Pool Reports of October 16, 2024

Pool report #1: Briefing moved to 11:45

Per the White House, the press briefing will begin at 11:45 AM.

That's 15 minutes earlier than originally scheduled.

Pool report #2: Two minutes to briefing

The press briefing will begin in two minutes.

Pool report #3: briefing begins

At 11:56

Pool report #4: Briefing ends/gathering

Briefing ran from 11:56 to 12:26, when the WH press team ended it.

Pool is now gathering for a POTUS trip across town to deliver a eulogy at the memorial service for Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy.

Pool report #5: departure

POTUS walked out of the oval office wearing a black suit and entered the beast at 12:55. We are rolling toward the church.

Pool report #6: arrival

The motorcade arrived at the church at 1:01 following a very short drive. Lots of onlookers on the streets of downtown DC.

We did not see the president enter the church. The organ is playing now and the pews are completely filled.

The president's eulogy will be streamed.

From the WH:

Traveling with the President via motorcade en route to the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle:

Mike Donilon, Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President
Steve Ricchetti, Assistant to the President & Counselor to the President
Ryan Montoya, Assistant to the President & Director of Scheduling & Advance
Ashley Williams, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor to the President & Director of Strategic Outreach
Andrew Bates, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Deputy Press Secretary
John McCarthy, Deputy Assistant to the President & Senior Advisor for Political Engagement
Dilpreet Sidhu, Special Assistant to the President & NSC Deputy Chief of Staff
Jacob Spreyer, Special Assistant to the President & Personal Aide to the President
Greg Honan, Special Assistant to the President & Director of Message Planning

Greeting the President on arrival to the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle:

President Bill Clinton
President Barack Obama

Pool report #7: funeral program

Family members are beginning to enter the church now and the funeral is starting.

Program notes are below from the WH and I have also attached images.

-Haisten Willis
Washington Examiner

The President is delivering a eulogy at a memorial service for Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle.

Program

Joe Kennedy III, Special Envoy for Northern Ireland delivers opening remarks

Father Don MacMillan delivers an opening prayer

President Barack Obama delivers remarks

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (CA-11) delivers remarks

Kathleen Kennedy Townsend delivers remarks

Kenny Chesney delivers a musical performance

Sheila Kennedy delivers a reading

Martin Luther King III delivers remarks

President Bill Clinton delivers remarks

Rory Kennedy delivers remarks

Gospel Choir performs a "Song of Blessing"

Max Kennedy delivers a reading

Grandchildren of Ethel Kennedy deliver a prayer

Greg Asbed and Lucas Benitez, Coalition of Immokalee Workers, deliver remarks

Kerry Kennedy delivers remarks

Joe Kennedy III, Special Envoy for Northern Ireland & Introducer

The President

Stevie Wonder delivers a musical performance

"America The Beautiful" is sung

Closing Prayer and Commendation Blessing

Pool report #8: funeral notes

Pool was ushered out of the funeral at 4:06.

It started gradually just after 1 p.m., with opening speaker Joseph Kennedy III promising a long celebration of the life of Ethel Kennedy.

President Obama called Ethel Kennedy a dear friend and joked that she was "a big dose in a small package" who he met just after speaking at the DNC in 2004. Obama said Kennedy was a passionate activist of many causes who joined marches well into her 80s.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was one of many speakers who noted there were three presidents in attendance, and said she would share stories both "from an official standpoint and from a girlfriend standpoint." Pelosi said she met Ethel Kennedy in 1960, when her father, a former Baltimore mayor, welcomed the Kennedy family to Maryland.

Kenny Chesney said he and Ethel Kennedy shared a soulful bond, and that she made him feel like sunshine. He then sang, acapella, the song "you are my sunshine."

Martin Luther King III called Kennedy "a great American matriarch" and said he's long felt a kinship with the family through his work with Senator Ted Kennedy. He said the King and Kennedy families have a shared kinship as well, and that he met Ethel Kennedy when she came to visit after his father was assassinated. "She was a force for social justice in her own right," he said.
President Clinton described Kennedy as the "cat's meow" and added, "she would flirt with me in innocent ways." Clinton mentioned, as a joke, his concerns about low birth rates and immigration policies, something he's talked about in recent days on the campaign trail. Kennedy had 11 children, and Clinton quipped that he'd told her the country needs more people like her. Hillary Clinton once held the same Senate seat as Robert Kennedy, and Ethel offered Bill advice on being a senatorial spouse. "The good Lord knows, if anybody ever deserved a quality escort to the pearly gates, it's you. God bless you," he said.

Sting performed despite not being on the program, singing "Fragile" while playing an acoustic guitar.

Rory Kennedy, who was born after Robert Kennedy's death, shared the story of her upbringing and about getting arrested protesting apartheid as a teenager. She told Ethel Kennedy about the idea and Ethel responded, "great, I'll drive." Rory added, "If you met my mother, you couldn't help but to fall under her spell."

Several of Ethel Kennedy's grandchildren read prayers.

Kerry Kennedy told the story of Ethel, her mother, suggesting to J. Edgar Hoover that the FBI "get a new director," and of getting lost skiing before the two were rescued by ski patrol.

Stevie Wonder, another surprise guest, sang a musical rendition of The Lord's Prayer followed by an impromptu take on "Isn't She Lovely."

President Biden was the last speaker, getting a standing ovation from a crowd that was loosened up by Wonder's performance.

Biden started by joking that he's the only person in the room who can't sing a note. He then shared the story of his first run for Senate in 1972, and of receiving a letter from Ethel Kennedy after a car crash killed his wife and daughter. He said he had only two political heroes: Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. POTUS said that Ethel Kennedy was a hero in her own right. She helped convince him to stay in the Senate after the accident. "We're a better country, and a better world, because of Ethel Kennedy." "To the Kennedy family, the Biden family is with you." POTUS became emotional when speaking about the death of Beau Biden, said, "I apologize," and noted that Ethel Kennedy helped him through that time as well.

"May God bless Ethel Kennedy," he said.

Potus finished speaking at 4:05, received a long standing ovation, and pool was ushered out soon after he was done. We're holding in vans now.

Pool report #9: back at WH

The motorcade took off at 4:15. We didn't see POTUS enter the beast. We saw a lot of onlookers on the short trip and arrived back at the White House at 4:18.
POTUS got out of the beast along with John Kerry, and both entered the oval office at 4:20.

Pool report #10: Gathering for Italian/American event

Pool is gathering for the Italian American Heritage Month Reception, which will be held in the East Room and is scheduled for 5:30. POTUS and FLOTUS will both speak.

Pool report #11: Italian American event setup

Pool was ushered into the Easter Room at 5:34.

There's a hefty crowd here sipping on wine and mingling around standing tables. At the front of the room are Italian and American flags.

This event is also streaming so I'll keep my notes minimal. More soon.

Pool report #12: Italian American event begins

The event began at 5:51 as POTUS and flotus entered.

From the WH:

Participating in a photoline with the President and the First Lady:

H.E. Mariangela Zappia, Ambassador of Italy to the United States
Tom Smitham, Charg d'Affaires, ai., U.S. Embassy to Italy
H.E. Joe Paolino, Former United States Ambassador to Malta
State Senator Jim Rosapepe (MD-21) and his spouse, Sheilah Kast
Former Rep. Susan Molinari (NY-14)
Former Rep. Dan Mica (FL-14)
Former Rep. Marty Russo (IL-03)

Pool report #13: Italian American event ends

Alexa Tabbacchino, Student, Montclair State University, introduced FLOTUS and POTUS.

FLOTUS said she's proud to be the first Italian-American First Lady, and spoke about her ancestors entering the U.S. at Ellis Island.

POTUS did his familiar "my name's Joe Biden, I'm Jill Biden's husband" intro. Said he grew up in a heavily Italian area where most of his friends had last names that ended in "o." He noted that Italians used to face a lot of discrimination, but are an integral part of the United States. He also spoke about Italy today, leaning in to point out that, "they have a female leader."

POTUS wrapped up at 6:07 and we are leaving.

Note the last pool was incorrectly numbered #11 when it should have been #12. Getting back on track now with this one as #13.

Pool report #14: lid

Called at 6:19.

Have a great night!