First Lady Pool Reports of July 22, 2021

FLOTUS Pool Report No. 6a - transcript

**EXCERPTS**

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

First Lady Jill Biden

Alaska Native Center | Anchorage, Alaska

July 21, 2021

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I am privileged and proud to be with you at the Alaska Native Medical Center on the traditional homeland of the Dena'ina Athabascan.

As some of you may know, I'm headed to Tokyo for the Olympics. So, when our travels brought us through Alaska – I asked to stop a little longer. This state is special to Joe and me — we've built deep relationships here over the years.

Senator Ted Stevens first brought Joe and me to Alaska to see the beauty of the mountains and glaciers from Anchorage to Prudhoe Bay. His wife, Catherine, and I had our daughters Ashley and Lily within weeks of one-another. It had been a while since the Senate had "new babies."

Nancy Murkowski and I worked on cancer issues together as Senate Spouses.

And, as Second Lady, Deborah Bonito and I worked closely on military family issues.

I've seen the heart of this state in so many ways, so it's really special to be here today now as your First Lady. Thank you for joining me.

The Alaska Native Medical Center is so much more than a hospital. It's a gathering place where family members from across the state can reunite. It's a place to celebrate new life and pray over those to whom we must say goodbye.

This center brings healing through community. And that is powerful.

***

So often, joy comes in moments with others, doesn't it?

It's shared from person to person—family gatherings and meals…the music of a crowd… and the simple pleasure of smiling at a stranger.

We lost that joy in the pandemic.

But now, we're reunited thanks to the work of organizations like this center, the Southcentral Foundation, and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, which have helped lead this state in vaccinating not only natives, but non-natives as well.

The President and I are grateful for all of the hard work that has gone into vaccinating your communities against COVID-19. You are saving lives. But we're not done. And I know you're not done either.

Even as we celebrate the progress we've made, we know that this last push is the hardest of all.

Recently, a woman came up to me to thank me for the work our Administration has done to get shots in arms. She fought back tears when she told me that she lost four family members to COVID last year. Four.

So, when the vaccine came out, she got to work. She said she has personally made sure 140 people got vaccinated.

That is our path forward: reaching out to those who are still undecided, persuading them to protect both themselves and others. We need to make the case—person by person.

I am here today because your lives and your health matter to the President and to me.

Joe always said he would be a President for all Americans—and that means we are going to fight for the safety of all Americans. We're going to fight for you.

So, I'm asking everyone listening right now to choose to get vaccinated.

Maybe you think that whether or not one person gets vaccinated doesn't matter—but it does.

COVID is more contagious now than ever, and it continues to spread. Even one hospitalization—one life lost—is too many.

If you've only had one shot and you need another—get your second one. Being fully vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself from hospitalization and death.

And to those who already have been vaccinated: Help us spread the word. Talk to the people in your life about why this is important. You are one of the most trusted messengers to the people you know.

***

The Dena'ina poet Peter Kalifornsky wrote: "Truth happens when two minds make a contact."

So many of the most important things in life—our traditions, our faith, our history and values—are learned from the people around us. Mind to mind, heart to heart, we glean, and gather, and grow.

And that's how we will move beyond this virus, once and for all. One mind, one heart changed at a time.

So, do your part. Protect yourself. Spread the word. And then we will all be able to feel the joy of being together without fear or hesitation once again.

God bless you all, and go get vaccinated!

FLOTUS Pool Report No. 7 - Japan arrival

Executive One Foxtrot took off from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson at 3:23 p.m. local time.

Everyone on the plane, including Dr. Biden, got a PCR test for COVID-19 between Anchorage and Tokyo. Pool was also tested Tuesday morning in D.C.

We landed at the Yokota Air Force Base at 3:10 p.m. local time.

Flight was uneventful. TVs were playing President Biden’s CNN town hall.

Biden disembarked the plane at 3:26 p.m.

She’s now wearing a red-orange dress and pointed nude sling back heels. She’s wearing a white floral mask. She spent several minutes going down a line of greeters. She ignored (likely didn’t hear) a question from pool about how it felt to be in Tokyo.

She boarded a military helicopter at 3:30 p.m.She’s flying separately from pool and we’ll rendezvous with her at the U.S. embassy.

FLOTUS was in the air at 3:40 p.m.

FLOTUS Pool Report No. 8 - PM Suga dinner

At 6:54 p.m. Dr. Biden’s motorcade left the U.S. ambassador’s residence, where she’s been freshening up, en route to Akasaka Palace, where she’ll have dinner with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and his wife, Mariko Suga.

Pooler spotted several people taking photos, with real cameras not their phones, as the motorcade breezed by.

The motorcade pulled through an extremely ornate gate at 7 p.m.

At 7:04 p.m. pool was pulled into a brief photo spray with Biden and the Sugas. She was wearing a black dress with light blue flowers. Biden looked to be wearing little slippers. Mrs. Suga was wearing a white ensemble and appeared to be barefoot. The prime minister was in a suit and socks.

Pool is now heading to our hotel, as we don’t have access to the dinner.

Thanks for following along on our first day(s). Goodnight from Tokyo!