First Lady Pool Reports of April 10, 2024

Booksellers Pool Report No. 1 - guest list highlights

Hello from the Japanese state dinner arrivals. I'll be your print pooler.

The "booksellers" room in the White House has been decorated with seven enormous fans - serving as the step and repeat - and the floor has been covered with a large decal of koi, butterflies, flowers, ocean waves and more fans.

Some highlights from the guest list - Robert DeNiro, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Kristi Yamaguchi and Tim Cook.

The full list will be sent out by the White House. Pooler was given a paper print-out.

Arrivals will begin imminently.

Booksellers Pool Report No. 2 - first batch of arrivals

The first guests arrived at 5:45 p.m.

Kristi Yamaguchi came through and told pool this wasn't her first state dinner. She expressed excitement but appeared to say she didn't plan to be out on the campaign trail with Biden, though she mouthed "go Joe."

Gov. Tony Evers of Wisconsin said he believed the state was winnable for Biden in the fall. Can send full quotes if anyone wants.

Naomi Biden told us who she was wearing - the designer Bernadette. The gown was flowing and adorned with what appeared to be cherry blossoms.

"Total. I went to Cleveland. And there was no cloud cover, the sun was shining. And it was fabulous. And when it went dark. It got cold," said Bill Nelson, the NASA administrator when asked about the eclipse this week.

FED Chair Jerome Powell ignored a question from Reuters about what the inflation numbers meant today.

More TK

Booksellers Pool Report No. 3 - Bezos/Clintons/Kamala

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez didn't engage with the press. He said "hello" to the photographers when asked if would be donating to the Biden campaign. Sanchez didn't say if this was her first state dinner. (It appears that it is.)

Former Planned Parenthood chief Cecile Richards was asked how the Arizona abortion decision would impact the election.

She talked about how women's issues will be the issue of 2024. Will send full quote in final report.

"What do you think?" Robert DeNiro responded when asked how he felt about the 2024 election and then kept going, with girlfriend Tiffany Chen at his side. He ignored a question about whether he'd campaign for Biden.

Tim Cook ignored a question about whether he'd donate to the Biden campaign.

VP Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff walked through - which they usually don't do. She didn't engage on a question about the Arizona abortion decision. She ignored a question on who she was wearing but her aide told us Valentino.

Bill and Hillary Clinton also came through. "Oh we're having a good time tonight," Hillary said as pool asked them about 2024. "Great, especially for this," Bill Clinton said when asked what it was like to be back. Pool pointed to the Hillary portrait hanging at booksellers and the Clintons smiled when they saw it.

More TK.

Booksellers Pool Report No. 4 - final guests

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper gave a thumbs up when asked if Biden could win North Carolina this year.

Ashley Biden and Finnegan Biden walked in together. Ashley said she was wearing "Reema"
and Finnegan ignored the pool.

"Great, thanks," Janet Yellen said when asked about her trip to China. She ignored a question about inflation numbers.

"How pretty is this. This is so pretty," Sec. Gina Raimondo commented looking at the decals on the floor. She was the final guest to arrive at 7:23 p.m.

Thanks to a great group of co-poolers, especially The Hill's Judy Kurtz, for helping me with quotes.

I'll send out some final quotes in a wrap-up pool report.

Booksellers Pool Report No. 5 - Evers/Richards quotes

As promised, here are longer quotes from Cecile Richards and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers:

Cecile Richards said women's rights are the most important thing going on in this election. "We've made such strides. Just to have it all taken away has been very motivating for women and for men."

Evers said "it was great" that Biden visited Wisconsin on Monday.

Asked how important Wisconsin would be in the upcoming election Evers said, "It's going to make a difference between a win and a loss for the president."

"Chances are really good. I feel positive about the Biden ability to win. His message around lowering costs for higher education was met very graciously. So looking forward to it. It's all good."

Thanks all – have a great night!