Pool Reports of May 20, 2021

In-Town Pool Report #1

?Good afternoon from the White House where it's a warm, sunny and beautiful day! I'll be your print pooler for today.

The press briefing will now be at 1pm (moved back from 12:30). Your pooler was COVID tested.

Everything else is on schedule, with the President set to sign the Hate Crimes Act at 2:00pm. President Biden and Vice President Harris will then deliver remarks from the East Room.

Please feel free to pass along a question for the briefing and I'll do my best to get it in.

In-Town Pool Report #2: Two-minute warning

?Two-minute warning for the briefing. It will be live streamed, but I'll provide color if/when necessary.

In-Town Pool Report #3: Press Briefing begins

Press briefing began seconds after the 2 minute warning. It's being live streamed

In-Town Pool Report #4: Briefing ends, Pool moving

Briefing ended at 1:51pm. Pool gathered at the Palm Room doors for the president's Hate Crimes Act signing at 1:54pm.

Pool on the move as of 1:55pm.

In-Town Pool Report #5: Pool in East Room

Press entered the East Room at 1:57pm. It's a very full room and largely maskless. Everyone is currently chatting amongst each other and there are white and gold chairs with name tags on the seats for attendees.

This event will be live streamed but I'll provide color if necessary.

In-Town Pool Report #6: Background for Hate Crimes Act

?Passing along background from WH on those in attendance:

? This afternoon , the President will sign the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law in the East Room.

Those in attendance for the ceremony include:

• Vice President Kamala Harris
• Attorney General Merrick Garland
• Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta
• Ambassador Katherine Tai
• Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
• Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)
• Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
• Dick Durbin (D-IL)
• Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
• Jon Ossoff (D-GA)
• Raphael Warnock (D-GA)
• Susan Collins (R-ME)
• Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
• Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
• Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
• Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
• Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12)
• Steny Hoyer (D-MD-05)
• Judy Chu (D-CA-27)
• Grace Meng (D-NY-06)
• Don Beyer (D-VA-08)
• Jerry Nadler (D-NY-10)
• Mark Takano (D-CA-41)
• Doris Matsui (D-CA-06)
• Ami Bera (D-CA-07)
• Andy Kim (D-NJ-03)
• District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine
• Connecticut Attorney General William Tong
• State Representative Sam Park, 101st District, Lawrenceville, GA
• Susan Bro, Mother of Heather Heyer
• Kim Bro, Husband of Kim Bro
• Rami Jabara, Brother of Khalid Jabara
• Vicki Jabara, Sister of Khalid Jabara
• Haifa Jabara, Mother of Khalid Jabara
• John C. Yang, President and Executive Director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice
• Laura Shin, Acting Executive Director, White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
• Maya Berry,Executive Director, Arab American Institute
• Wade Henderson, Interim President & CEO, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
• Margaret Huang, President & CEO, Southern Poverty Law Center
• Sajeet Kaur, Executive Director, Sikh Coalition
• Priya Purandare, Executive Director, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
• Shekar Narasimhan, Chairman and Founder, AAPI Victory Fund
• Bel Leong-Hong, Co-Founder, AAPI Victory Fund

In-Town Pool Report #7: Two-minute warning

?Two-minute warning issued for event at 2:24pm.

In-Town Pool Report #8: Event begins

POTUS and VP walked in at 2:27. Those in attendance stood, clapped and boisterously cheered as they took the stage. Event is being live streamed. VP began speaking at 2:28pm.

In-Town Pool Report #9: Additional note from WH

Additional background from WH: There are 68 people in attendance.

In-Town Pool Report #10: Event concludes

POTUS spoke with those on stage just after the event (out of earshot of your pooler) and did not answer questions shouted from the pool about the ceasefire. Event concluded at 2:?51pm.

Pool was ushered out of the room as POTUS and VP were still in the room chatting.

In-Town Pool Report #11: POTUS, FLOTUS meeting info

Copying some background information here from WH on POTUS and FLOTUS morning meeting:

This morning, the President and the First Lady met with the 43rd Kennedy Center Honorees, who are being recognized for their significant contributions to American culture through the performing arts. Participants included:

David M. Rubenstein, Chairman of the Boards of Trustees, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Deborah Rutter, President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Debbie Allen, Honoree
Norm Nixon, spouse of Debbie Allen
Joan Baez, Honoree
Jasmine Jankelow-Harris, granddaughter of Joan Baez
Garth Brooks, Honoree
Trisha Yearwood, spouse of Garth Brooks
Midori, Honoree
Charles Danziger, business partner of Midori
Dick Van Dyke, Honoree
Arlene Silver, spouse of Dick Van Dyke
Valerie Biden Owens

In-Town Pool Report #12: Lid called

We have a travel/photo lid at 3:26pm. Enjoy this hot weather and please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions for me!

In-Town Pool Report #13: Lid Lifted

Hey all, apologies for the confusion. We are back at the White House and the lid was lifted as of 4:39.

In-Town Pool Report #14: Biden to deliver remarks

Passing along from the WH:

The President will deliver remarks on the Middle East at 5:45 PM.

In-Town Pool Report #15: Pool gathering

?Pool gathering at 5:34 for POTUS remarks? and ushered inside through the Palm Room and up to the Cross Hall, where POTUS will speak, at the same time.

In-Town Pool Report #16: Update on time

Pool is told POTUS will give remarks closer to 6pm.

In-Town Pool Report #17: Two-minute warning

Two-minute warning for POTUS remarks announced at 6:02.

This will be live-streamed and I'll provide color if/when necessary.

In-Town Pool Report #18: Remarks begin

POTUS walked out of the Blue Room at 6:04 and began speaking. It's being live-streamed.?

In-Town Pool Report #19: Remarks conclude, Lid

Remarks concluded at 6:08pm. POTUS did not answer questions shouted by the pool.?

Lid called at 6:08pm. That's all from me, enjoy the evening!