Pool Reports of March 15, 2024

In-Town Pool Report #1: Oval Office Meeting

President Biden took one question in the Oval Office about Sen. Schumer's Israel speech. He said, "Sen. Schumer contacted my staff, my senior staffer, that he was going to make that speech. And I'm not going to elaborate on the speech. He made a good speech, and I think he expressed serious concern shared not only by him, but by many Americans."

President Biden received Prime Minister Leo Varadkar of Ireland in the Oval Office where they made brief remarks. Pool entered at 10:52 and exited at 11:02. Check quotes against transcript.

"May the hinge of our friendship never go rusty," Biden said quoting an Irish saying to open the meeting. He added, "I don't think we are going to let it go rusty."

Seated to Biden's right, Varadkar made general, warm remarks. The Irish PM addressed the situation in Gaza, saying, "I want to keep talking about situation in Gaza as well... My view is that we need a ceasefire as soon as possible to get food and medicine in, to get the hostages out. We need to talk about how we can make that happen and move towards a two state solution."

Biden nodded his head and said, "I agree."

The White House passes along the following:

The President is participating in a bilateral meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar of the Republic of Ireland.

U.S. Manifest
The President
T.H. Jake Sullivan, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
T.H. Claire Cronin, Ambassador of the United States to Ireland
T.H. Jim O'Brien, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs
T.H. Thomas Wright, Special Assistant to the President & Senior Director for Strategic Planning, National Security Council
Mr. Andrew Johnson, Acting Senior Director for Europe, National Security Council
Ms. Agnieszka Kurzej, Director for Western Europe, National Security Council

Irish Manifest
His Excellency Leo Varadkar, Taoiseach of Ireland
Her Excellency Geraldine Byrne Nason, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States
Mr. Brian Murphy, Chief of Staff
Mr. John Callinan, Secretary General to the Government of Ireland
Ms. Helen Blake, Assistant Secretary General
Mr. Philip O'Callaghan, Special Adviser to the Taoiseach
Mr. Ronan Gargan, Counsellor, International Section
Mr. Nick Miller, Special Adviser to the Taoiseach
Ms. Orla Keane, Deputy Chief of Mission

In-Town Pool Report #2: White House Departure

President Biden walked from the Oval Office alone to the motorcade shortly before 12:30.

The motorcade left the White House campus at 12:33. We are rolling.

In-Town Pool Report #3: Arrival at Capitol/Manifest

The motorcade arrived at the U.S. Capitol at 12:38. President Biden walked up the Capitol steps on the House side.

Other than the tourists enjoying the pleasant weather who waved, the trip was uneventful.

The White House passes along the following:

Traveling with the President in the motorcade en route to the U.S. Capitol:

Jeff Zients, Assistant to the President & Chief of Staff

Claire Cronin, Ambassador of the United States to Ireland

Steve Ricchetti, Assistant to the President & Counselor to the President

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff

Shuwanza Goff, Assistant to the President & Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs

Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance

Richard Ruffner, Assistant to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations

Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach

John McCarthy, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor for Political Engagement

Ashley Jones, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs

Andrew Bates, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Press Secretary & Senior Communications Advisor for Strategic Response

Dilpreet Sidhu, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Deputy Chief of Staff

In-Town Pool Report #4: Greeters

The pool is holding inside Statuary Hall. There are bagpipes playing.

White House passes along the following:

Greeting the President upon arrival to the U.S. Capitol:

Leo Varadkar, Taoiseach of Ireland
Speaker Mike Johnson (LA-04)
Rep. Richard Neal (MA-01)
Rep. Mike Kelly (PA-16)
Bill McFarland, Sergeant at Arms, U.S. House of Representatives

In-Town Pool Report #5: Remarks

Speaker Johnson stepped to the microphone first in the Rayburn Room. He introduced President Biden, who was smiling while he sat nearby listening, as "someone who is known everywhere as America's most famous Irishman."

The president, in a blue suit and green tie, then made general remarks about Ireland—Irish poets, Irish history, Irish American heritage.

"And excuse me for saying this," Biden said turning his attention to the situation in Ukraine after noting the shared U.S. and Irish commitment to freedom, "but I think the vast majority of members of Congress" are willing to do their part" to stand up to Russian aggression.

The president's remarks ended at 1:46. Speaker Johnson, who took notes at different points during Biden's talk, thanked him for his remarks and then introduced the Irish prime minister who is now speaking.

The event is ongoing, and White House passed along the following:

The President is attending the Friends of Ireland Caucus St. Patrick's Day Luncheon.

Run of Show
The President
Speaker Mike Johnson (LA-04)
Leo Varadkar, Taoiseach of Ireland
District Irish Dance Academy performance

Expected Attendees
His Excellency Leo Varadkar, Taoiseach of Ireland
Speaker Mike Johnson (LA-04)
Chairman Michael McCaul (TX-10)
Rep. Steny Hoyer (MD-05)
Rep. Richard Neal (MA-01)
Rep. John Larson (CT-01)
Rep. Christopher Smith (NJ-04)
Rep. Mike Kelly (PA-16)
Rep. Daniel Kildee (MI-08)
Rep. Greg Murphy (NC-03)
Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05)
Rep. Blake Moore (UT-01)
Ms. Michelle O'Neill, First Minister of Northern Ireland
Her Excellency Geraldine Byrne Nason, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States
Claire Cronin, Ambassador of the United States to Ireland
Jeff Zients, Assistant to the President & Chief of Staff
Steve Ricchetti, Assistant to the President & Counselor to the President
Shuwanza Goff, Assistant to the President & Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs
John McCarthy, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor for Political Engagement
Ashley Jones, Deputy Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs

In-Town Pool Report #6: Departure/Kirby to Join Briefing

President Biden walked down the House steps next to Speaker Johnson and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar at 2:28 as bagpipes plaid.

The motorcade departed Capitol Hill at 2:32. We are rolling.

Previously after a rendition of U2's "All I Want is You" by classical violinist Gregory Harrington, the pool was escorted out of the Rayburn Room.

Pool missed the Irish step dancers and was directed instead to the steps of the Capitol where we waited for the president to depart.

White House passes along the following:

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will be joined by National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby at today's press briefing. The briefing will begin shortly after the President's return to the White House.

In-Town Pool Report #7: White House Arrival

The motorcade returned to the White House at 2:37. President Biden walked alone back into the Oval Office shortly after.

In-Town Pool Report #8: Two Minute Warning

The press briefing will begin in 2 minutes.

In-Town Pool Report #9: Lid

The White House has called a lid.

It was announced by the now former wrangler Silas Woods III.

Foreign Pool Report #1 - Backgrounder to the Taoiseach's Visit

Good morning,

I will be the foreign pooler today, covering the visit of the Irish Prime minister to the White House. The Irish word for "leader" is Taoiseach, pronounced "tee-shock."

Leo Varadkar should be accompanied in the Oval Office today by

Nick Miller, the Irish government Press Secretary,

Brian Murphy, his Chief of Staff,

Philip O'Callaghan, his Deputy Chief of Staff

Geraldine Byrne Nason, Irish Ambassador to the US

Here's a backgrounder for the visit. Hope you'll find it useful.

This is Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's 5th visit to the White House for St. Patrick's Day.

He was here last year on March 17.

Leo Varadkar is serving for a second time as Taoiseach; he occupied the position from 2017 to 2020. During that time, he was welcomed by President Trump to the Oval Office on March 15, 2018, on March 14, 2019 and on March 12, 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, which produced the awkward moment where the two leaders agreed not to shake hands.

This year, the Taoiseach started his visit on Monday, March 11 in Boston.

He met with Massachusetts Governor Maura Healy.

During his stay in Boston, he delivered a keynote address at the President John F. Kennedy Library, reflecting on the life and legacy of President Kennedy. He also visited Fenway Park to announce a major investment by Irish company Output Sports, which specializes in sports data.

During the week he held a series of other political, economic and Irish community engagements.

The Taoiseach's first event in D.C. on Wednesday was at the Ireland Funds National Gala Dinner, an "opportunity to reflect on the relationship between Ireland and the U.S. and to thank the U.S. for its immense contribution to fostering peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland."

Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff hosted the Taoiseach and Mr. Matthew Barrett for a breakfast at the Naval Observatory this morning.

This is a controversial visit

According to documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by our Irish colleagues at BreakingNews.ie, more than 4,000 people have contacted the Taoiseach's office to express their disapproval of the U.S. backing of Israel's actions in Gaza, many urging him not to travel to the U.S. for St. Patrick's Day.

His office published a press release before his departure from Ireland which reads: "I will also raise the concerns of the Irish people on the shocking crisis in Gaza, reiterating our call for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire to facilitate a massive increase in the humanitarian aid that can reach desperate people and the immediate and unconditional release of the remaining hostages."

According to the official Irish communiqué, discussions will also cover:

- 100 years of diplomatic relations between the United States and Ireland

- their shared global challenges, including "our shared commitment to continued support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression" and the crisis in the Middle East

- an appreciation of the U.S.'s ongoing commitment to the Good Friday Agreement and the restoration of Northern Ireland institutions

"Ireland's future in the world"

This is the Irish Government's theme for St. Patrick's Day 2024.

It's estimated that there are 70 million people worldwide of Irish heritage, of which over 30 million live in the U.S. In 2023, Ireland itself had just over five million inhabitants.

A President proud of his Irish roots

President Biden, from April 11 to 15, travelled to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to mark, among other things, the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. During that trip, the President called himself "Mayo Joe, son of Ballina".

It was his third time in Ireland since 2016, but his first as president.

Leo Varadkar is 45 years old. His father was born in Mumbai, India, and his mother, in County Waterford, Ireland.

He is Ireland's first openly gay head of government.

Foreign Pool Report #2 - With the Taoiseach in the Oval Office

While we're waiting for the Taoiseach's arrival, some clarifications to my previous pool report…

Accompanying the Taoiseach in the Oval Office:

John Callinan
Secretary General
Brian Murphy
Chief of Staff
Helen Blake
Assistant Secretary
Geraldine Byrne Nason
Irish Ambassador to the US

Foreign Pool Report #3 - Oval Office

Pool was brought into the Oval Office at 10:52am for the Taoiseach's annual St Patrick's Day visit to the WH.

The President spoke first.

Here are the Taoiseach comments. Please check with official transcript:

Thank you very much, Mr. President.

Thanks for giving us so much time over these next few days. very keen to talk about four main things.

We're together since we last met back in New York, briefly in September at the UN and since your visit to Ireland last year.

It's really good to see institutions in Northern Ireland up and running.

It just makes such a difference to have Good Friday Agreement properly functioning.

We'll have our north-south ministerial council meeting next month, British Irish counselor in June. So really good to see the promises that agreements like Good Friday agreement being fulfilled again, which is sort of such a powerful change since last time we met.

As you mentioned, we've been celebrating 100 years of diplomatic relations the US one of the first countries to recognize Irish independence. That's become such a strong relationship.

Since then, I'm very keen to talk about that a bit more and also strengthen our economic relationship now which increasingly goes go both ways. There's now 100,000 Americans working in firms that are Irish volunteering here in the US, and we're one of the top 10 investors in the US… do so great to be able to repay some of that interest.

Have to keep talking about the situation in Gaza as well. You know, my view that we need to have a ceasefire as soon as possible to get food and medicine in and talk about how we can make that happen and move towards a two-state solution, which I think is the only the only way we'll have lasting peace and security.

And then of Ukraine, just really want to thank you and America for your leadership on Ukraine. We're very worried about the situation there.

And we don't think that if Putin is successful in Ukraine, he'll stop there. And we really need your continued support and leadership on Ukraine and before speaking to the congressional leaders about that as well.

Later up, we'll have a European Council meeting next week of the 27 EU Prime Ministers so they're going to be very keen to know what I learned here in Washington. That's a fight we've got to win.