Pool Reports of April 20, 2021

Pool Report No. 1

Good morning from the White House, where it’s 61 degrees, sunny and looking to be a beautiful spring day. I’ll be your print pooler.

Your pooler was swabbed for COVID-19 this morning.

Here’s what’s on President Biden’s schedule for today:

10:15 AM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT receive the President’s Daily Brief

Oval Office

Closed Press

11:15 AM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT meet with leadership of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus

Oval Office

Restricted In-House Pool Spray at the Top (Final Gather 10:55 AM –Brady Press Briefing Room )

2:45 PM THE PRESIDENT participates in a virtual tour of the Proterra electric battery facility in South Carolina and delivers remarks

South Court Auditorium

In-House Pool Coverage (Final Gather 3:05 PM – Brady Press Briefing Room)

Feel free to reach out to me with questions or concerns.

Pool Report 2 - holding for CHC meeting

The pool had gathered and is waiting in the briefing room to be let into the spray at the top of President Biden’s meeting with Congressional Hispanic Caucus leaders.

Pool Report No. 3 - CHC meeting - Floyd comments

Pool was brought into the Oval at 11:43 a.m.

Biden is sitting alongside VP Harris. Said he's going to discuss a "whole range of issues," including immigration and jobs plan with the CHC.

He answered one question about talking to George Floyd's family.

"I've come to know George's family," he said.

"And his brother, both brothers," Biden added.

He spoke of the "Pressure and anxiety" they're going through.

"I waited until the jury was sequestered and I called."

"They're a good family."

"And they're calling for peace and tranquility."

He said he was praying that the verdict was the "right verdict," and made a suggestion the evidence was overwhelming.

We were pulled at 11:47. Cleaner quotes in a moment.

Pool Report No. 4 - cleaner, newsy Chauvin quote

On third listen, here's a cleaned up quote about the Chauvin trial:

"I'm praying the verdict is the right verdict. The evidence is overwhelming in my view."

Pool Report 4a - quote correx

With broadcast audio available, pooler now hears: "I'm praying the verdict is the right verdict. Which is – I think it's overwhelming in my view."

Apologies for that. It was extremely hard to hear what he said under the mask.

A co-pooler reports that the White House's National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy answered one question on the driveway and made no news.

Pool Report No. 5 - briefing to start

The White House called a two-minute warning for the briefing at 1:05 p.m.

Pool Report No. 6 - CHC meeting ends

The White House informs me that the Congressional Hispanic Caucus meeting just wrapped. For reporters not in the briefing room, they will be appearing outside at the sticks.

Pool Report No. 7 - briefing concludes

Press secretary Jen Psaki kicked off the briefing at 1:08 p.m. She wrapped at 1:51 p.m.

Pool Report No. 8 - lunch lid until 2:45 p.m.

We have a lunch lid until 2:45 p.m. – enjoy!

Pool Report No. 9 - Proterra tour beings

The Proterra Electric Battery Facility virtual tour is starting.

Pool will not be with POTUS as he completes the tour. It will be livestreamed here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

We will join the president when he delivers remarks on the American Jobs Plan afterward.

Pool Report No. 10 - holding before remarks

Pool is now holding outside the South Court Auditorium waiting for the president to wrap up the Proterra tour and deliver the planned remarks.

Pool Report No. 11 - speech rescheduled

White House sends an update:

Because of the announcement that a verdict will soon be announced in the Chauvin trial, the President's remarks on the American Jobs Plan after his virtual tour of Proterra have been rescheduled.

Pool Report No. 12 - color from the briefing room

No official update yet, but the TVs in the briefing room momentarily flashed to a Biden aide standing at a podium in what looks to be the Cross Hall.

https://twitter.com/NikkiSchwab/status/1384608033595170816

Pool Report No. 13 - Biden and Harris will speak tonight

Schedule update from the White House

The President and the Vice President will deliver remarks later this evening on the Derek Chauvin verdict.

Pool Report No. 14 - color about the verdict

The White House passes along these details:

The President and the Vice President watched the verdict with staff in the Private Dining Room.

Following the announcement of the verdict, the President spoke with Governor Tim Walz. The President, the Vice President, and the First Lady spoke with Philonise Floyd from the Oval Office.

Pool Report No. 15 - speech set-up

Your pool is set up in the Cross Hall. There’s a single podium set up. Teleprompter under the camera. Two giant vases are filled with light pink flowers on either side of the room.

Pool Report No. 16 - two minute warning

Two minute warning at 7:05 p.m.

Earlier, at 6:18 p.m., second gentleman Doug Emhoff was escorted in and was standing on the Grand Staircase, overlooking the event. He then moved back into the hallway.

Some White House staff walked in at 6:43 p.m. including Susan Rice, Tina Flournoy, Dana Remus and Anita Dunn. There were small white pieces of paper on the floor that said "reserved" that marked where they were supposed to stand, so they could be a few feet apart. Looked like three feet, not six.

Later Symone Sanders joined the group. And a few minutes later, Emhoff reappeared.

First lady Jill Biden joined the group at 7:05 wearing a Navy suit and pearls.

Livestream link is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4W1ZN-6Io8

I'll send color, etc.

Pool Report No. 17 - speech color

At 7:08 p.m. the president and vice president approached the podium in step slowly.

Vice President Harris seemed to hit her heel off the back of the podium before she started. She held onto the sides of it during her opening lines.

President Biden turned away, removed his mask and wiped his nose with a tissue as Harris was speaking.

At 7:11 p.m. President Biden started speaking after an aide briefly wiped the podium off.

He concluded at 7:22 p.m.

Your pooler also recognized Cedric Richmond, Jennifer O’Malley Dillon and Ashley Etienne among the staff.

Pool Report No. 18 - lid

The White House called a lid at 7:32 p.m.

Have a good night!

Pool Report No. 19 - speech attendees

I’m not done yet – sending these along -

Attending the President’s and the Vice President’s remarks:

The First Lady
The Second Gentleman
Anthony Bernal, Advisor to the First Lady
Danielle Conley, Deputy Counsel to the President
Mike Donilon, Senior Advisor to the President
Anita Dunn, Senior Advisor to the President
Ashley Etienne, Communications Director for the Vice President
Tina Flournoy, Chief of Staff to the Vice President
Jen O'Malley Dillon, Deputy Chief of Staff
Vinay Reddy, Director of Speechwriting
Bruce Reed, Deputy Chief of Staff
Dana Remus, White House Counsel
Steve Ricchetti, Counselor to the President
Susan Rice, Domestic Policy Advisor
Cedric Richmond, Senior Advisor and Director of the Office of Public Engagement
Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
Symone Sanders, Senior Advisor & Chief Spokesperson for the Vice President
Annie Tomasini, Director of Oval Office Operations
Elizabeth Wilkins, Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff