Subject: Travel pool 8 /’/ arrival Lima and gaggle.
AF1 landed in Lima at 3:15 and Potus descended the steps a few minutes later to cloudy skies and cool temperatures. Motorcade was rolling at 3:25 p.m. Jay Carney and Jen Psaki gaggled on board. Please check the following against the transcript for accuracy. Pool thanks co-pool Carol Lee of WSJ for her help in transcribing.
Carney announced Obama had conference call with Janet Napolitano, Craig Fugate, John Brennan and Alyssa Mastramonaco to discuss hurricane relief. Obama charged his team to focus three key areas; 1. In light colder weather temporary housing should be top priority, made available through individual assistance POtus expedited Monday.2. need to restore power and alleviate gas shortages. Administration wavied the Jones Act to allow ships to bring fuel to affected states regardless country of origin. 3. Obama ordered federal officials to proactively help officials local level to see if there are more federal resources that can be brought to bear. Today Napolitano will travel to Staten Island.
Psaki said today is Katie Hogan’s birthday but would not say how old. She said 23 percent of Ohio votes have been cast and Obama leads 62 to 35 among those who’ve voted according to public polls.
(on whether Potus agrees that NYC marathon should continue this weekend?) Carney said Obama is focused on mobilizing “an unprecedented federal response” … but he added “we engage with state and local officials and rely on them to tell us what their needs are. … Decisions at the state and local level are made appropriately by state and local officials.” He added that the subject did not come up on any of the calls the president has had.
(Would Potus tap Strategic Petroleum Reserves to help with storm relief) Carney said nothing to announce but said Potus tasked team to “think creatively.”
(On whether the WH focused on anti-muslim video after Benghazi attacks in any way to keep CIA role quiet?) “That suggestion, which I haven’t heard, is completely false. We provided information based on assessments made in real time by the intelligence community. As we have had more information become available we have made it available to the public through you.”
Jobs report: Psaki said voters are thinking about the jobs numbers in terms of how far the economy has come and who has a better plan going forward.
(Romney making play for Penn, Minn and Mich) Psaki said he’s “desperately seeking a path to 270″ and “playing a bit of a mind game here.” She made a mini-scooter vs mack truck analogy in terms of size of each side’s path to victory. (POTUS path could drive mack truck through; Romney could drive mini-scooter through his, per the analogy). She said POTUS schedule hasn’t changed.
(Litigation in Ohio re early voting) Ms. Psaki said “we were thrilled that we won the court case just because it gives that many more days for people across Ohio to early.”
(How POTUS will spend Election Day:) Ms. Psaki said that’s not set but he’ll do some GOTV, radio and satellite TV, spend time with his family.
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David Nakamura
Washington Post Staff Writer
