Pool Reports of December 22, 2023

In-town pool report #1: Lunch lid

The White House has called a lunch lid until 1:30.

In-town pool report #2: Congratulatory call to Spain's president

The press office passes this on.

President Biden called President Sanchez of Spain this morning to congratulate him on securing a new term. A readout of the call will be released soon.

In-town pool report #3: Departure for Children's National Hospital

Pool departed White House at 3:14 pm for POTUS and FLOTUS' visit with patients and families at Children's National Hospital in DC. Your pooler did not see POTUS but glimpsed FLOTUS in a red jacket or dress getting into the presidential limo.

In-town pool report #4: arrival at Children's National Hospital

Pool arrived at Children's National Hospital at 3:26 pm after an uneventful motorcade ride through downtown DC and north toward Fort Totten.

From the press office.

Traveling with the President and the First Lady via motorcade en route Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC:

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Anthony Bernal, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the First Lady
Jen Daskal, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Homeland Security Advisor
Vanessa Valdivia, Special Assistant to the President & Press Secretary for the First Lady
Rykia Dorsey, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Communications Advisor for the Domestic Policy Council

In-town pool report #5: Hospital greeter

Below is from the press office. Also the event will be streamed on the White House website

Greeting the President and the First Lady upon arrival at Children's National Hospital:

Ms. Michelle Riley-Brown, President & Chief Executive Officer, Children's National Hospital

Background from the White House: President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden Visit Children's National Hospital

On Friday, December 22, the President and the First Lady will visit Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C. to meet with pediatric patients and their families and thank staff who are supporting patients this holiday season. The visit continues the annual tradition of First Ladies visiting Children's National to celebrate the holidays with children and their families. This will be the President and First Lady's third holiday visit to Children's National Hospital.

The President and the First Lady will host a book reading of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas with a group of pediatric patients and their families. Patients will also participate virtually from their hospital rooms. This year marks the 200th Anniversary of the publication of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, a poem and book deeply etched into so many childhood memories. The book is featured in this year's theme for the 2023 White House Holiday Season: The "Magic, Wonder, and Joy" of the Holidays.

In-town pool report #6: Hospital event ends and departure

Pool departed Children's National Hospital at 4:04 pm. A group of a couple dozen people waved on the street nearby booed as the motorcade passed, waving Palestinian flags and chanting "ceasefire now."

In-town pool report #7: Arrival at White House

Motorcade arrived back at the White House at 4:15 pm from Children's National Hospital White House after uneventful ride, save for the protestors outside the hospital referenced previously.

In-town pool report #8: Week ahead

The press office sends this along.

WEEK AHEAD 12/23 - 12/31

On Saturday, the President will travel to Camp David where he will remain through the Christmas holiday.

On Tuesday, the President and the First Lady will return to the White House.

On Wednesday, the President and the First Lady will travel to St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands where they will remain through the New Year's holiday.

In-town pool report #9: Lid

The White House called a travel/photo led at 4:22 p.m.

In-town pool report #10: Children's National Hospital event details

The press office said POTUS and FLOTUS participated in a photo line out of the pool's view. POTUS and FLOTUS (wearing a dark pink dress not the red dress/jacket your pooler thought he glimpsed from a distance earlier) were were escorted by Sumukh Arunkumar (age 10) as they entered a small cordoned-off area in the hospital's Costco Wholesale Atrium filled with Christmas trees, displays of wrapped presents and a big screen TV showing a Yule log.

Parents and children sat on the red carpet, red pillows or small ottomans. One patient sat in a wheelchair with an IV unit next to him. A couple other patients also watched while hooked up to IVs. POTUS and FLOTUS sat side by side in red chairs surrounded by poinsettias.

FLOTUS read "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," assisted at one point by POTUS in opening a foldout picture in the book.

After FLOTUS finished, POTUS thanked the hospital staff, saying "It's special, special what you do" and thanked the patients and families, saying "maybe I'll see you at the White House."

POTUS said there were "more and more cures" coming every year, "so, as my father would say, 'Keep the faith.' "

He joked about them remembering him and FLOTUS if they came to visit them and ended by saying, "Thank you and love you all. God bless you."