Pool Reports of October 4, 2020

In-town pool report #1 - Loading into vans

?Good morning from the White House.

Pool was tested for COVID-19 this morning and is loading into the motorcade now for a trip to Walter Reed.

In-town pool report #2

?Pool arrived at Walter Reed at 10:34am.

I've asked the White House if and at what time we'll get another briefing from Dr. Conley and the president's medical team and will share any information as soon as that becomes available.

In-town pool report #3 — FPPO / OTR

?Update off record / FPPO:

The White House says they are anticipating a briefing at some point today, but it's unclear at what time and who the briefer will be.I'll pass along any updates as soon I get them.

In-town pool report #4 — 11:30am briefing

?Pool has been informed that there will be a briefing at 11:30am. The White House advises that they expect it to be delivered by Dr. Conley and the president's medical team.

A podium has been set up in front of the golden doors.

In-town pool report #5 — Another ten minutes

The White House says the briefing will begin in roughly 10 minutes.

I've asked for a 2-minute warning, and will send when we're alerted.

In-town pool report #6 — Today's briefers // Two minute warning

?Two minute warning.

Today's briefers, per the White House:

CDR Sean Conley, DO (the White House listed him as an MD, but other poolers point out that he's a DO)
COL Sean N. Dooley, MD
CAPT John Hodgson, MD
CDR Wesley R. Campbell, MD
Robert Browning, MD
Brian Garibaldi, MD

In-town pool report #7 — Briefing begins

Mark Meadows, Dr. Conley and the president's medical team emerged from the hospital at 11:40am and are now briefing the press.

The briefing is being carried live on several cable networks. I'll pass on any important details not seen on camera.

In-town pool report #8 — Briefing ends.

?The briefing wrapped at 11:50am.

WH Chief of staff Mark Meadows, Dr. Conley and the rest of the president's medical team have re-entered the building.

In-town pool report #9 — Addendum to previous list of briefers

?The White House says the seventh doctor at today's briefing was Lt Col Jason Blaylock, MD.

Here is the list of names I previously shared, from the White House:

CDR Sean Conley, DO (the White House listed him as an MD, but other poolers point out that he's a DO)
COL Sean N. Dooley, MD
CAPT John Hodgson, MD
CDR Wesley R. Campbell, MD
Robert Browning, MD
Brian Garibaldi, MD

In-town pool report #10 — Leaving Walter Reed

?The pool loaded into the press vans and began rolling back to the White House at 12:17 pm.

In-town pool report #11 — Back at White House

?The pool arrived back at the White House at 12:54pm.

In-town pool report #12 — Alyssa Farah on Fox News

?White House communications director Alyssa Farah is currently speaking to Fox News from the White House.

Your pool will attempt a gaggle with her once she wraps. Stay tuned.

In-town pool report #13a — Alyssa Farah gaggle

?White House communications director Alyssa Farah stopped to talk to reporters at 1:38pm, following her Fox News hit.

- She said she cannot confirm reports that two White House residence staff members have tested positive for the virus.

- She said she will find and share the most up-to-date numbers of White House staff who have tested positive for COVID (I will follow up with her and share that information with you as soon as I get it.)

- Explaining the discrepancies in Dr. Conley and chief of staff Mark Meadows' statements to the press yesterday, Farah said Dr. Conley was giving a "snapshot" update from Saturday morning, when the president was "doing extremely well." "Friday was a little bit more concerning," and he was giving an update from Saturday morning.

- She added that Dr. Conley was trying to "project confidence" and lift the president's spirits

Will send more updates then a fuller transcript of quotes

In-town pool report #13b — Alyssa Farah gaggle, more highlights

Of note: Alyssa referenced Dr. Conley as "Dr. Connelly" throughout the gaggle -- I use that in this transcription.

She was also not wearing a mask. She said she was wearing one en route to her Fox News hit and believes she left it at her live shot.

Asked about WH credibility/ the credibility of the president's doctors:

"Just candidly we provided three letter updates from Dr. Connelly, he's given to you on camera briefings, the President has spoken directly on camera twice. We've had Chief of Staff Meadows and Kayleigh give briefings, we're gonna continue to do this. You have my commitment, you'll get regular updates. "

Q: But if the updates aren't accurate what is the point?

Alyssa: "We'll be very quick to clean up anything if there is. ... I would disagree though that Dr. Connelly's update wasn't accurate. We came and gave supplemental information after the fact. This is a very distinguished military doctor, we all know and love Dr Connelly, he's treated the president for some time. We can trust the information he's giving but if we later have supplementary information you have my commitment.

She would not answer questions about when the president first received a rapid test Thursday and what those results were. Asked why the president still traveled to Bedminster, NJ on Thursday, she said it "was a decision made by White House operations because he wasn't deemed to pose a threat."

Fuller quotes coming ...

In-town pool report #13c — Fuller quotes from Alyssa Farah gaggle

?Alyssa: "We're giving updates as we have been about numbers within the West Wing and initiating contact tracing."

Q: Has the White House asked the CDC to initiate contact tracing after the Saturday event in the Rose Garden with the Supreme Court?

- Alyssa: She says they did not ask the CDC to initiate contract tracing but "We have an in-house, White House epidemiologist ,part of the White House medical unit, and then we're following CDC guidelines...."

Q: Can you talk about what happened today with Dr. Conley acknowledging that he was not fully transparent the American people yesterday?- Alyssa: "Just kind of two points on that, it's kind of a snapshot in time. Saturday the president was doing extremely well. Friday was a little bit more concerning, but he continues to trend upward. So Dr. Connelly was giving an update from that morning."

"The other point I would make, which is what Connelly alluded to, is when you're treating a patient, you want to project confidence, you want to lift their spirits and that was the intent. But of chief of staff Meadows came out to give you guys more information just to try to be as transparent as we can."

Q: What would treatment look like back at the White House?

- Alyssa: "I would defer to the doctors. We do have a fully operating medical team here. I don't want to get ahead of any announcements if they will or won't move him, but there's a lot that we can do here from the White House, the residence, and of the medical [inaudible]."

Q: Will fewer people be on the White House complex this week?

- Alyssa: "We're following our general protocols which are in line with CDC guidelines. When we had a previous positive case in the West Wing a few months ago, certain people who were potentially exposed versus second degree contact stayed home for the period. So we'll be working that way. We're wearing masks when we can't socially distance, just the general protocol. We also go through routine cleanings of the building, just to make sure surfaces are covered. But we are fully functioning, we're gonna be working throughout."

Q: Update on First Lady

- Alyssa: "No update other than the update that was provided. My understanding is her symptoms were mild, but I've not gotten an update since the last one."

Q: At what point Thursday did POTUS receive his first COVID rapid test?

- Alyssa: "I do not have a tick tock on that. I'm happy to try to track that down. There's certain sensitivities on how that information is shared.

Q: What was the justification for having the President still go to Bedminster on Thursday and meet with donors?

- Alyssa: "That was a decision made by White House operations because he wasn't deemed to pose a threat but I'll get you an answer on thespecifics."

In-town pool report #14 — Lid

?At 3pm, the White House called a travel/ photo lid.

If I get any answers to some of the questions we asked of the White House earlier I'll be sure to pass them on.

Have a good rest of your weekend everyone, and stay safe.

In-town pool report #15 — Pool not called for drive-by

Hi everyone --

By now you've likely seen the tweets of the president leaving Walter Reed for a drive-by greeting to supporters.

The pool was not informed of this ahead of time, and we have not been called back to the White House or Walter Reed. I will send an updated report as soon as I get more information.

In-town pool report #16 — Statement from Judd Deere on POTUS drive-by

?"President Trump took a short, last-minute motorcade ride to wave to his supporters outside and has now returned to the Presidential Suite inside Walter Reed." — Judd Deere

I've asked the White House a series of (fairly obvious) follow-up questions and will share if I get a response to any of them.

In-town pool report #17 — Gaggle with Kayleigh McEnany

?White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany stopped to briefly talk with reporters following a Fox News hit this evening.

Here's the transcript of her remarks courtesy of the AP's Jill Colvin, who caught the gaggle:

Q: Alyssa said you were planning to put out the number of staffers infected with COVID. Do you know the number?

KM: "No, there are privacy concerns we take very seriously safeguarding the information of the personnel here in the White House. So that's basically where we stand right now."

Q: Was the president tested on Tuesday before he went to the debate and Thursday before he went to the NJ fundraiser?

KM: "Yeah, I'm not going to give you a detailed readout with timestamps every time the president's tested. He's tested regularly and the first positive test he received was after his return from Bedminster.""I'm not giving a detailed readout of his testing. But safe to say, his first positive test was upon return or at least after Bedminster."

She cut it off after just two questions.

In-town pool report #18 — More from Judd Deere

?Asked what protocols were used tonight to protect the safety of others in the hospital, the driver, security and additional people involved into tonight's drive-by with the president, as well as whether the president's doctors cleared the decision, White House spokesman Judd Deere told your pooler:

"Appropriate precautions were taken in the execution of this movement to protect the President and all those supporting it, including PPE. The movement was cleared by the medical team as safe to do."

He did not answer additional questions, such as whether the drive-by happened at the president's request, whether the president met with anyone in person today, or why the pool wasn't notified and called back.