Vice Presidential Pool Reports of June 2, 2021

VP pool report #1 — gather ahead of swearing-in

VP Pool #1 — good morning from the Ceremonial Office, where the pool has gathered ahead of the Vice President's swearing-in of Eric Lander as director of the WH Office of Science and Technology Policy. VP is expected here any minute. There will be no livestream, per guidance.

VP Pool #2 — swearing-in and comments, re: Guatemala trip

VP entered the Ceremonial Office at exactly 9:58 am with Eric Lander and his wife, Lori, daughter, Jessica, and sons, Daniel and David. After the oath was administered, the VP asked Mr. Lander and his family to pose for photos, after which she asked him to explain the significance of the text on which he was sworn in.

Per WH background, the text is, "a 13-page fragment of a very old Mishnah. He calls it a '500-year-old, 13-page book that speaks to us today about social justice, inclusion, refugees, science and technology, and public service.' The pages had come from the first edition of the Mishnah ever created on a printing press, operated by a Jewish printer in the Kingdom of Naples."

As the VP was exiting the Ceremonial Office, she was asked by the pool what she hopes to accomplish with her trip to Guatemala. The VP emphasized that this would be the "first trip," and that she'll be meeting with the President of Guatemala during the "front leg of the trip." She said "we have a lot to discuss" including what they could do to "support the folks who need help in terms of hunger, the economic development piece, the extreme weather." She added that "it's also about the need to have very frank and honest discussions about the need to address corruption, to address crime, and violence, and in particular against some of the most vulnerable populations in that country." She said she would also "bring to that conversation" what the administration has already done domestically and internationally talking to business leaders and members of the cabinet about investment or improving initiatives to "address the root causes" of issues there.

Asked by the pool if she was hoping to hear anything specific during that meeting, the VP said, "it's going to be an honest and real conversation, so I do — I'm there to listen as much as I'm there to share perspective. So thank you."

The VP exited the Ceremonial Office at 10:05 am.

Pool held briefly in the room as two members of the staff lifted up a rather glamorous looking sofa and placed it back in its rightful position before the ornate mirror, in front of which the swearing-in had been staged. Mr. Lander then cheerfully poked his head in the room from the side entrance, where the pool was preparing to exit. He made no comments that were audible to your pooler.