Pool Reports of December 4, 2022

In-town pool report 1, checking in

Good afternoon from the White House, where POTUS is set to arrive from Camp David.

Pool is covid tested and expecting many boldface names in the East Room and at the Kennedy Center this evening. Gathering soon for arrival.

Today's WH sked below:

Sunday, December 4, 2022

EST

1:30 PM In-Town Pool Call Time

2:05 PM THE PRESIDENT arrives at the White House
South Lawn
Open Press (Gather 1:55 PM – Palm Room Doors)

4:30 PM THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY host Kennedy Center Honorees; THE VICE PRESIDENT and THE SECOND GENTLEMAN attend
East Room
Pooled for TV and Open to Pre-Credentialed Media (Gather 4:15 PM – Palm Room Doors) [RSVP here by 12:00 PM on December 3rd]

6:25 PM THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart the White House
South Grounds
In-Town Pool (Gather 6:10 PM – Palm Room Doors)

6:30 PM THE PRESIDENT, THE FIRST LADY, THE VICE PRESIDENT and THE SECOND GENTLEMAN attend the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC
In-Town Travel Pool

9:45 PM THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart the Kennedy Center
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC
In-Town Travel Pool

9:50 PM THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY arrive at the White House
South Grounds
In-Town Travel Pool

In-town pool report 2 -- M1 arival

Potus and flotus entered the WH at 2:17 pm shortly after MI touched down.

Flotus was carrying a stack of binders or documents, and wore thick soled sneakers. Potus had on a lightweight blue outdoor jacket.

Potus briefly waved to pool and did not respond to shouted questions about Twitter files, Trump's response, or South Carolina.

Hunter and baby Beau deboarded shortly after the president.

Next up: East Wing

In-town pool report 3 - people aboard MI, lid

Per the WH:

Traveling with the President and the First Lady aboard Marine One en route the White House:

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations

Also spotted deboarding with Hunter and baby Beau was Hunter's wife, Melissa Cohen

It looks from still photos like flotus was carrying a copy of the NY Times Magazine

We have a lunch lid til 4 pm.

In town pool 4, East Room

Pool has moved to the East Room. Military band combo is playing "Angel of Harlem."

Pool is behind a rope in the back but has pretty good sight lines.

Room is filling up.

Awaiting Potus and honorees. Blinken is here. Other notables TK.

In town pool 5, more boldface names

The boldface names are filling in and taking seats.

Matt Damon is seated next to Julia Roberts.

From the admin, Cardona, Fauci, and Blinken are here.

Michael Fanone is seated next to Eddie Vedder

Sean Penn chatted with Blinken.

Deb Haaland up front.

Garth Brooks wearing the black hat.

Katie Couric is right behind Julia Roberts.

Amal Clooney is up front in glittery flown.

Brian Moynihan of Bank of America.

Event about to start. Nutcracker is getting second play.

I'm town pool 6, 2 mins

VP and Second Gentleman have arrived. 2 mins to honorees and potus.

In town pool 7, Potus speaking

Event is being streamed. Potus began speaking at 4:52.

Clooney gave a smirk and applauded when Potus had his parents Nick and Nina, seated with Amal, raise their hands.

Bono gave a big taxi style whistle for potus by putting his fingers in his mouth. Potus got big applause in the room.

Lots of sighs and applause when he spoke warmly about Gladys Knight, and when he quoted Midnight Train to Georgia.

He made a Delaware-Georgia comparison at one point after talking about her gig at the Delaware State Fair. "They speak like y'all do down in Atlanta, you know what I mean?"

He quoted Yates and called U2 poets in their own right.

In town pool 8, remarks over, Hunter, Borat

Potus wrapped around 5:10 after some more remarks about Ireland.

Honorees left through the same west door from where they entered.

Pool had a chance to ask Hunter a question (he was seated near the back with Melissa Cohen). He smiled and walked away to two simultaneous questions about GOP investigations and Elon Musk maneuvers.

The band switched to arrangements of U2 songs, plus "That's What Friends Are For."

Pool ran into Matt Damon while being escorted out. He said he thought it went "great."

Of note: Potus mentioned gun control while saluting Clooney.

3 more notables:

Sacha Baron Cohen
Hozier
Ariana DeBose

Per the White House:

The President and the First Lady are hosting a reception for Kennedy Center Honorees. In attendance:

The Vice President
The Second Gentleman
Secretary Antony Blinken, Department of State
Secretary Xavier Becerra, Department of Health and Human Services
Secretary Miguel Cardona, Department of Education

Honorees:
George Clooney
Amy Grant
Tania León
U2

• Bono
• The Edge
• Adam Clayton
• Larry Mullen, Jr.

In town pool 9, gathered for departure

Pool has gathered for departure and loaded into motorcade vans, awaiting Potus.

In town pool report 10 - rolling

Motorcade was rolling toward the Kennedy Center at 6:53 pm

In town pool report 11 arrival

Motorcade pulled up to Ken Cen at 6:57.

Pool did not see Potus or see the Beast pull away.

We are expecting a brief look inside the Opera House.

Traveling with the President and the First Lady en route the Kennedy Center:

Annie Tomasini, Assistant to the President & Director of Oval Office Operations
Liz Sherwood-Randall, Assistant to the President & Homeland Security Advisor & Deputy National Security Advisor
Vinay Reddy, Assistant to the President & Director of Speechwriting
Carlos Elizondo, Deputy Assistant to the President & Social Secretary
Travis Dredd, Special Assistant to the President & Trip Director
Vanessa Valdivia, Special Assistant to the President and Press Secretary to the First Lady

In town pool 12 - event begins

Pool got a quick look inside the Ken Cen Opera House, where guests were seated and chattering before Biden entered.

Pool could spot Blinken and Mayorkas in balcony seats at 7:11 just before things got going.

Speaker Pelosi was seated one box over from Potus, toward stage left. Pool could not see Paul Pelosi, but has seen images from inside the hall that look like him, wearing a hat, as he recovers from the hammer attack.

Introducers read from large prompters for the televised program. Pool could hear Herbie Hancock and Big Bird and other speakers.

Potus was greeted by warm applause from the crowd. At one point he waived to the upper balcony seats, as well as to people below.

VP and Second Gentleman also got warm applause.

When the noise died down, a woman in the orchestra seats yelled out "Love you Bono!"

Pool left before the National Anthem.

Pool is now holding in the Israeli Lounge by the concert Hall. We don't have eyes on Potus during the event, but will note if he does anything newsworthy that is visible on the feed.

In town pool 13 - post-intermission, Paul Pelosi wave

Kennedy Center Chair David Rubenstein gave remarks after an extended intermission.

He introduced POTUS and FLOTUS, who each smiled to applause.

He then introduced VPOTUS and SGOTUS. Emhoff who waived to the crowd.

Rubenstein acknowledged support from Congress, then introduced Speaker Pelosi as someone who has devoted herself to the institution for 'several decades.'

At that point Pelosi and husband Paul Pelosi each stood up to waive to the cheering crowd.

Pelosi, wearing a black hat and a glove on his left hand, first waived with his left hand while holding hands with his wife. Then he waved with his other hand. The screen then cut away to Chief Justice John Roberts, who was among those cheering.

Show is now moving onto Cuban-born composer and conductor Tania Leon, with program behind schedule.

In town pool 14 pool moving

Pool is relocating in anticipation of the end of the event.

Program is currently showing tape of Julia Roberts in a green dress reading a limerick to U2 last night at State Dept.

The Edge is seen giving a speech asking why a group of "Irish lads" are being honored, thanking the Kennedy Center, and noting JFK's Irish descent, and name-checking a long-ago gig at the Bayou club in Georgetown.

Pool is on the move.

In town pool 15, rolling

Pool was rolling from Ken Cen at 10:25, having missed Sacha Baron Cohen in the theatre. Did not see Potus.

In town pool 16, back at WH

Pool was back at the WH at 10:31. No sign of Potus.

From earlier:

The President, the First Lady, the Vice President, and the Second Gentleman attend the 45th Kennedy Center Honors. This is the second consecutive year of the Biden-Harris Administration in which they have all have attended the nation's highest award for lifetime achievement in the arts

In house pool 17 - lid

We have a lid.

Gnite all.