Vice Presidential Pool Reports of January 16, 2025

VP Pool Report 1

Hello from the EEOB — the Vice President is signing her ceremonial desk drawer.

According to the VP's office, the continuous tradition of signing the desk drawer has been carried forth since the Ford administration, however the tradition of signing the desk dates back to the 1940s. It also contains signatures of Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, and Johnson.

Pool was escorted into the ceremonial office at 4:13pm. It is a packed house, with staffers both past and present filling the room to the point of overwhelming.

VP entered at 4:24pm, joking that after the crowd saw her aide Opal exit the side room, we all should have known she was next. A laugh went up around the room from both staff and press.

She used the opportunity to thank staffers past and present. "I am fully aware that when they are thanking me, they are thanking our team for the extraordinary commitment that you each have and as a team have to lifting up the American people, lifting up their conditions, lifting up their hopes and dreams and understanding through it all, the nobility of public service. We have each taken on a life and a calling that is about doing work in the service of others, and doing it in a way that is fueled yes with ambition, yes with a sense of almost stubbornness about not hearing no and knowing we can make a difference."

VP noted that with the exception of Eisenhower and Truman, she has met every Vice President who has signed the desk.

She signed the desk with a sharpie as Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff took pictures over her shoulder. Staffers past and present chanted "MVP! MVP!" He also took photos of her signature in the drawer.

Asked what is next, she said she will continue getting work done through Monday and then "I'll keep you posted," she said with a smile.

Press were ushered out at 4:29pm. We were escorted back into the office at 4:43pm to see the desk drawer, staff were still milling about. Photo of the drawer is attached.

Remarks were streamed, but here is an otter: https://otter.ai/u/1fkFkvNMzASbol6S1DQqRiheOzQ

According to Press Sec Ernie Apreza, this is the final pooled event for Vice President Harris as part of the Biden administration.