Vice Presidential Pool Reports of September 8, 2021

VP Pool #1 JBA departure

Good morning,

The VP is taking a day trip out west to her native Bay Area to headline a rally for California Gov. Gavin Newsom ahead of next week's recall election. VP Harris and Newsom share a long history, meeting before either held elected office, overlapping in roles in San Francisco and Sacramento and supporting several of each others' campaigns.

Harris arrived on the tarmac at JBA at 8:54 a.m. She was greeted by Lt. Col. Tim Fritz, Director Flight Line Protocol, C-40B Pilot.

Harris waved to the pool before boarding but did not stop. Rolling soon.

VP Pool #2 OAK arrival

AF2 landed at 11:15 a.m. PT. The flight to Oakland was largely uneventful, though Vice President Harris came to the back of the plane shortly before landing to welcome the pool to her state and chat briefly off the record.

The VP stepped down from the plane and was greeted by Rep. Barbara Lee of Oakland.

Harris' motorcade, once we get in the vans, will be en route to the IBEW-NECA Joint Apprenticeship Training Center in San Leandro, a short drive from here.

Background from VP's office below on her rally speech for California Gov. Newsom.

BACKGROUND ON VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS'S REMARKS IN BAY AREA TODAY – Attributed to Harris Aide

• Today Vice President Kamala Harris will join Governor Gavin Newsom in the Bay Area to urge Californians to vote no against the Republican recall and lay out what's at stake in this September 14 recall election.
• The Vice President will lay out the affirmative case for Governor Newsom. She will speak specifically to his success in fighting the pandemic and providing support directly to California's working families. The Vice President will also speak to Governor Newsom's leadership in taking on challenges like the wildfires and his commitment to deliver more support to the firefighters and people of California.
• Vice President Harris will also talk about how this election is not a one-off. The President and she believe we face a fundamental choice in America right now as we rebuild our economy: this time, will everyone get in on the deal? The Vice President will underscore Governor Newsom's track record of working hard for working people and the importance of protecting the progress we have made.

Arrival in San Leandro — Newsom event

The pool arrived at the rally for Gov. Newsom, where various California dignitaries are warming up a crowd of roughly 100, plus about 70 members of the news media.

A large California flag is hung to the left of the stage and "Vote No" on the recall "By Sept. 14" signs are placed in front of the podium. The audience has applauded politely so far, mostly staying in their spaced out seats. Everyone appears to be in masks.

Harris will speak in a bit, and the pool was told CBSN and some others are streaming the event live. Will plan to send some VP Harris quotes from her remarks.

A rough rundown of participants. For an idea, Lee just finished speaking.

- Welcome remarks by John O'Rourke, IBEW
- Remarks from Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA-13)
- Remarks from Assemblymember Mia Bonta (AD-18)
- Remarks from Ron Herrera, LA Labor Federation
- Combined Remarks by State Constitutional Officers:

• Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis o Attorney General Rob Bonta
• Fiona Ma, State Treasurer
• Tony Thurmond, State Superintendent o Ricardo Lara, Insurance Commissioner o Betty Yee, State Controller

- Remarks and Call to Action from Rusty Hicks, Chair of the California Democratic Party Program: (Begins at approx. 12:30 pm)
- Following a DJ intro, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom gives a welcome.
- Ahmed Muhammad introduces Governor Gavin Newsom.
- Governor Newsom delivers remarks.
- Governor Newsom introduces VP
- VP gives remarks

Pool Report #4 — Harris quotes at Newsom

VP Kamala Harris began speaking at 12:49 p.m. PT. Couple quick quotes.

Harris said she was watching morning news in Washington and saw clips of Texas Gov. Abbott talking about the abortion bill in his state.

"To speak those words—that were empty words—that were false words that were fueled with not only arrogance but bravado … That is not who we want in our leaders. We want in our leaders someone like Gavin Newsom, who always speaks the truth."

"They woudln't be trying to recall him except that they know he is a national leader," Harris said of Newsom. "This is why they are putting so many resources and time into trying to take out Gavin Newsom. It is because of his vision. It is because of the agenda."

"Let us send the message to the world, that these are the things we stand for these are the things we fight for and we will not give up, because we know that so much is at stake. So many are counting on us and there was so much good that we can do."

"They're thinking that if they can get this done in California … they got to understand what's happening right now. What's happening in Texas, what's happening in Georgia, what's happening around our country with these policies that are about protecting women's rights, reproductive rights and voting rights workers rights. They think if they can run in California they can do this anywhere. Well, we will show them you're not going to get this done, not here."

Check against speech video, please! We are waiting in the van to head back to OAK.

VP Pool Report #5 — Leaving OAK

VP Harris, who stayed back for a few minutes while pool waited in the vans, arrived back at OAK after a short drive from the union venue in San Leandro where she stumped for Gov. Newsom. A few demonstrators with signs urging support for Afghan refugees lined a street along the route near the union hall.

Pool then waited on the tarmac for Harris, who was inside an airport building. Supporters were seen coming out before she arrived back at the plane in the motorcade.

After a little more than three hours on the ground, at 2:36 p.m., Harris walked onto the plane. Pool has learned that they will be serving In-N-Out Burger on the way back home to Washington, so feeling a little less bad that none of our many Bay Area contacts brought a burrito to the venue to share.

Quick correction on the crowd, which was limited because of Covid, and which your pooler sent prematurely. It was 192 in the audience and 70 members of the media, per event organizers.