First Lady Pool Reports of September 20, 2024

FLOTUS Pool Report No. 1 - West Wing event

Good afternoon from an unseasonably hot Rose Garden. I'll be your pooler for the FLOTUS event marking the 25th anniversary of The West Wing.

This event is being live-streamed so your pooler will just send color and newsy quotes.

So far no celebrity sightings but there are waiters passing around drinks including "The Jackal," made with bourbon, ginger ale, bitters and garnished with an orange slice.

Background below from the East Wing:

REPORTABLE BACKGROUND FROM THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST LADY: September 20, 2024

Today, September 20th, First Lady Jill Biden will host an event at the White House to mark the 25th anniversary of the television series The West Wing, and celebrate the role of storytelling in inspiring Americans to pursue a career in public service. This Rose Garden event will include remarks by the First Lady and feature members of the cast.

The event will feature the following individuals from The West Wing:

1. Aaron Sorkin, Creator and Executive Producer
2. Thomas Schlamme, Director and Executive Producer
3. Martin Sheen
4. Richard Schiff
5. Dulé Hill
6. Janel Moloney
7. Emily Procter
8. Melissa Fitzgerald
9. Mary McCormack

Remarks Program:

1. First Lady Jill Biden
2. Martin Sheen
3. Aaron Sorkin

FLOTUS Pool Report No. 2 - West Wing remarks

At 5:08, FLOTUS stepped out of the Oval Office and walked to the podium flanked by Martin Sheen and other cast members of the West Wing.

The theme of the West Wing played as she walked to the podium.

"We just came from the Oval but even though Joe, Joe is away hosting leaders of Australia and India and Japan in Delaware, he wanted to make sure that President Bartlet and his staff had a chance to see the Oval Office again," Dr. Biden said.

She introduced Sheen at 5:13 p.m.

Sheen thanked FLOTUS saying he was "given this opportunity rare enough these days to morph once again into the wonderful character that changed my life and a lot of others as well."

Aaron Sorkin took the podium at 5:15 p.m.

"Our cast will live on as one of the best in the history of television," Sorkin said.

Sorkin noted that Rob Lowe, Allison Janney and Bradley Whitfield weren't at the White House because they were on-set

"The rest of us are apparently unemployed," Sorkin said.

"Not yet," FLOTUS remarked.

"West Wing moments do happen and Dr. Biden and we saw proof of that on the morning of July 21st," Sorkin also said, referring to the date President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race.

Remarks concluded at 5:20 p.m.

Dr. Biden ignored one shouted question as she exited the event.

That's it from me - have a wonderful weekend all!