This Week In Pool Reports

A quality week for poolers. Jim Rutenberg tries to be of the people...or is that just sleep deprivation? Regardless, good work Jim. "AF1 was wheels up at 8:10 and the consensus in the press cabin was that that lift off was at full throttle because potus wanted to get home fast. Wheels down at 8:57 p.m., thanks to pilots with mad skilz. It should have taken an hour and five minutes." -- Rutenberg, New York Times "We thought the scenery was dramatic when we headed up the private drive and saw the top of a huge structure at end of a straightaway. That was when we thought we were looking at the Wexner mansion. It was apparently just a guest house. We did not get a great look at the actual home several yards on down the road (which seemed from afar more like a complex of red brick buildings, a village unto itself) because we were diverted left to the barn while the president was driven into the main drive to the right. So the Limited must be doing pretty well." -- Rutenberg "Potus saw more friendly peeps on way out, including a gaggle of girls who screamed as if Potus was all fab four wrapped up in one. We arrived at the airport at 8:04, engines firing up and we're ready to roll." -- Rutenberg "The president watched while a worker pumped 8 gallons of fuel into a white police Chevy Tahoe. 'What we got here?' the president asked as he approached the pumps. He spoke with a police officer, largely out of pool's hearing, but in response to something the officer said, the president said 'good pickup' and motioned with his right hand to suggest a car driving off quickly. Then, as the fuel was flowing into the Tahoe, the president looked at the digital display -- there was no price display on the pump -- and said, 'pretty good deal.' Then, he leaned on the pump with his left arm. At this point, Tony Snow approached the pool and, referring to the pump and nozzle, said, 'It's magic. You squeeze the thing and fuel comes out.' It was a joke. A joke. A JOKE." -- Jim Gerstenzang, Los Angeles Times More when you click below... "After his remarks, the president turned toward the pool and said, 'ok, let's load 'em up.' The pool herders, apparently not moving fast enough, got a second message and a third, as the president repeated, 'load 'em up.' Then, he added, with a smile, 'everybody in a cheery mood? Just checking.' He clearly was." -- Gerstenzang "If when you think Memphis you think Beale Street, Stax Records, Isaac Hayes or even Booker T. and the MG's, think again. Think AutoZone. POTUS is in Memphis, but he's at the manse of J.R. 'Pitt' Hyde, founder of the auto parts empire. Hyde is hosting a luncheon for the Republican Senate candidate that RNC spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt says drew 450 people and raised $1.1 million." -- Michael Fletcher, Washington Post "What are the odds that on a Tuesday night, the President would be the star of a GOP fundraiser two houses away from Sen. Hillary Clinton, who was also hosting 'an event' at her spacious home in the lovely Northwest neighborhood a stone's throw from some familiar embassies? Dueling money-raisers; 'Tis the season." -- Alexis Simendinger, National Journal "Never get between Chuck Schumer and a camera -- and never get in the way of POTUS heading to his soft down pillow." -- Peter Baker, Washington Post "CONNECTICUT-OHIO STEALTH FUNDRAISING TOUR" -- Sheryl Stolberg, New York Times "CONNECTICUT-OHIO OUT-IN-THE-OPEN FUNDRAISING TOUR (Note new name, per grumbling from certain White House staffers)" -- Stolberg "CONNECTICUT-OHIO TOO-TIRED-TO-THINK-UP-ANY-MORE-CLEVER-NAMES FUNDRAISING TOUR" -- Stolberg "Oh, we of little faith! Who said VPOTUS wouldn't hang with the pool? Shortly after takeoff from Grand Rapids about 6:55 p.m. en route back to Andrews, your poolers were invited forward on AF-2 for a 'surprise' celebration of VPOTUS's 100th fundraiser this cycle. His staff had secured a cake marked '100 -- on to victory' and, after everyone was in place, beckoned him out of his private cabin to congratulate him on the feat. VPOTUS seemed uncertain what to do or say, as if a man who hates surprise parties finding himself the guest of honor at, well, a surprise party. ... He was handed a large carving knife and proceeded to slice away, remembering to ask the truly important question. 'Does my wife know about this?' ... Note to Mrs. Cheney: He did not appear to take a piece of cake with him. What happened after the poolers returned to the back of the plane, however, we cannot vouch for. -- Baker "Chris Shays is said to be inside; no word about the Republican Senate candidate, whose name no one can remember. (It's Alan Schlesinger.) No word about any other elected officials either." -- Stolberg "The Rev. Luis Leon offered a sermon about the importance of serving others. Near the beginning of the sermon, the first lady draped her left arm around the president's shoulders. The president responded by inching closer to the first lady. They remained huddled closely until the end of the sermon." -- Sean Mussenden, Media General News Service "The president appeared to be enjoying himself in the communion line, bounding up the steps to the table. As he kneeled down, he was grinning and seemed to be chuckling at something. He was smiling broadly when he returned to the pew." -- Mussenden "Quick, quiet motorcade had POTUS back at the White House by 10:46 for his meeting with Kazakhstan President Nazarbayev. They are expected to tackle a host of weighty topics, though no word on whether they'll talk about the journalistic style of Kazakhstan's (least)favorite fake reporer, Borat." -- Ian Bishop, New York Post

Fishbowl

This Week In Pool Reports

Patrick

About

Subscriptions

Events

Publications

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

Patrick