Pool Reports of July 17, 2023

In-Town Pool Report #1- Checking in

Hello everyone,

I'll be your pooler for today.

Currently on the schedule:

10:00 AM In-Town Pool Call Time

3:00 PM Press Briefing with Karine Jean-Pierre

In-Town Pool Report #2- Kirby at briefing

From the White House:

NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby will join Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at the press briefing today.

Brunch lid until 2:30 PM.

In-Town Pool Report #3- Briefing 2 minute warning

The press briefing with Karine Jean-Pierre and John Kirby will begin in two minutes.

Live streamed here:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

In-Town Pool Report #4- Briefing ends

The press briefing ended at 4:20 PM

In-Town Pool Report #5- Bernie Sanders going to stake out location

White House just announced two minute warning

In-Town Pool Report #6- Bernie Sanders comments/ Lid

Sen. Bernie Sanders made remarks at the sticks about his meeting with POTUS.

Sanders said there is "very good news" that there is a "significant uptick in that union organizing," and unions themselves "demanding" "decent" contracts, like what is going on with UPS and Teamsters.

"You're seeing unions standing up and trying to end the rather poor conditions that they are working under," Sanders said.

He added that the "bad news" is that there is "an unprecedented level of anti-union illegal activity on the part of corporate activity."

Reporters asked the Senator about wage inflation, media monopolies, the NIH director, the writers and actors strike and Rev. Jesse Jackson.

On the "stickiness" of wage inflation:

"What has really been the cause of inflation? Has it really been workers wages? The truth of the matter, is that we're seeing extraordinary corporate greed" through raising prices, Sanders said.

On whether he supports breaking up media monopolies:

"Yeah I do. I believe that one of the things that we have right now is more concentration of ownership in virtually every sector of American society..." Sanders said.

A reporter asked Sanders about his response to breaking up media monopolies: "Has the president shown any inclination to follow that?"

"Talk to the president," Sanders responded.

On if Sanders and POTUS discussed the NIH Director:

"No," but the two did speak about the floods in Vermont, Sanders said.

On if Sanders and POTUS discussed the writers and actors strike:

"We didn't. But that is something... I think it may have come up," Sanders said.

On if he has any comments on Rev. Jesse Jackson:

"In my view, he is a true American hero," Sanders said.

The White House has called a lid for the night!