Vice Presidential Pool Reports of March 18, 2021

VP Pool report #1: Awaiting gathering for Deb Haaland ceremonial swearing-in ceremony

Good morning,

I'm your print pooler for the ceremonial swearing in ceremony of Deb Haaland as the 54th Secretary of the Interior.

Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to conduct the ceremony at 10:30 AM, per guidance.

At 10:01 am, VP pool got a 10 minute warning for a gathering, issued over the loudspeaker in the briefing room.

It's a gray, chilly, quiet morning at the White House, with the temperature at 49 degrees as of 10:00 am. There's a misty rain falling and it's relatively quiet on the grounds.

Per DOI release, Haaland was officially sworn in as Interior Secretary on Tuesday, March 16 in a small ceremony with family. The oath was administered by Chief of Staff Jennifer Van der Heide. The full release and Haaland's statement is here: https://www.doi.gov/news/statement-deb-haaland-becoming-54th-interior-secretary

Haaland was confirmed by the Senate on Monday, March 15 on a vote of 51-40. Haaland, previously a congresswoman representing New Mexico, makes history as the first Native American to hold the role.

More to come.

VP Pool report #2: Now gathering for Haaland ceremonial swearing-in ceremony

The VP pool gathered in the briefing room at 10:10 for the ceremonial swearing in of Deb Haaland as Interior Secretary. As of 10:14 am we are still waiting to be escorted to the event but got a final call over the intercom.

At 1015 we were Led from the briefing room by a press aide. Rain briefly paused.

The ceremony is scheduled for 1030 am, per guidance.

VP pool report #3 arrival at Eisenhower building

The VP pool arrived at the EEOD at 1017 and were led upstairs to the the VP ceremonial office.

About 12 people are in the pool awaiting the Interior Secretary and the Vice President.

The room is as ornate as it gets, with beautiful sea green walls painted with floral designs, mystical beasts, and intricate patterns in red, blue, and gilt paint. There are two model ships in glass cases and a gilded mirror at each end of the room.

Four flags are assembled as a backdrop for the ceremony.

VP pool # 4: guest list for Haaland swearing in

Per the VP’s office, here is the expected guest list for today’s swearing in with Haaland and Harris:

• Lloyd Keith Sayre - Partner
• Somah Haaland - Daughter
• Zoe Antoinette Magee - Sister
• Denise Kirksey – Sister
• Scott Clark Forrester – Friend
• Julia Alice Jarrard – Friend, Partner of Scott Clark Forrester

VP Pool report #6: still waiting

Hello,

It's 10:40 am and we are still awaiting the arrival of Haaland and Harris.

Bit more detail on setup. Pool is arranged in a semicircle a few feet away, ready to snap photos and take video.

There are four flags set up for the backdrop of the ceremony, two American flags and two of the VP's flags. They are set up in alternating position.

Also in the backdrop There is an ornate fireplace painted black with thin, gold-painted designs. A huge gilt mirror sits atop it.

The VP will also hold her next event with women labor leaders in this room after the event. There are 3 large flatscreen TVs set up for the virtual element of the meeting. Per guidance the event is planned as follows:

"At 11:15AM EDT, the Vice President will meet with women leaders in the labor community to discuss the American Rescue Plan and supporting America's workers. This meeting in the Vice President's Ceremonial Office will have a pool spray at the top."

VP pool report #7: Haaland and Harris arrival and ceremony

At 1047 am we got 2 minute warning.

We could hear laughter and voices from next door as event approaches.

At 1051 one of the soft box lights set up for the event buzzed, flickered (somewhat spookily) and went out. The pool went "Ooooooooh!" Aides rushed to replace it as the room got slightly dimmer.

At 1053 aides got the light to work, the good lighting was restored. Pool sighed in relief.

Harris entered at about 1054 am, followed by Haaland and her guests. Ceremony lasted just a couple minutes and ended at 1056 am.

It was pretty straightforward. Haaland placed her hand on a bible held by a young woman (I am confirming identity) as Harris read the oath and Haaland treated the words.

After the oath was taken Harris declared "History is being made yet again." Haaland said "thank you."

The group posed for pictures and then Harris said "ok!" And they left without taking questions.

A reporter shouted a question about fears from Asian Americans about hate crimes, but the officials didn't respond. Pool was escorted back to briefing room

More TK

VP Pool report #8: Additional notes from Haaland and Harris swearing in ceremony

A correction note to the pool: I did not send a report #5, and skipped to #6. no need to hunt for it.
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More details from the ceremonial swearing in today.

Harris read out the following oath as Haaland repeated it line by line, with one hand on the bible and the other raised:

"I, Debra Haaland, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic. That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same."

The oath was followed by applause.

Handing over the pool now to my colleague.

VP Pool report #9: Background on upcoming labor event

Hi all, I'll be your print pooler for VP Harris' meeting with women leaders in the labor community, scheduled for 11:15 a.m. Pool is gathering in the briefing room ahead of the event and we just got a final call announcement.

Here's some background on the event from the VP's office:

To mark Women's History Month and passage of the American Rescue Plan, the Vice President will meet with seven women leaders of the labor community. The Vice President will thank the women for supporting America's middle class, and they will discuss the American Rescue Plan – which women leaders in labor and beyond were key in helping to pass. The Vice President will also seek the group's feedback on the future of labor and issues most important to them and their membership.

Attendees will include:

• Randi Weingarten, American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
• Liz Schuler, American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)
• Becky Pringle, National Education Association (NEA)
• Teresa Romero, United Farm Workers (UFW)
• Cindy Estrada, United Auto Workers (UAW) -(Virtual)
• Mary Kay Henry, Service Employees International Union (SEIU)- (Virtual)
• Ai-jen Poo, National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) - (Virtual)

This meeting builds on Vice President Harris's focus on women in the workforce. She has called the impact of women dropping out of the workforce during the pandemic a "national emergency," and has convened meetings with women and visited women-led small businesses to hear how they've been impacted by the pandemic. Here are a few examples:

• This week, Vice President Harris visited a woman-owned small business in Denver, CO, Maria Empanada, to discuss what the American Rescue Plan will mean for small businesses.
• The Vice President Harris visited a woman-owned small business in Alexandria, Virginia to hear how the small business has been impacted by COVID-19 and to discuss the American Rescue Plan.
• The Vice President convened women leaders in Congress and women leaders of advocacy organizations for a virtual roundtable discussion on the critical importance of passing the American Rescue Plan – particularly for women.
• The Vice President wrote an Op-Ed in the Washington Post on how the exodus of women from the workforce is a national emergency, and why the American Rescue Plan is needed to address the challenge.
• The President and Vice President met with labor leaders and the building trades unions in the Oval Office to discuss their priorities, the American Rescue Plan, and the need for an infrastructure plan.
More soon...
liz

VP pool report #10: waiting in EEOB for spray

Pool is waiting outside the VP ceremonial office door where the labor leaders meeting is scheduled to take place. We can hear the VP talking inside but are still waiting for the spray as of 1123.

VP Pool report #11: labor leaders spray--no news

Pool was taken into the women's labor leaders meeting for about 4 minutes starting at 11:24 am.

VP Harris was seated at the head of the table, with a video monitor at the opposite end of the table and another over her right shoulder showing some of the participants who were calling in virtually. Randi Weingarten was seated on her left--all participants were wearing masks.

Harris said it was a "great honor" to welcome the women to her office and said she had worked with many of them over the years on many issues. "I'm so looking forward to a deep dive conversation about where we are as a county and where we can go," she told them.

Harris said they would be thinking about and motivated by "as the president likes to say, all the possibility." She mentioned it is women's history month and said women "are part of the foundation of America's labor movement," including the washerwomen of Jackson and Triangle Shirtwaist factory workers. She also talked about the 2 million women who have left the workforce during the pandemic, saying "most of them did not want to leave" and stressed the importance of affordable childcare and family leave. She thanked the leaders for joining her and the pool was escorted out.

Check quotes against transcript.

VP pool report #12 — gathering for USTR Amb. Tai swearing in ceremony

Pool is now walking over to EEOB ahead of VP's final event of the day, the ceremonial swearing in ceremony for USTR Amb. Tai.

Guest list, per WH
Robert Riley Skidmore (husband)
Chungyui "Betty" Tai (mother)
Nora Todd (Chief of Staff)
Kenneth Chitsow Tai (brother) – virtual

VP pool report #13 — event begins AND finishes

VP and Amb. Tai entered the VP’s ceremonial office at 6:23pm.

VP administered the oath in, embraced Tai’s family for a photo, and pool was ushered out shortly after.

One member of the pool wished Amb. Tai a happy birthday!

VP and Amb. Tai did not respond to questions from pool about maintaining tough trade policies on China.

One additional note from WH: the book Tai was sworn in on is a family bible.

The scene:
https://twitter.com/tocradio/status/1372675244737982464?s=21

Have a great rest of your Thursday evening, everyone!