Pool Reports of November 26, 2021

Travel Pool Report #1 - President Briefed on Variant

Good afternoon from Nantucket where it is overcast and very rainy today.

Pool is holding outside the Rubenstein property where President Biden is spending Thanksgiving.

From a White House official:

The President was briefed on the new variant circulating in Southern Africa.

Travel Pool Report #2- Motorcade Moving

President Biden's motorcade left the Rubenstein property at 1:38 PM.

Travel Pool Report #3 - POTUS at lunch

The president's motorcade stopped in town at 1:45 PM. Pool was too far back to see the President exit his vehicle.

People crowded the streets in the rain, taking photos and waving as he went by.

From the White House:

The President and the First Lady are honoring an annual family tradition of eating out for lunch the day after Thanksgiving. This year, they are dining at the Nantucket Tap Room.

Family members joining them for lunch: Hunter, Melissa, Ashley, Naomi, Finnegan, Maisy, Natalie, Hunter, and (baby) Beau Biden; and, Peter Neal, Naomi's fiancé.

Travel Pool Report # 4- Leaving Lunch, Spoke to pool

President Biden exited the Nantucket Tap Room at 3:11 PM. It is still raining heavily. The First Lady and family members came out ahead of him.

Here are quick responses. More quotes to come:

On the new variant he said the response was that the US was going to be "cautious." Said he was briefed by covid team and Fauci for half an hour this morning.

He said the recommendation was to start the ban Monday, rather than right away.

He said The market drop was "expected."

Said he has spoken to Fed on a range of things "from monetary policy to inflation." Said he has confidence in appointees.

On Ukraine he said "I am concerned" and that he support Ukraine's "territorial integrity." asked if he would speak to Putin or Zelenksy he said "in al probability."

The President then followed his family into Nantucket Bookworks. Staff at the shop said the Bidens have been shopping here for 35 years.

Crowds of people remained in the street in the rain watching.

Travel Pool Report #5 - Biden Leaves bookstore, walks around town

President Biden left the bookshop at 3:28 PM with his son Hunter and baby Beau and some family. He walked up the street and turned the corner.

Pool followed. He started walking around town with a group, pausing to say hi to people. His car followed him. At 3:33 Pm he entered Craftmasters of Nantucket.

The First Lady and some other family left ahead of him and walked down the street In The other direction .

Travel Pool Report 6 - more walking

President Biden left Craftmasters of Nantucket at 3:45 PM. He started walking again.

He appeared to buy something before he left. He is wearing a navy jacket, blue pants, a face mask and a baseball cap. No tie. Carried an umbrella.

Biden waved at People gathered along the street and at the corners to look at him. The crowds cheered several times.

"We love you Joe," "Hey Mr President" they called.

He walked down the street turned and paused to say hi to people and stopped for selfies. He stopped in doorway of a store called ACK and went into a store called Gypsy.

At 3:53 he left Gypsy to more cheers and crossed street to take photos.

He kept walking. Pool was briefly held at a distance far from the President as he is in a shop called Sunken Ship. We were just moved closer.

Travel Pool Report #6 - more walking about

President Biden exited the Sunken Ship at 4:10 PM to more cheers. He went up to a crowd but pool could not hear his comments. A child on a parent's shoulders waved a stuffed dog and barked.

He walked up the street greeting more people, who clapped and held up their phones, and waving. "You look younger in real life," a man said.

He kept walking, some of the time arm in arm with one of his grandkids. Essentially he has done a loop through the town. At 4:20 he paused at Island Cashmere.

He is moving again.

Will try to get more gaggle quotes out ASAP, but not able to now. Here is an otter link if helpful for now.

https://otter.ai/u/cJSl1OwtKoI73msoaYbox8AuN5s

Travel Pool report #7 - More walking, tree lighting soon

At 4:23 PM, nearly an hour into his stroll, President Biden entered Centre Point followed by Freedman's of Nantucket.

At 4:27 PM pool was moved to the site of the town tree lighting. It is scheduled to start at 4:30. A big crowd is assembled, Bing Crosby Christmas music is playing and a group of people in Santa hats are assembling in front of the tree.

More details here:

https://www.nantucketchamber.org/tree-lighting

Travel Pool report #9 - Tree Lighting

Apologies folks I sent two reports labeled #6. Fixing the numbers here.

The rain has cleared somewhat and it is sprinkling and and cold now. The tree is at the top of a cobblestone street. The crowd, behind barricades, stretches deep down the street and some people are watching from store windows.

The President arrived at 4:55 PM. He and his family are off to one side behind a barricade.

At 5 pm the town crier - in a top hat and coat with tails - rang a bell and a chorus in Santa hats sang Joy to the World and the First Noel. An official from the local Chamber of the Commerce said it was the 47th tree lighting.

At 5:06 PM the town crier led a count from 10 to zero and the tree lit up with colored lights and a white star on top. The Bidens applauded. The President and First Lady stood close together. Hunter and baby Beau joined them.

The chorus sang Deck the Halls, Oh Come all Ye Faithful, Silent Night, We Three Kings and Oh Christmas Tree. Some of the Bidens appeared to sing along to Jingle Bells.

At 5:20 PM the ceremony concluded. Biden came up to the barricade to greet the town crier. The chorus also came over and he took a photo. At 5:23 PM they moved us to the press bus.

At 5:26 PM we are rolling.

Travel Pool Report #10 - POTUS at house

At 5:37 PM the president's motorcade arrived at the home where he is spending Thanksgiving.

We have a travel/photo lid. Big thanks to co-pooler Emily Goodin. I will send one more report with more gaggle quotes.

Travel Pool Report #11 - More Gaggle

Here are some fuller quotes from the gaggle earlier. Please check against official transcript:

On the variant:

"We're going to be cautious, make sure there is no travel to and from South Africa and six other countries in that region. Except for American citizens who are able to come back. We don't know a lot about the variant except that it is of great concern. It seems to spread rapidly. I spent about a half hour this morning with my COVID team led by Dr. Fauci and that was the decision we made.

Markets dropping:

Said it was "expected."

The Ban going into effect Monday:

"That was the recommendation coming from my medical team."

Do bans de-incentivize info sharing from other countries:

"That's ridiculous. Because you can't hide the variants."

Should Americans be concerned about the variant:

"Here's the deal. Every American that has not been vaccinated, should be responsible and be vaccinated from age five years and up, number one. Number two, everyone eligible for the booster shot, should get the booster shot immediately upon being eligible. That is a minimum that everyone should be doing. And you know, we always talk about whether this is about freedom and I think it's a patriotic responsibility."

On the Fed and Inflation:

"I've talked to the Fed about a whole range of things from monetary policy to inflation and I have confidence that the appointees that I've made, and I'm going to have three more, are going to reflect that.

Situation in Ukraine:

"I am concerned. Look, we support Ukraine's territorial integrity. We support Ukraine's ability to govern itself."

WIll you talk to Zelensky or Putin: "In all probability."