Pool Reports of January 26, 2021

In-town pool report #1: Checking in

Hello from the White House. I'll be your print pool today.

Looking ahead, we have a 12.30 p.m. briefing with Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice.

At 2 p.m., President Biden is set to deliver remarks and sign a series of executive orders on racial equity, followed by a 4.45 p.m. address in the State Dining Room on his administration's efforts to combat the ongoing pandemic.

I'm around if you have any questions.

In-town pool report #2: Lunch lid

A lunch lid has been called until noon. Enjoy.

In-town pool report #3: Two-minute warning

A two-minute warning for the press briefing was issued at 12.33 p.m.

In-town pool report #4: Briefing begins

The briefing with Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice began at 12.39 p.m.

You can tune in here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

I'll prove any color as it happens.

In-town pool report #4: Pool holding for POTUS EO signing
[APP Note: This is likely Report #5.]

The pool is holding in the State Dining Room ahead of President Biden's remarks and signing of his racial equity executive orders at 2 p.m.

His remarks will be streamed here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

In-town pool report #6: Biden remarks on racial equity

President Biden entered the State Dining Room at 2.06 p.m. and spoke for 15 minutes flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris.

Your pooler spotted senior advisors Cedric Richmond, Symone Sanders and domestic policy advisor Susan Rice.

POTUS signed four racial equity executive orders directing the housing department to take steps necessary to redress racially discriminatory federal housing policies, ordering the AG to decline to renew DOJ contracts with private prisons, reinvigorating the commitment of federal agencies to meaningful consultation with tribal governments and condemning xenophobia against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders amid the pandemic.

Some quotes:

"This is the time to act and it's to act because it's what the core values of this nation call us to do. I believe the vast majority of Democrats, Republicans and Independents share these values and want us to act as well."

"It's time to act now, not only because it's the right thing to do, but because if we do, we'll all be better off for it. For too long we've allowed a narrow, cramped view of the promise in this nation to fester."

Biden said he was rescinding the Trump administrations' 1776 Commission to promote what former President Trump called "patriotic education."

"In the weeks ahead, I'll be reaffirming the federal government's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and accessibility, building on the work we started in the Obama-Biden administration."

"That's why I'm rescinding the previous administration's harmful ban on diversity and sensitivity training and abolishing the offensive counterfactual 1776 Commission. Unity and healing must begin with understanding and truth, not ignorance and lies."

In-town pool report #7: Pool gathering for 4.45pm COVID address

The pool is gathering at the Palm Room doors for President Biden's 4.45 p.m. address on the coronavirus pandemic.

In-town pool report #8: Two-min warning

Two-minute warning on President Biden's COVID-19 address. The speech is expected to last 15 minutes. Someone has lit the fireplace in the State Dining Room. It's a nice touch on this cold night in DC.

In-town pool #9: Event begins

President Biden is now speaking on his efforts to combat the pandemic. He is accompanied by his COVID-19 task force coordinator Jeff Zients.

A log appeared to topple off the fireplace a few minutes into the speech, causing a loud bang. This may be the first and last Biden fireplace briefing.

Introducing Zients, Biden said he was "bringing back the pros to talk about covid in an unvarnished way."

Some quotes:

"This will be one of the most difficult operation challenges we've ever undertaken as a nation."

"When we arrived, the vaccine program was in worse shape than we expected or anticipated."

After review, Biden says they will increase weekly vaccination distribute to states from 8.6m doses to 10m doses starting next week.

The administration is working to secure another 200 million doses from the vaccine this summer, 100 million from Pfizer and 100 million from Moderna.

More to come.

More to come.

In-town pool report #10: Event concludes, travel/photo lid

President Biden's remarks wrapped at 5.03 p.m. and a photo/travel lid was called at 5.07 p.m. Goodnight all!