Pool Reports of March 31, 2022

White House In-Town Pool Report #1 — Brian Deese added to the briefing

Morning friends —

A more comprehensive breakdown of today's schedule to come, but your pooler wants to flag that National Economic Council Director Brian Deese will be joining Director of Communications Kate Bedingfield in today's briefing, currently scheduled for 3 p.m.

White House In-Town Pool Report #2 — checking in

Afternoon friends —

Greetings from the White House, where the sky is the color of wet concrete and the weather is windy, warm, and bordering on muggy. Your pooler has tested and is awaiting the call to gather for President Biden's remarks on gas prices, expected at 1.30 p.m. Eastern and viewable on the White House livestream.

Following the president's remarks, Director of Communications Kate Bedingfield will brief with National Economic Council Director Brian Deese at 3 p.m., also streamable.

White House In-Town Pool Report #3 — gathering for POTUS

Reporters are gathering at the just-this-side-of-rainy stakeout spot, where the smarter reporters brought umbrellas, for President Biden's remarks on gas prices, scheduled for 1.30 p.m. and viewable here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

White House In-Town Pool Report #4 — POTUS begins speaking

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

White House In-Town Pool Report #5 — POTUS concludes

President Biden finished his prepared remarks at 2.02 p.m.

In response to shouted questions from reporters, he said he expected gas prices to fall "and continue to come down" in response to the oil reserve release.

"It could come down very significantly," the president said, suggesting up to 35 cents a gallon.

He departed the lectern at 2.04 p.m. but returned in response to a question about Vladimir Putin pulling Russian troops back in Ukraine.

There is "no clear evidence" that troops are entirely leaving Ukraine," President Biden said. "I'm a little skeptical."

At 2.05 p.m. he departed for real.

White House In-Town Pool Report #6 — 'Jeopardy!' champion Amy Schneider visits the briefing room

Amy Schneiderman, the first woman to ever win more than $1 million on Jeopardy!, visited the White House briefing room before today's briefing to highlight the administration's observance of the International Transgender Day of Visibility, "to be visible, I suppose," she said.

Schneiderman, who is transgender, told reporters that the recent spate of legislation prohibiting transgender children from participating in school sports or barring teachers from discussing LGBT issues is "really scary."

"Some of them in particular that are denying medical services to trans youth," Schneiderman said, are "really sad to me and it's really frightening."

Schneiderman met with Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff earlier today, per the wranglers, and will be meeting with transgender youth to mark the day.

White House In-Town Pool Report #6a — correx

The Jeopardy! champion who visited the briefing room is named Amy Schneider.

Your pooler tried and failed to word this report in the form of a question, which is why Ms. Schneider has won $1 million on Jeopardy! and your pooler has not.

White House In-Town Pool Report #7 — two-minute warning for briefing

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

White House In-Town Pool Report #8 — briefing begins

Once more, with feeling: https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

White House In-Town Pool Report #9 — briefing ends

The briefing concluded at 4.17 p.m.

White House In-Town Pool Report #10 — lid

A travel/photo lid was called at 4.32 p.m. Thanks for following today!

Skrrt skrrrt,