Vice Presidential Pool Reports of October 17, 2022

VP Travel Pool #10: pool rolls out

Good morning!

It's a sunny Monday in Los Angeles.

The pool rolled out at 11:25 a.m. PT, en route to the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, where Vice President Harris is scheduled for a conversation on reproductive rights with Rep. Karen Bass.

Pool has not seen Harris yet.

VP Travel Pool #11: pool arrives

Pool arrived at Nate Holden Performing Arts Center. Harris is not anticipated to arrive for about another hour and a half.

On Background from a White House Official

Today at 3:00 PM PT, Vice President Kamala Harris will join Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA-37) and Celinda Vázquez, Vice President of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, for a conversation about protecting reproductive rights. The event will be livestreamed on www.whitehouse.gov/live.

The Vice President has brought together leaders from across the nation who are on the frontlines fighting to protect reproductive health care and abortion access. This month, the Vice President has traveled to Connecticut and Texas to participate in conversations with reproductive rights leaders, she chaired the Second Meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Reproductive Healthcare Access, and she convened student leaders at the White House.

Since May, she has held more than 20 convenings and met with 180+ state legislators from 18 states to discuss protecting reproductive rights. The Vice President has also convened health care providers, constitutional law experts, faith leaders, state attorneys general, disability rights leaders, higher education leaders, students, and advocates.

VP Travel Pool #12: VP arrives

Vice President Harris, wearing a black pantsuit, walked on stage at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center at 2:51 p.m. PT.

The room is packed, with about 200 people. Find the event livestream at www.whitehouse.gov/live.

Prior to Harris' arrival, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti opened the event at 2:10 p.m., followed by the below speakers:

-Director Melanie Fontes Rainer, Director of Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Human Health & Services

-State Senator Toni G. Atkins, California's Senate President pro Tempore

-Attorney General Rob Bonta

-U.S. Senator Alex Padilla

-Rep. Karen Bass

Bass introduced and welcomed Celinda Vázquez, Vice President of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, on stage.

Bass then praised Harris' leadership and welcomed Harris on stage. Bass and Harris hugged. Bass, Vázquez and Harris then sat down to discuss abortion.

VP Travel Pool #13: VP concludes event

Harris concluded the discussion and walked off stage at 3:27 p.m. PT.

Harris highlighted the administration's efforts to preserve access to abortion and reproductive healthcare. HHS contacted pharmacies to describe "their legal requirement to administer medication as prescribed," Harris said, and that DOJ has a task force to pursue "whatever litigation is appropriate."

"This is about freedom and liberty," Harris said. "22 days, there is an election, that is a fact."

"We need to hold on to what we have, and we need two more senators," Harris said.

"We're going to have to protect these rights by having national legislation," Harris said. "We need people in Congress to recognize that responsibility."

Full remarks are at: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qJRes5FCpfQ&feature=youtu.be

VP Travel Pool #14: motorcade rolls out

The motorcade rolled out of the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center at 4:31 p.m. PT, en route to a DNC fundraiser in Studio City.

Pool did not see Harris exit the building; pool shuffled out of the building and directly into a van.

On background from White House official:

DNC Finance event host: Liz Naftali, Deputy National Finance Chair, DNC

VP Travel Pool #15: DNC fundraiser

The motorcade arrived at the DNC fundraiser at 5:11 p.m. PT. Pool did not see Harris exit the motorcade.

DNC fundraiser took place at the Studio City residence of Liz Naftali, DNC Deputy National Finance Chair. Naftali opened the event at about 5:40 p.m. PT. There were about 100 people gathered on Naftali's yard, seated under a white canopy and a clear sky.

Naftali welcomed Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, who took the podium and began remarks at 5:49 p.m. PT. He highlighted the Biden-Harris administration's "historic set of achievements in just 21 months" and stressed that "this really is the most important midterm of our life."

"But I'm really here to introduce my wife," he stated, to the crowd's laughter. "Frankly we need more men supporting women."

Harris entered the event at 5:57 p.m. PT.

Harris ran through a list of the administration's wins, highlighting the Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, the student loan debt relief program, the nomination of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and more.

"We've delivered on so many issues that have been long standing issues in our country," Harris said. "We have a lot of material" to sell voters on "based on what the people demanded."

"The work that we have to do, .. is the work of reminding people that their vote really does matter."

Harris transitioned to a forceful reminder on Democrats' fight for abortion access, drawing the crowd's applause.

"What we do now not only impacts the trajectory of our country, it impacts the world," Harris said.

Pool did not see Harris exit the event or hear the conclusion of her remarks; pool exited the event before Harris at 6:18 p.m. PT.

Motorcade rolled out at 6:38 p.m. PT, en route to Harris' residence.

VP Travel Pool #16: down for the night!

The motorcade rolled up to Harris' residence at 7:04 p.m. PT.

Pool did not see Harris exit the motorcade.

And we're done for the night! Harris is scheduled to travel to San Francisco tomorrow.

See you then!