Pool Reports of December 5, 2021

WH in-town pool report #1

Hello from the White House, where it's a bit cloudy and about 50 degrees.

Pool has been covid tested and is awaiting President Biden's return from Camp David.

Coming up today:
12:30 pm: POTUS and FLOTUS arrive at the White House.

5 pm: POTUS and FLOTUS host Kennedy Center honorees at a White House reception.

7 pm: POTUS and FLOTUS, along with VP and Second Gentleman will attend the 44th Kennedy Center Honors at the Kennedy Center.

WH in-town pool report #2

Just to update. A bit of a delay in the schedule. Expecting pool to gather soon.

WH in-town pool report 3

Pool is gathered on South Lawn awaiting POTUS imminent arrival.

WH in-town pool report #4

Marine One landed on the South Lawn at 12:56 p.m.

POTUS and FLOTUS existed at 12:59 pm.

POTUS was dressed in jeans and a navy blue winter jacket.

FLOTUS was wearing a long winter coat, accented with a colorful scarf.

He didn't come over to the press line as reporters shouted questions about Senator Dole's death and whether Biden has had a chance to speak to Elizabeth Dole by phone.

He stopped briefing and shouted something to reporters before he continued into the residence. He was too far from pool so whatever he said was inaudible over the continued hum from Marine One. Trying to see if I can get clarification.

WH in-town pool report #5

From WH

Returning from Camp David with the President and the First Lady:

Bruce Reed, Assistant to the President & Deputy Chief of Staff
Anthony Bernal, Assistant to the President & Advisor to the First Lady
Yohannes Abraham, Deputy Assistant to the President & Chief of Staff and Executive Secretary for the NSC
Ashley Williams, Special Assistant to the President & Deputy Director of Oval Office Operations

WH in-town pool report #6 --lunch lid

The White House has called a lunch lid until 4 p.m.

WH in-town pool report #7

Per the White House:

Earlier today, President Biden and the First Lady spoke on the phone to Senator Elizabeth Dole to express their sincere condolences at the passing of her husband, Senator Bob Dole.

Note: The White House sent out a formal statement from Biden with subject line "Statement of President Joe Biden on the Passing of Senator Bob Dole" shortly after 1:30 pm today, that you should have received.

WH in-town pool report #8

Pool has gathered to be taken to the East Room for tonight’s event.

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are hosting Kennedy Center honorees at a White House reception before the Kennedy Center Honors awards program at the Kennedy Center tonight.

The reception is officially scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. with early remarks from the president expected.

The reception will be streamed online here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/

WH in-town pool report #9

Here is some pre-event color:
The room has large Christmas trees decorated in yello, green and blue ornaments and letters to President and First Lady Biden.
The front stage is lined with yellow poinsettia’s

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was spotted briefly chatting with VP Kamala Harris and SGOTUS Douglas Emhoff as people mingle around the room waiting for the program to begin.

WH pool report #10

The WH reception honoring Kennedy Center award recipients has begun.

Again, it will be live streamed at whitehouse.gov/live

WH in-town pool report #11

Biden wrapped his remarks after about 20 minutes.

Again, stream is available online, but a few highlights:
Biden joked with SNL's Lorne Michaels about the show's struggle casting a "Joe Biden."

Later, after Biden recognized Steve Martin, former SNL cast member, longtime friend of Michaels and past Kennedy Center honoree, in the crowd, and Martin quipped "Want me to play you?"

After the program, as pool was ushered back out of the White House, revelers headed to a holiday-decorated reception, where they were greeted with flutes of champagne. The music, which was very horn-heavy, was very cheerful.

President Biden, the First Lady, Vice President Harris and the Second Gentleman are scheduled to attend the Kennedy Center Honors event at the Kennedy Center at 7 p.m.

More on the attendees at this evening's WH reception, per the White House:

In attendance at the Kennedy Center Honorees Reception are approximately 150 invited guests, including Honoree families, former Honorees, and Kennedy Center leadership. Attendees include:

David Rubenstein, Chairman, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Deborah Rutter, President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Justino Diaz, Honoree
Mr. Ed Dixon, Actor
Ms. Natascia Díaz, Daughter of Justino Diaz
Mr. Andrew Nason, Son-in-law of Justino Diaz
Ms. Katya Díaz, daughter of Justino Diaz
Mr. Chris Hierro, Music group partner of Katya Diaz
Berry Gordy, Honoree
Ms. Suzanne de Passe, Friend of Berry Gordy
Mr. Nihal "Angelo" Fernando, Aide and Bodyguard of Berry Gordy
Ms. Carol Perrin, Director of Berry Gordy Foundation
Ms. Brenda Boyce, Treasurer of Berry Gordy Foundation
Ms. Christie Burton, Close friend of Berry Gordy
Lorne Michaels, Honoree
Mrs. Alice Michaels, Wife of Lorne Michaels
Ms. Sophie Michaels, Daughter of Lorne Michaels
Mr. Edward Michaels, Son of Lorne Michaels
Mr. Henry Michaels, Son of Lorne Michaels
Ms. Nicole Chiavacci
Bette Midler, Honoree
Mr. Martin von Haselberg, Husband of Bette Midler
Ms. Sophie von Haselberg, Daughter of Bette Midler
Mr. Harry Guinness, Son-in-law of Bette Midler
Joni Mitchell, Honoree
Mr. Sauchuen Yu, Care Companion/Physical Therapist of Joni Mitchell
Ms. Marcy Gensic, Friend of Joni Mitchell
Mr. Frank Gironda, Manager of Joni Mitchell
Mr. Cameron Crowe, Director, producer, actor
Ms. Brandi Carlile, Singer, songwriter, producer
Edward Villela, 1997 honoree
Ms. Linda Villella, wife of Edward Villela
Mikhail Baryshnikov, 2000 honoree
Lisa Rinehart, wife of Mikhail Baryshnikov
Chita Rivera, 2002 honoree
Ms. Lisa Mordente, daughter of Chita Rivera
Grace Bumbry, 2009 honoree
Juan Paredes Jimenez, assistant to Grace Bumbry
Steve Martin, 2007 honoree
Anne Stringfield, wife of Steve Martin
David Letterman, 2012 honoree
Regina Lasko, wife of David Letterman
Natalia Makarova, 2012 honoree
Mr. Andrei Karkar, son of Natalia Makarova
Herbie Hancock, 2013 honoree
Gigi Hancock, wife of Herbie Hancock
Andy Blankenbuehler, 2018 honoree
Elly Blankenbuehler, wife of Andy Blankenbuehler
Debbie Allen, 2020 honoree
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Paul Pelosi, husband of Nancy Pelosi
Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona
Marissa Perez, wife of Miguel Cardona

WH in-town pool report #11

As of 6:37 pm, Pool is loaded into the motorcade awaiting departure to the Kennedy Center for tonight’s event.

POTUS, FLOTUS, VP and SGOTUS are all scheduled to attend the Kennedy Center Honors.

WH in-town pool #12-wrong number in last report

Apologies. Misnumbered earlier report which should have been #12

WH in-town pool report #13

As of 7:08 pm, the motorcade is on the move to the Kennedy Center. Pool van was far back and it’s dark so we couldn’t see POTUS.

WH in-town pool #14

Motorcade has arrived at Kennedy Center and pool is holding. Awaiting POTUS formal arrival to his box for the show.

WH in-town pool report #15

The pool was briefly ushered into the event for the introduction of POTUS, who received a standing ovation.

The crowd is all masked, including POTUS and FLOTUS, VP and SGOTUS, who are all wearing black masks like most of the crowd. Bette Midler is a notable exception with her white mask.

The crowd is tightly packed. Pooler spotted Senator Joe Manchin seated on the back row of the lower section (lower orchestra, right).

Pool was ushered out as Yo-Yo Ma began playing the Star Spangled Banner.

Pool is now holding in a separate room in the Kennedy Center with a small tv with the show on and a light spread of food.

WH in-town pool report #15

Tonight's event is scheduled to be broadcast Dec. 22 by CBS, so here's a bit from what we've seen so far.

Overall, clearly a very festive mood.

At about 9:25 p.m. a 20-minute intermission was announced. Pool room is near the President's box, but we have not seen him.

The program resumed at 9:51 p.m. with address from Kennedy Center chair David Rubenstein. "How does it feel to be in a room and know everyone here's been vaccinated and tested?" he said to loud applause.

He thanked the Bidens for returning to honoring the honorees, to which the Bidens received a standing ovation, and stood to receive.

Honorees remaining on the program are Bette Midler and Berry Gordy.

Some event highlights (Pool wasn't given official programs, so I'm just having to go from what I'm seeing on this small TV feed, which has had interruptions from caterers, who are understandably just trying to get things ready for the after festivities.)

David Letterman opened the show with a nod, without name, to Trump's absence for the past four years from the event.

"It's nice once again to see the presidential box being occupied," Letterman said. "The same for the Oval Office."

From some of the tributes so far: Justino Díaz's program included a duet from his daughters, who appeared to bring tears to his eyes, as well as opera performers and friends who remarked on his life and career.

Several singer-songwriters took part in a tribute to Joni Mitchell, including Ellie Goulding and Brandi Carlile.

For Lorne Michaels' segment, the Kennedy Center stage was basically transformed into Saturday Night Live, with TWO Weekend Update segments, musical guest Paul Simon, and lots of jokes at Michaels' expense.

Several performers, including Michael Che, Jimmy Fallon, Kristen Wiig and Kate McKinnon made jokes about performing in front of the president. Che: "It’s a bit intimidating to do jokes in front of President Joe Biden" before adding, "C'mon there’s no way he’s still awake right now." (FWIW: The president is, as of the last pan to him in the audience at 9:56 p.m., still awake)

WH pool report #16

Pool has been notified we will be leaving soon---before the end of the program.

WH in-town pool report #17

Pool loaded into motorcade at 10:50 pm. Just waiting now.

Departure comes early in tribute to Berry Gordy
—the final honoree of the night.

Bette Midler tribute was just before that.

WH in town pool report #18

Presidential motorcade is rolling back to the White House from the Kennedy Center at 11:25 pm

WH in-town pool report 19

After an uneventful, quick motorcade ride POTUS is back at the White House.

WH in to own pool report #20-lid

WH called a lid as of 11:35 pm.

WH in-town pool report #21

Just wanted to provide a little more color from the Kennedy Center Honors, again an, assumed edited, version will be broadcast on CBS on December 22.

As I mentioned earlier we were given no program for the evening, which made some of the following along a bit more difficult. We're told CBS will be putting out an official program for the event on Monday to promote the broadcast event.

Some of the in-person appearances during the Bette Midler portion included actresses Goldie Hawn, Scarlett Johansson and Barbara Hershey

Among the performances, Tony-winner Kelli O'Hara sang "Wind Beneath My Wings." During the performance, President Biden watched on and at least at one point he appearing to have his hands in front of him in a prayer position. Near the end, it appeared that he and the First Lady clasped hands.

Billy Porter performed a medley of Midler's hits, including "From a Distance" and "Boogie Woogie Boy of Company B," to round out the Midler tribute drawing a standing ovation, including from POTUS and Flotus.

Pool was ushered out early into the tribute to Berry Gordy, so didn't see any notable Biden reactions.

Pool did not see POTUS/FLOTUS while loading or unloading motorcade. By the time we were free to exit the van area, they were both inside the residence.

And that ends a very long and eventful Sunday pool day for me.

Hope you all have a great evening and happy Monday morning.