Pool Reports of May 16, 2023

Pool report #1/lid until 1:15pm

Brunch lid until 1:15 PM.

Pool report #2/Kirby at briefing

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will be joined by NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby at today's press briefing.

Also note that pre-set for the Jewish American Heritage Month reception is at 1:45pm. Same time as the briefing is scheduled to start.

pool report #3/updated pre-set time

Update: Please be prepared to pre-set for the Jewish American Heritage Month reception at 1:30pm.

pool report #4/briefing moved to 2pm

The press briefing will begin at 2pm.

pool report #5/2 minute warning for briefing

2:13p 2 minute warning

pool report #6/briefing ends

The briefing started at 2:15p. Kirby and Jean-Pierre.

Briefing ended at 2:50.

Pool gathering for Oval spray on debt limit talks.

pool report #7/Oval meeting on debt ceiling

President Biden is meeting in the Oval Office with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. It's the resumption of highest-level talks on the debt ceiling.

Vice President Harris is in the room.

Pool was ushered in and out quickly.

POTUS said he had no comments. It was just getting started but we will hear from people "at the sticks" afterwards.

Lots of shouted questions. All ignored. I asked how the border is doing. (I was closest of the pool.)

'It's getting better. You've seen it," Biden said.

I asked how much credit Texas deserves for that.

He made kind of a "pffft" face of disbelief.

Pool report #8/Oval spray

More Biden.

As pool was getting settled in, he said:

"Hello folks. Get a good picture of all of us. We're having a wonderful time. Everything's going well," he said, and then gave a sort of sardonic laugh. The tone -- listen for yourself but it sounded a bit sarcastic about wonderful time.

Then Biden said: "I don't have any comment to make. We're just getting started. (We'll?) be available at the sticks when this is over."

His assessment of the situation at the border (I was trying to be heard over all the jumble of shouted questions that he was still ignoring):

"Much better. You see it," Biden said.

pool report #9/Oval color

President Biden sat in his usual seat. Vice President Harris in the wingback chair to his right.

On the couch to the VP's right, the Republicans: Speaker Kevin McCarthy (closest to VP) and Sen. Mitch McConnell.

On the couch to the president's left, the Democrats: Sen. Chuck Schumer (closest to Biden) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

None of those five said a word. They all looked pretty stiff. I couldn't see the Dems' laps from my vantage behind them but all the others have their hands clasped as Biden spoke. Biden clasped his own hands when he'd finished speaking and the pool futilely tried to get him to engage on the G7, the debt ceiling, the implications of a default and maybe other topics that I (and surely he) couldn't pick out as poolers and wranglers shouted.

That's about all the juice to be squeezed from this 80-second event.

pool report #10/Oval debt limit meeting participants

The President and the Vice President are meeting with Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Leader Chuck Schumer, Leader Mitch McConnell, and Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Cabinet Members
Jeff Zients, Assistant to the President & Chief of Staff
Shalanda Young, Director of the Office of Management and Budget

Staff Attendees
Steve Ricchetti, Assistant to the President & Counselor to the President
Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Louisa Terrell, Assistant to the President & Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs
Grisella Martinez, Director of Legislative Affairs for the Office of the Vice President
Dan Meyer, Chief of Staff for the Office of the Speaker of the House
Michael Lynch, Chief of Staff for the Office of the Senate Majority Leader
Sharon Soderstrom, Chief of Staff for the Office of the Senate Minority Leader
Gideon Bragin, Executive Director for the Office of the House Minority Leader

Pool report #11/McCarthy and McConnell at the sticks

Now.

Pool report #11a/Schumer and Jeffries at the sticks

McCarthy and McConnell left the sticks at 4:12p under a very light drizzle. The Democratic leaders then came out. They ended at 4:18.

Expect no pool reports on what any of them said. Audio better on TV anyway.

Pool and others have not yet been called to gather for the East Room and the Jewish American Heritage Month Reception scheduled for 4:30.

pool report #12/East Room - Jewish American Heritage Month event

First lady Jill Biden welcomed guests to a packed East Room at 4:46, just after the VP and second gentleman were introduced, which was just a moment after the pool and precredentialed press got here.

Livestreaming at whitehouse.gov/live

Big cheers as Dr. Biden introduced the stars of the Broadway revival of Parade (see below).

Ben Platt, who plays Leo, took the stage and explained his character, wrongly convicted of murder "largely due to anti-Semitism." Sings a song called "This is Not Over Yet."

ICYMI this morning:

On Background from White House Official

On Tuesday, May 16th, President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will host a celebration in honor of Jewish American Heritage Month at the White House. The celebration will include a musical performance by Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond, the stars of the Broadway revival of the musical, Parade, with composer Jason Robert Brown accompanying them. Parade is based on the true story of Leo and Lucille Frank's experiences with antisemitism in the early 1900s. The President, the First Lady, and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff will deliver remarks, and Vice President Harris will also attend.

During his remarks, President Biden will celebrate the contributions of Jewish Americans and discuss how they continue to shape who we are as a nation. The President will also discuss how he decided to run for President in 2017 after neo-Nazis marched from the shadows in Charlottesville – and how he continues to condemn and combat antisemitism at every turn. Since taking office, the President has:

1. Signed the bipartisan COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, to help law enforcement better address hate crimes.
2. Appointed America's first Ambassador-level Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, Deborah Lipstadt.
3. Secured the largest increase in federal funding ever for the physical security of non-profits – including synagogues, Jewish Community Centers, and Jewish Day Schools.
4. Convened the first-of-its-kind White House Summit on combating hate-fueled violence.
5. In addition, the Department of Justice has made prosecuting hate crimes a top priority.

In December 2022, the President established an inter-agency group to increase and better coordinate U.S. Government efforts to counter antisemitism, Islamophobia, and related forms of bias and discrimination within the United States. As part of this effort, the Biden-Harris Administration will soon release the first-ever U.S. national strategy to counter antisemitism. The strategy will address increasing awareness and understanding of both antisemitism and Jewish American heritage, improving safety and security for Jewish communities, reversing the normalization of antisemitism and addressing antisemitic discrimination, and building coalitions across all communities to fight hate. It will include over 100 meaningful actions that government agencies will take to counter antisemitism, as well as over 100 calls to action for Congress, State and local governments, companies, technology platforms, civil society, faith leaders, and others to counter antisemitism.

The celebration will also feature a menu designed by guest chef Michael Solomonov, and include twists on dishes from his Jewish and Israeli heritage, such as Moroccan Chicken Cigar Rolls, Smoked Sable on Challah, and Stuffed Fairy Tale Eggplant with Lentil and Harissa

pool report #13/Jewish American Heritage Month event pt 2

President Biden and the Vice President were introduced at 5:10, bringing to a halt the shmoozing.

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff is talking...

Before they arrived: A blue posterboard that says "Jewish American Heritage Month 2023" hangs in the center of the east wall of the East Room.
Pool has a view of Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-NY, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., and Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., in the front row stage left.

Cardin at one point had his phone out and was taking photos of the Parade stars Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond singing a duet.

Their final number was not from Parade. It was "Children Will Listen" from Into the Woods by Steven Sondheim, a melancholy and moving song about the lessons parents pass along to their offspring, sometimes inadvertently. (Initially sung by the witch who locks her daughter Rapunzel in a tower btw.)

"Now you have to go back to New York," Dr. Biden said after the applause, and with the audience still on its feet.

"8 O'clock show," Platt said.

Dr. Biden then vamped a bit, stalling because the president still hadn't arrived.

"There's a little bit going on today," she said, calling for a lifeline from "the voice of God" (announcer) who didn't actually chime in quite yet.

More tk.

pool report #14/Biden remarks on debt ceiling, Australia and Jewish American heritage

Biden remarks in the East Room ended at 5:32pm.

Shmoozing resumed as an up-tempo klezmer-type version of "Hevenu Shalom Aleichem" began playing. No hora dancing was seen but then it was pretty tight in the room.

Biden started his remarks by talking about the debt ceiling talks and his trip to Japan that begins tomorrow.

"We just finished another good productive meeting with our congressional leadership" to ensure that America doesn't default for the first time on its national debt. "There is still work to do but I made it clear to the speaker and others" that talks will continue and staff will meet daily.

He's still going to Japan tomorrow for the G7 because "the nature of the presidency is addressing many critical matters all at once."

But he said, making it official: "I'm postponing the Australia portion of the trip and my stop in Papua New Guinea."

He said he'd just spoken with Prime Minister Albanese of Australia to explain the decision.

"Defaulting on the debt is simply not an option," he said, adding that "policy differences between the parties" is no excuse for default.

Turning to the theme of this East Room event, Jewish American Heritage Month, he lauded Emhoff as "the first Jewish spouse of an American vice president" and Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz as the prime mover behind heritage month.

He thanked the chef for ensuring that "today is both delicious and glatt kosher." He celebrated the contributions of Jewish Americans whose values and efforts have shaped American history. Theirs, he said, is a "story of resilience" after persecution.

He spoke of artists, entertainers, poets and many other professions. He namechecked Wall St. Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, being "held because he shed some light on the darkness" (he didn't mention the Journal and said only Evan's first name.)

He referred to the Holocaust by the Hebrew term "shoah."

He touted the Iron Dome defense system in Israel, and affirmed his commitment to Israel's security and its right to defend itself.

He recounted the Charlottesville neo-Nazi rally how he was inspired to run for president after Trump's comment about "very fine people on both sides.... That's when I knew we had to stay engaged.... Hate never goes away."

He lamented that anti-semitic attacks are at an all-time high. "This is hard to believe," he said, promising a strategy to combat anti-semitism will be released soon.

"The Talmud says, 'It's not your duty to finish the work but neither are you at liberty to neglect it.'" he said.

Emhoff, speaking before Biden:

"Jewish Americans achieving at the highest levels of success. And how proud our ancestors would be," Emhoff said, to applause.

But he said, antisemitism is on the rise, as part of an "epidemic of hate."

"We all need to be in this fight together, so that we can all live openly and proudly and without fear. There is no one that is pushing back harder to push back against hatred and bigotry in our country than President Biden and my wife, the vice president."

Emhoff recounted how Biden told him about his visit to the Dachau concentration camps before his own visit to Auschwitz earlier this year.

"I'm so grateful that we have a president and a vice president who are tireless advocates for our Jewish community, both to combat hatred but also as they celebrate our heritage."

pool report #14a/attendees at Jewish American Heritage Month celebration

In attendance for the President's remarks at a celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month:

(apologies, missed this a while ago while we were still in the East Room)

The First Lady
The Vice President
The Second Gentleman
Attorney General Merrick Garland, Department of Justice
Anne Neuberger, Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber & Emerging Technology
Senator Ben Cardin (MD)
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY-12)
Rep. Janice Schakowsky (IL-09)
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25)
Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-09)
Rep. David Cicilline (RI-01)
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)
Rep. Lois Frankel (FL-22)
Rep. Bradley Schneider (IL-10)
Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08)
Rep. Joshua Gottheimer (NJ-05)
Rep. Susan Wild (PA-07)
Rep. Kimberly Schrier (WA-08)
Rep. Sara Jacobs (CA-51)
Rep. Kathy Manning (NC-06)
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (FL-23)
Rep. Daniel Goldman (NY-10)
Rep. Rebecca Balint (VT-AL)
Ambassador Michael Herzog, Israeli Ambassador to the United States
Stuart Eizenstat, former Ambassador to the European Union
Major David Frommer, Army Chaplin of West Point University
Irene Fogel Weiss, Auschwitz survivor
Jewish-American political & community leaders & activists

Run of Show
The First Lady
Musical performance from cast members of the Broadway musical "Parade", Ben Platt, Micaela Diamond, and Jason Robert Brown
The Second Gentleman
The President

pool report #15/lid

A lid was declared at 6:18 pm.

Have a great evening.

Pool report #16/ lid had been lifted

The lid had been revoked. Pool had no indication why. Pooler is hustling back to the White House.

Pool report #17/POTUS rolling

A motorcade with lots of black SUVs and assorted other vehicles began rolling from the South Lawn at 8:18 pm.

The pool has not been told where we are going but it will be reportable on arrival.

Pool report #18/arrival at EMILY's List gala

President Biden has arrived at the 2023 We Are EMILY National Gala, a fundraiser for EMILY's List, gala is in The Anthem at the wharf. VP Harris departed well before he arrived.

Uneventful 6 motorcade past the Washington Monument.

From the press office: The President is attending the 2023 Emily's List Gala, where House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi is being honored this evening. The speaking program includes:

The Vice President
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (NY)
Senator Jacky Rosen (NV)
Senator Mark Kelly (AZ)
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08)
House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (MA-05)
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (CA-11)
Rep. Emilia Sykes (OH-13)
Virginia State Senator Ghazala F. Hashmi (District 10)
Laphonza Butler, President of EMILY's List
Rebecca Haile, Board Chair of EMILY's List

Pool report #19/back at White House

The motorcade arrived at 8:57p

Details to come on Biden's brief appearance at the EMILY'S List gala. Bit of a technical issue.

The pool did not see the preaident enter the White House.

Pool report #20/Biden at EMILY's List gala (and lid, again)

The president spoke for roughly six minutes, starting at 8:42p, at the 2023 We Are EMILY National Gala.

Laphonza Butler, president of EMILY's List, introduced Biden as a special surprise guest. The crowd filling The Anthem, seated at 10-top round tables, seemed thrilled and surprised as he appeared on stage.

Biden focused on former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the evening's honoree, praising her as a "game-changer" whose impact on American society will earn her high marks in history.

"I've been saying this for a long time.… Nancy Pelosi is going down in history as one of the most consequential speakers in American history. …Not because she's a woman but because she's so incredible."

He ticked quickly through a number of achievements, including the Affordable Care Act, American Rescue Plan, and defending democracy on Jan. 6. "She's been a steadfast defender of women's rights," he said.

He added: "I also want to thank my buddy Kamala who I work for up in the White House for leading on this issue." The remark -- that he worked for his vice president -- drew scattered tittering.

The stage was brightly lit, the phrase of the evening "RUN. WIN. CHANGE THE WORLD" in huge colorful letters.

He called Pelosi to the stage. They clasped hands and raised them together over their heads and declared in unison "We are EMILY!"

The pool was hustled out to the vans and in the scramble, your humble pooler managed to delete the draft pool report. Hence this delay as it was reconstructed.

Also, for the record, pool report #13 misspelled Stephen Sondheim's first name.

Abject apologies.

The motorcade from The Anthem back to the White House was brief and uneventful.

A lid was declared (again) at 9:03 pm.

Good evening to all.