Pool Reports of May 17, 2023

In-Town Pool #1 - Checking in

Good morning!

Checking in as your pooler for today, Wednesday, May 17.

The only event on the president's schedule ahead of his departure for Alaska en route to Hiroshima, Japan is a ceremony awarding the 2021-2022 Medal of Valor recipients.

The event is scheduled to take place inside the East Room at 9:30 am and will be live-streamed at https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/.

POTUS is scheduled to depart from the South Lawn at 11:25 a.m.

In-Town Pool #2 - Gathering for Palm Room doors

The pool is gathered at the Palm Room doors.

In-Town Pool #3 - Spotted in East Room

Pool is gathered inside the East Room.

Your pooler spotted familiar faces:

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland

White House Director of Public Engagement Stephen Benjamin

In-Town Pool #4 - Event starting soon

The Medal of Valor event is beginning shortly. Again this is being live-streamed.

In-Town Pool #5 - Attendees/Recipients

Please see the below from the White House:

In attendance for the President's remarks at a ceremony honoring the 2021-2022 Medal of Valor recipients:

Attorney General Merrick Garland, Department of Justice
Secretary Deb Haaland, Department of the Interior
Acting Secretary Julie Su, Department of Labor
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18)
Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13)
Rep. Jason Crow (CO-06)
Commissioner Keechant Sewell, New York City Police Department
Chief Troy Finner, Texas Police Department, Houston
Guests of the medal recipients, leaders of national first responder organizations, and White House staff

Medal of Valor Recipients:
Corporal Jeffrey Farmer, Littleton Police Department, CO
Lieutenant Justin Hespeler, Fire Department of New York City, NY
Lieutenant Jason Hickey, Fire Department of New York City, NY
Gabina Mora (Mother), accepting on behalf of Fallen Detective Wilbert Mora, New York City Police Department, NY
Dominique Rivera (Wife), accepting on behalf of Fallen Detective Jason Rivera, New York City Police Department, NY
Detective Sumit Sulan, New York City Police Department, NY
Deputy Bobby Pham, Clermont County Sheriff's Office, OH
Sergeant Kendrick Simpo, Houston Police Department, TX
Firefighter Patrick Thornton, Fire Department of New York City, NY

Run of Show
Attorney General Merrick Garland, Department of Justice
The President
Conferring of the Medals of Valor

In-Town Pool #6 - Ceremony concludes/Debt ceiling question

The ceremony concluded at 10:12 am. POTUS shook the hands of the Medal of Valor recipients and a few of the attendees as he walked out of the East Room. He even took a selfie with one.

A reporter asked POTUS as he was leaving if there was a red line on the debt ceiling talks, to which he said, "Yes, depends on what they are."

In-Town Pool #7 - Clarification/Remarks on debt ceiling

To clarify, the president was asked "Do you have any *work requirements* red lines," to which Biden said, "Yes, it depends on what they are."

Also, pool got word that Biden will speak inside the Roosevelt Room at 10:45am before his departure.

In-Town Pool #8 - Pool gathered for remarks

The pool is moving to the Roosevelt Room …

In-Town Pool #9 - 2 min warning

2 min warning.

Your pooler apologizes in advance for any pool report delays as service is not great inside the Roosevelt Room.

President's remarks are being live-streamed on whitehouse.gov/live

In-Town Pool #10 - Q&A/Gathering for Departure

Service is back. After his remarks, President Biden was asked a series of questions:

Q: What work requirements would you accept?

"Not going to accept work requirements that impact health needs" (Please check against transcript)

Will send more from Q&A as soon as I can.

Pool is now gathered for departure on the South Lawn.

In-Town Pool #11 - Boarding M1

POTUS walked out of the private residence and onto the South Lawn at 11:34. As he boarded M1, he was unable to hear any shouted questions from the press.

From the White House:

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

Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
Jen O'Malley Dillon, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations

In-Town Pool #12 - Full Q&A transcript

Here's the full transcript of the Q&A in the Roosevelt Room. Admittedly, it was hard to hear everything word for word.

Q: What about work requirements specifically? Are you still considering it sounds like it's still on the table, and you haven't rolled it out, which would you be willing to accept?

A: Well, I'm not going to accept any work requirements that's going to impact on medical health needs of people. I'm not going to accept any work requirements much beyond what is already ... I voted years ago for work requirements that exist. It's possible there could be a few ... but not anything of consequence ...

Q: What message does this send to PNG and Australia, I know it was important to you to focus on Asia on this trip, but this is having to be put aside. Is this is this almost a win for China?

A: No ... we're still formidable allies ...

Q: Will you meet with President Xi soon, sir?

A: Whether it's soon or not, we will be meeting* ...

*Not clear if POTUS said meeting or speaking.

In-Town Pool #13 -AF1 Gaggle in 5 minutes

In-Town pool is informed that Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will gaggle on AF1 in 5 minutes.

Audio live-stream can be found here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

Out-of-town Pool Report #1: JBA Arrival

Good morning from a windy JBA.

M1 landed here at 11:46 a.m.

POTUS, wearing a blue suit and aviators, disembarked at 11:50. He waved to the press but offered no comments.

He boarded AF1 at 11:51.

We should be wheels up to Alaska shortly. Karine Jean-Pierre and Jake Sullivan will gaggle during the flight over but timing of that is TBD.

From the White House:

Greeting the President upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews:

Colonel Matthew Jones, 89th Airlift Wing

Traveling with the President aboard Air Force One en route to Anchorage, Alaska:

Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
Jen O'Malley Dillon, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
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
Ambassador Rufus Gifford, Chief of Protocol
Mike Pyle, Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs
Ryan Montoya, Deputy Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Kurt Campbell, Deputy Assistant to the President & National Security Council Coordinator for the Indo-Pacific
Curtis Ried, Deputy Assistant to the President & National Security Council Chief of Staff & Executive Secretary
John Kirby, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications
Amos Hochstein, Special Presidential Coordinator
Ashley Williams, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations
Edgard Kagan, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for East Asia and Oceania
Carlyn Reichel, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for Speechwriting & Strategic Initiatives

Out-of-town Pool Report #2: Wheels up

AF1 was wheels up at 12:02

Out-of-town Pool Report #3: Arrival in Alaska

AF1 was wheels down in Anchorage at 2:24 pm local time for a refuel stop.

Karine Jean-Pierre and Jake Sullivan gaggled during the flight for about 45 minutes.

John Kirby briefly visited the press cabin for an OTR shortly after take off. Otherwise, it was an uneventful flight.

Out-of-town Pool Report #4: wheels up to Hiroshima

After an hour-long refuel stop, AF1 was wheels up to Japan at 3:43 pm local time.

During the stop, POTUS and his granddaughter, Maisy, walked off the plane and spent about 10 minutes on the tarmac, though the pool was stationed far from them.

Also, Secretary Blinken is traveling with POTUS aboard AF1. He was not on the manifest the White House sent out, but the pool saw him on the tarmac.