Pool Reports of December 10, 2024

in-town pool report #1 — gathering

Good morning from the White House. The in-town pool has gathered for President Biden's motorcade departure to the Brookings Institution for a speech on his "economic playbook." The remarks are scheduled to start at 12:15 p.m. ET and will be live-streamed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9mdWivB6EE

In-town pool report #2 — still at WH

President Biden’s motorcade is still idling on the South Lawn at the White House. His remarks were initially scheduled for 12:15 p.m. More TK.

In-town pool report #3 — rolling/speech length

The president’s motorcade rolled from the South Lawn at 12:21 p.m. President Biden boarded his black SUV at 12:20 p.m., via the sidewalk at the rear of the Rose Garden. The South Portico remains decked out for the holiday season.

FPPO: The pool was told Biden’s remarks are expected to span about 20 minutes.

Live stream of remarks is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9mdWivB6EE

In-town pool report #4 — Brookings arrival/protesters

President Biden's motorcade arrived at the Brookings Institution at 12:27 p.m. Sidewalk on-lookers watched, a few taking pictures, along 17th St. NW and Connecticut Ave. NW. Your pooler did not see POTUS enter the Brookings facility.

Pro-Palestinian protesters about a block away held a banner that stated: "Stop Arming Israel." A smaller group at the next intersection yelled things that could not be clearly heard.

The White House passes along the following:

Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to the Brookings Institution:

Chair Jared Bernstein, Council of Economic Advisers
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Mike Donilon, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach
Herbie Ziskend, Deputy Assistant to the President & Principal Deputy Communications Director
Marc Gustafson, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for the White House Situation Room
Kate Balcerzak, Special Assistant to the President & Director of Partnerships & Private Sector
Michael Konczal, Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy
Alex Jacquez, Special Assistant to the President for Economic Development & Industrial Strategy
Michael Kikukawa, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Communications Advisor for Economic Messaging

in-town pool report #5 — Biden starting soon

Guests inside the room at the Brookings Institution have been asked to take their seats as the program should begin shortly. There are five rows of seats, organized in two rows inside an event space within the think tank's D.C. office, with a middle aisle. President Biden's blue lectern with the seal of the Office of the President affixed is on a stage opposite your pool's position in the back of the room. POTUS will be up soon. Color TK. Remarks are being live-streamed.

Live stream of Biden's remarks will be here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9mdWivB6EE

The White House passes along the following:

Participating in a photoline with the President:

Acting Secretary Julie Su, Department of Labor

Rep. Brendan Boyle (PA-02)

in-town pool report #6 — POTUS wraps/quotes/color

President Biden began speaking at 12:42 p.m. POTUS said he lost "the electricity here," pointing to his teleprompter, at 12:52 p.m. Your pooler has asked if it came back online. Biden did not seem phased, as he continued to defend his economic record and policies, concluding his remarks at 1:20 p.m.

POTUS began by contending he believes the incoming Trump administration would take office with a "fairly strong economy, at least at the moment." ... He concluded his remarks by predicting "massive deficits" and cuts to federal programs if the next administration implements "trickle-down economics" and policies like tariffs. Doing so, POTUS contended, would be a "major mistake."

After speaking conversationally for most of the speech, near the end, Biden raised his voice to ask: "If we don't lead the world, who will?" (He noted he was serious, and was not being a "wise guy.") ... POTUS: "I pray to god the president-elect throws away Project 2025. I think it would be an economic disaster."

Biden also joked at the top: "I started here 400 years ago, as a senator." He also joked that for decades he was "the poorest" member of Congress, quipping: "What a foolish man."

Biden predicted, without directly naming him, that President-elect Donald Trump would have a hard time should he opt against steering federal dollars to blue states. Biden contended his administration had purposely "invested" in both red and blue states. He also dinged Trump over a claim the previous administration did not "buy American."

Around 1:07 p.m., Biden dabbed his nose with a tissue from his suit jacket pocket. He cleared his voice several times, at 1:09 p.m. apologizing for what he described as "my cold."

Please check partial quotes against audio and/or video and/or transcript.

The White House passed along the following:

The President is delivering remarks on his middle-out, bottom-up economic playbook at the Brookings Institution.

Speaking Program
Glenn Hutchins, Co-Chair of the Board, Brookings Institution
Cecilia Rose, President, Brookings Institution & Introducer
The President

in-town pool report #7 — back at WH

The president's motorcade arrived back at the White House at 1:34 p.m. after departing Brookings at 1:30 p.m. Biden exited his SUV at 1:35 p.m. and entered the Oval Office, with aides in tow, one minute later. The ride was again uneventful, save the same groups of protesters and some more sidewalk on-lookers. Several protesters along 18th St. NW chanted, "Genocide Joe" and waved Palestinian flags.

in-town pool report #8 — briefing pushed/lunch lid

The White House says the press briefing will now begin at 2:15 p.m. There is a lunch lid until 2:10 p.m.

in-town pool report #9 — dinner lid

The White House has called a dinner lid until 6:30 p.m. More TK.

in-town pool report #10 - gathered for Christmas event

The in-town pool has assembled again, this time for President Biden's remarks at what the White House is billing as a "Christmas for All Dinner in Celebration of Unity, America, and Special Olympics." We should be headed to the East Room soon. Biden's remarks are slated for 7 p.m., and will be live-streamed by our friends at C-SPAN. A link to that stream is below. More TK.

Live stream: https://www.c-span.org/video/?540494-1/president-biden-remarks-christmas-dinner

In-town pool report #11 — POTUS speaks soon

President Biden will begin his remarks soon. C-SPAN will have a stream of the event at the link in pool report #10. The East Room, or what the pool can see, is decked out for the season. The pool held on a staircase for several minutes before being escorted in. Holiday tunes played as we waited. We heard "Hail to the Chief," but entered the East Room as it wrapped. POTUS was already standing by the wooden lectern with the gold eagle as he was introduced. Can't see much of the room and decor, as we are positioned just inside a doorway, between two large Christmas trees.

Maria Shriver passed by as we waited on the stairs, telling a fellow pooler he is excited about tomorrow's Conference on Women's Health Research.

In-town pool report #11b — event details

From the White House:

The President is delivering remarks at a Christmas for All Dinner in Celebration of Unity, America, and Special Olympics.

Speaking Program
Tim Shriver, Chairman of the Board, Special Olympics
Loretta Claiborne, Special Olympics Athlete and Special Olympics Board Director & Introducer
The President
Renee Manfredi performs "This is Me"

Attendees
Sen. Chris Coons (DE)
Rep. Steny Hoyer (MD-5)

In-town pool report #12 — POTUS wraps

POTUS began speaking at 7:25 p.m., wrapping his remarks at 7:39 p.m., after closing with a toast. He recounted the story of the day his first wife and daughter passed away. He credited the late Sen. Edward Kennedy with helping him at that time and as a young senator. His voice broke as he spoke. He touted his administration's investments in certain programs, like education. He called sports "essential" to global disability policy, contending his administration had helped entrench that notion around the world.

At some points, POTUS spoke softly and was difficult to hear. Please seek out the video stream link in pool report #10.

Biden recognized several attendees, including Maria Shriver and former Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo.

The invited dinner guests appeared to give him a standing ovation before he spoke. Your pooler can't be sure if all guests stood, due to the two large Christmas trees obstructing our view. There was ample chair squeaking against the floor as guests sat back down.

The pool was escorted out at 7:42 p.m.

In-town pool report #13 — lid

The White House called a lid at 7:46 p.m. Have a nice evening, all.