Pool Report on Biden Transportation Event
VPOTUS's office has list of attendees and remarks are forthcoming. Subject is light rail funds from ARRA, Rendell (Pa.), Kaine (Va.-DNC), Granholm (Mich.), Perdue (Ga.), Doyle (Wisc.), Patrick (Mass.), Quinn (Ill.) and Nixon (Mo.).
Patrick was late coming in, but pooler was told he was not likely meeting privately with VPOTUS.
Upon entering, VPOTUS ran into Perdue who appeared, to the VPOTUS at least, to be leaving before the meeting started. Banter and jokes followed.
VPOTUS: "Where you going?"
Perdue: "I was leaving."
VPOTUS: "What the hell's wrong with you?" (laughter)
VPOTUS shook hands around the table with several "Good to see you, man," and "Good to see you, Ed [Rendell]. Said upon sitting: "...Georgia gets nothing. I'm only kidding, only kidding, only kidding."
VPOTUS introduced by DOT Sec. LaHood, called VPOTUS "the real pioneer here."
Following intro, VPOTUS said: "We're going to have some opening comments here, then we're going to get down to business -- after the press leave."
On light rail: "It seems to me this is really a no-brainer."
"We know your state budgets are strained."
Some discrepancy between LaHood ($8B) and VPOTUS ($13B) over how much is going to light rail from ARRA.
"This is how the interstate highway system started, folks," VPOTUS said. "It wasn't like the Lord on the eight day said -- boom! -- there's the interstate highway system."
Said if one "bend" could be straightened on the route from DC to NYC, then the trip would take less than an hour and a half. Said, if his memory serves, removing one bend would cost $3B.
"So anyway, folks, I'm excited about it as you can tell."
Pool was escorted out after about seven minutes.
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Clarification on money differences: Sec. LaHood at stakeout clarified that $8 billion for rail comes from ARRA, and POTUS's budget adds $1 billion every year for five years.
Also, apparently there is a difference between light rail and high speed rail. Should be the latter. Forgive your pooler -- he's from Kentucky.
