Pool Reports of January 27, 2021

Pool report #1

Good morning from the White House, where the pool has been tested ahead of the 9 a.m. call time. All is quiet. We already have a lunch (breakfast?) lid until 11:30 a.m.

POTUS and VPOTUS will receive their daily brief at 9:30 a.m. in the Oval office and then at 1:30 p.m. POTUS is scheduled to deliver remarks and sign EOs on climate change and "restoring scientific integrity." That's in the State Dining Room and will be open to pool.

Psaki, John Kerry and Gina McCarthy have a briefing scheduled for 12:15 p.m.

That's the schedule for the day.

Pool report #2

Two minute warning for Psaki/Kerry/McCarthy briefing...

Pool #3

Pool entered the State Dining Room at 1:26 pm, where a table is set up for President Biden to sign today's executive orders, and a podium is set up for his remarks.

The podium is set up in front of a portrait of Abraham Lincoln.

We await the president. The event should be streamed online by the White House and tv pool is efforting to take it live.

Pool #4

Some color as we await POTUS.

Kerry is in place and was asked if he had any foreign trips or travel scheduled yet. He said it was still only "conceptual." Said it's possible if you "do it carefully."

Gina McCarthy is also in place waiting for POTUs and joked that she spilled coffee on her shirt and was lucky that recent weight loss allowed her to button her jacket to conceal the stain.

Biden entered with vpotus at 1:37 pm

Event has started

Pool #5

Biden concluded his remarks about his climate actions, which were focused on how they would help create good paying jobs, at 1:53 pm.

"We're not going to ban fracking," he said at one point. He said he would ask Congress to eliminate subsidies to big oil.

He read his remarks off a teleprompter with no obvious asides.

This was carried online, but I will send highlights later.

Before he began his remarks, Biden called Kerry his "best buddy" and thanked him for agreeing to join the administration.

He is now signing the first of three orders.

Pool report #6

[APP Note: Report #6 contained the text of Report #1, above.]

Pool report #7 - lid

Travel/photo lid was called at 2:05 pm.