Pool Reports of February 9, 2021

Pool report #1 A White House official passes along the following names in today's Oval Office meeting.

Below is a list of those attending the business meeting with President Biden today.

From the Office of President Biden:

• Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO, JPMorgan Chase
• Tom Donohue, CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• Doug McMillon, President and CEO, Walmart
• Sonia Syngal, President and CEO, Gap, Inc.
• Marvin Ellison, President and CEO, Lowe's Companies, Inc.

White House Pool report #2 Two minute warning to the press briefing

Which was given about 90 seconds ago....
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White House pool report #3

Pool heading into the Oval for scheduled spray with business leaders.

White House pool report #4 Biden, asked if he is going to watch the impeachment trial appeared to respond: "I am not."

Pool is out of the Oval spray, which lasted approximately 3 minutes. He began with an overview of the meeting but then answered shouted questions at the end.

Here's a rough verbate, before I will head back and get a fuller quotes. Biden was asked questions from two reporters talking over each other. "Just briefly, Mr. President on impeachment, just briefly on impeachment," began Reuter's Jeff Mason, before a competing question from CNN's Kaitlin Collins appeared to take over: "Will you, will you, will you watch President Trump's trial. Will you watch the trial? Are you going to watch the trial?"
Biden:
"I am not…look I told you before I tell people that I have a job. My job is to keep people. We have already lost over 450,000 people and we could lose a whole lot more if we don't act and act decisively. A lot of people, as I have said before, children are going to bed hungry. A lot of families are food insecure. They are in trouble. That's my job. The Senate has their job and they are about to begin it and I am sure they are going to conduct themselves well. That's all I am going to say about impeachment."

At the end, Biden said he agreed with the 75,000 cap on the direct payment proposal with a simple "Yes"

White House pool report #5 Fuller Oval Office Account

Pool was brought into the Oval Office at 2:05.

President Biden, wearing a surgical mask and a blue suit, was seated (with two buttons fastened), with his back to the fireplace, under the stacked portraits of Jefferson and Hamilton, facing towards the Resolute desk. Vice President Harris sat in the wing back chair to Biden's right. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was on the couch to Biden's left, with JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon on the couch's far end. US Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donohue was seated on the couch to Harris's right. Marvin Ellison, the CEO of Lowe's, sat in a chair a socially-distant space away, close to the president's desk.

Everyone appeared to be masked. Yellen wore two. Your pool could not spot Doug McMillon, the CEO of Walmart, or Sonia Syngal, the CEO of the Gap Inc. but my view was obscured by photographers and boom mics.

Note: Check official WH transcript for full and complete quotes.

Biden began by thanking the pool for "coming in…"

"We have invited in some of the leading business people in America to try and talk about the state of the economy, the recovery package and, God willing, about infrastructure down the road and also, oh, about the minimum wage."

"The American people are hurting, a lot of people are in real real trouble. A lot of people are going to bed at night staring at the ceiling wondering whether they are going to be in that apartment the next day…"

"We have kids not in school. We have a whole range of issues, but they are all soluble. I think that they are all in our capacity. As you know, I have met for a long time with my Republican colleagues. I have been exchanging correspondence with them and telephone calls as well to see if there's any way that we can follow up beyond where we are. I have been meeting with the members of the House and Senate as well and I think we are in a position to think big and move big and move in a direction that can not only get the economy back on its feet but we have to get people well, before we get people on their feet. And we have focused a lot of the attention on making sure that we deal with the coronavirus and get it under control…."

"We're approaching this issue to see if we can find some common ground. I know I have found some common ground with some of my Republican friends, so I am optimistics.

After speaking for roughly 2 minutes, Biden said to the press. "Thank you all for coming in. I appreciate it."

Then questions were posed to Biden and he appeared to answer the question if he was going to watch the trial.

"I am not," Biden began. "Look I told you before I tell people that I have a job. My job is to keep people. We have already lost over 450,000 people and we could lose a whole lot more if we don't act and act decisively and quickly. A lot of people, as I have said before, children are going to bed hungry. A lot of families are food insecure. They are in trouble. That's my job. The Senate has their job and they are about to begin it and I am sure they are going to conduct themselves well. And that's all I am going to have to say about impeachment."

Then Biden was asked if he wanted to comment on the "Democrats proposal last night, President Biden, about the $75,000 cap. Do you agree with that?"

"Yes," Biden responded.

WH Pool report #6 A travel photo lid was called at 3:45

A White House official advises that the Oval Office meeting with business leaders has concluded.