a few minutes doing a photo line. POTUS was seen entering the facility but this is closed press. Pool is holding.

Next we will motorcade to the Greenwood Cultural Center, about 15 mins away.

Travel pool report 3 - photo line up

The White House passes on these names of people getting photos with POTUS:

The President is participating in a photo line with elected officials and community leaders, including:

• Governor Kevin Stitt
• Mayor G.T. Bynum, Tulsa
• City Councilor Kara Joy (KJ) McKee, Tulsa
• Governor Gary Batton, Choctaw Nation
• Governor Bill Anoatubby, Chickasaw Nation
• Chief Greg Chilcoat, Seminole Nation of Oklahoma
• Principal Chief David Hill, Muscogee Nation
• Chair Alicia Andrews, Oklahoma Democratic Party

Travel pool report 4 - motorcade

At 1:38 pm POTUS motorcade is rolling

Travel pool report 5 - Greenwood arrive

At 1:50 pm motorcade arrived outside the Greenwood Culture Center. Pool could not see Biden. He is set to tour the center ahead of remarks on the centenary of the Tulsa racist massacre.

Several hundred onlookers were spotted across the street before pool had to hustle inside to hold for POTUS.

Travel pool report 6 - tour (and numbering correction)

*apologies for mix up but last report (Greenwood arrival) should have been labeled 5 - not 6.*

POTUS entered the exhibition hall at the Greenwood center at 2:06 pm, accompanied by Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge.

The tour itself was being led by Michelle Brown-Burdex, Program Coordinator of the Greenwood Cultural Center.

Biden's guide told him about "the most successful, prosperous Black owned business district in the country" before showing him photos of the area "in flames."

"Within 24 hours" the whole district was destroyed by white rioters, she said

"You're right, It was a massacre," Biden said.

His guide then said she would take him to meet the three survivors.

Per White House They are between the ages of 101-107:

• Viola "Mother" Fletcher
• Hughes "Uncle Red" Van Ellis
• Lessie "Mother Randle" Benningfield Randle

For color, the exhibit is in a large lofty room lined with black and white historical photos and newspaper pages related to the massacre a hundred years ago and segregation generally. There is a large painting depicting people walking down a street with their hands in the air. A poster reads: "Remembering Black Wall Street".

Biden spent a little over five minutes in the exhibition hall.

For the record the White House says Biden met on arrival with Dr. Tiffany Crutcher, Executive Director and Founder of the Terence Crutcher Foundation.

Travel pool report 7 - holding for speech

POTUS is due to take the stage for his speech on race shortly. We're in a packed conference center type room. A very rough head count is 200, with only a smattering wearing masks. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are among those in the audience. Soft classical music -- your pooler would say cello and piano -- is playing faintly overhead, mostly drowned out by the hubbub in the crowd.

The address will be televised and is also being streamed by the White House so pool will not cover, but am on the lookout for extras.

As a note, this speech is being delivered right after POTUS meets with the three centenarian survivors of the Tulsa massacre. With him during that, per the White House, are Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge, Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice, and Senior Advisor Cedric Richmond

Travel pool report 8 -- 2 minute warning for POTUS Tulsa speech

[APP Note: No additional text was included in this report.]

travel pool report 9 - POTUS on stage

POTUS took the stage at 4:10 pm to clapping and some cheers. Before speaking, he is being introduced, per White House, by Lauren Usher, a descendent of a Tulsa race massacre victim.

Please watch broadcasts/streaming for the speech.

The White House provides this:

"On background:

There are approximately 200 audience members, made up of survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre and their families, community leaders, and elected officials."

travel pool report 9b - time zone clarification, speech underway

Apologies, for any timezone mix up in pool report 9 (blame my non-updating laptop), but Biden took the stage at 3:10 CDT not 4:10 EDT.

He began his appearance with a moment of levity, breaking from the podium to say a few words to a small girl sitting with her family in the front row. The speech then commenced, with frequent breaks for applause and murmurs of approval from the audience. POTUS noted he was "the first president in 100 years" to come to this site but said that "just because history is silent, doesn't mean that it did not take place."

"Hell was unleashed," Biden said, describing the atrocities that took place here.

Travel pool report 10 - speech over + color

POTUS wrapped up at 3:55 CDT. The speech lasted about 38 mins. Biggest cheer (plus standing ovation) came at around the 27 minute mark when the president said protecting the "right to vote" was the single most important priority in building a better country.

Side note:

On his way out, Biden went back to the two (it was two) little girls who were in the front row. Pool does not know what words were exchanged but presumably the president was following up on their first exchange from the start of the speech when he was heard saying he wanted to make sure they were going to get ice cream later.

Pool is holding while POTUS has photos and meetings. Part of the audience is still in the room and just now a group delivered an impromptu rendition of the Civil Rights Era march song "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around."

From the White House:

After delivering remarks, the President will participate in a photo line with elected officials, including:

• State Senator George Young (Oklahoma City)
• State Senator Kevin Matthews (Tulsa)
• State Representative Monroe Nichols (Tulsa)
• State Representative Merleyn Bell (Norman)
• State Representative Ajay Pittman (Oklahoma City)
• State Representative Mauree Turner (Oklahoma City)
• State Representative Regina Goodwin (Tulsa)
• State Representative Jason Lowe (Oklahoma City)
• Chair Vanessa Hall-Harper, Tulsa City Council
• Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear, Osage Nation
• Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., Cherokee Nation
• Chair Alicia Andrews, Oklahoma Democratic Party

The President will then meet with members of the Congressional Black Caucus and civil rights leaders, including:

• Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18)
• Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04)
• Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-13)
• Rep. Brenda Lawrence (MI-14)
• Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE-AL)
• Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04)
• Rep. Cori Bush (MO-01)

Travel pool report 11 - motorcade

POTUS motorcade rolling from Greenwood Community Center at 5:08

Travel pool report 12 - AF1

POTUS exited the Beast and boarded AF1 at 5:22 pm, without taking questions. We are wheels up shortly from Tulsa International Airport, bound for JBA.

Travel pool report 13 - JBA

AF1 landed at JBA at 8:26 pm EST after an uneventful flight. POTUS disembarked at 8:36 pm and walked over to Marine One without talking to pool. The chopper lifted at 8:42.

For the record, the White House says the greeter at JBA was Colonel Marcus Cooley, 89th Mission Support Group Commander.

With thanks to my fellow travel poolers on this historic trip, handing off to in-town pool.