Pool Reports of May 14, 2021

WH pool report 1: The press briefing will now be at 12:45 PM

Good morning from the White House. Nothing has opened up to press on the president's schedule, but the briefing has been pushed back 15 minutes to 12:45.

WH pool 2: Biden answers "yes" when asked if he is enjoying his first day without a mask

A surprise (to us) POTUS appearance outside the West Wing, by the sticks.

The pool caught the president at an unannounced appearance outside the West Wing, where he was posing for departure photos with Meredith Webster, Susan Rice's Chief of Staff at the Domestic Policy Council, and her family.

"Are you enjoying your first day without masks?" shouted CBS's Ed O'Keefe.

"Yes," replied the president, over his shoulder, as he walked back towards the West Wing lobby entrance.

Biden's back was towards your pool and I could not see if he was wearing a mask. A press official later told the pool that Biden was, indeed, maskless.

Unclear if the stake-out cameras picked up any of the chatter or action, which occurred at roughly 12:20, before your pool arrived on the scene.

As Biden walked back into the West Wing, a younger member of Ms. Webster's well-dressed and maskless brood began to follow Biden to his workspace, before he was beckoned back by his mother, father and older brother.

Webster, who also served early in the Obama administration, working for both Rice when she was UN ambassador and then as chief of staff to the then-chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, is leaving the White House to join Estee Lauder as EVP, Global Communications & Public Affairs.

WH pool report 3: Two minute warning to the briefing

Given about 45 seconds ago...

WH Pool report 4: Travel photo lid was called at 2:30

Which is a pretty strong indicator that today's remaining events will not open up.

WH pool report 5

The DACA meeting is over and some of the dreamers were doing pebble beach interviews, with others doing video recording/interviews into their cell phones, before being whisked away by WH officials, with some overheard talk about taping WH digital content.

The meeting participants did not stop at the sticks and were last seen walking towards the residence.