Pool Reports of November 24, 2020

In-town pool report #1 / good morning

Good morning from the White House on a sunny, crisp day. On the first full day of the official federal transition, President Trump has one event on his schedule: The annual Thanksgiving turkey pardon, slated for 2pm in the Rose Garden.

The White House tweeted further details yesterday on Corn and Cob, the Iowan birds who will appear this afternoon: https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1330943698729922564

All quiet here otherwise, and apart from inaugural viewing construction in Lafayette Square, no outward sign of transition-related activity.

In-town pool report #2a / POTUS live stream link

POTUS coming any moment. You can watch here.https://whitehouse.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c97630621baff8c44f...

In-town pool report #3 / POTUS already finished

President Trump entered the briefing room at 12:32pm, accompanied by Vice President Mike Pence. He is celebrating the Dow Jones breaking the "sacred number" of 30,000 today.

You can watch live here https://whitehouse.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c97630621baff8c44f...

Before pooler could send this report, Mr. Trump exited one minute later after a very brief statement and did not respond to shouted questions, including about whether he would concede.

In-town pool report #4 / POTUS remarks video

C-Span already has video up of the president's brief remarks. Pool will send quotes shortly. POTUS made no reference to the election.

https://www.c-span.org/video/?478390-1/president-trump-makes-statement-s...

In-town pool report #5 / lunch lid until 1:30pm

[APP Note: No additional text was included in this report.]

In-town pool report #6/ full POTUS remarks

Please check against video/official transcript. POTUS spoke for about 65 seconds.

"Well thank you very much. I just want to congratulate everybody. The stock market Dow Jones industrial average just hit 30,000 which is the highest in history. We've never broken 30,000. And that's despite everything that's taken place with the pandemic, I'm very thrilled with what's happened on the vaccine front. That's been absolutely incredible. Nothing like that has ever happened medically and I think people are acknowledging that, and it's having a big effect.But the stock market's just broken 30,000. Never been broken, that number. That's a sacred number, 30,000. Nobody thought they'd ever see it. That's the ninth time since the beginning of 2020 and it's the 48th time that we've broken records during the Trump administration and I just want to congratulate all the people within the administration that worked so hard. And most importantly I want to congratulate the people of our country, because there are no people like you. Thank you very much everybody."

In-town pool report #7 / Turkey event details

Passing along from the WH press office. Pool has gathered at Palm doors.

Today, President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will host the annual Turkey Pardoning Ceremony in the White House Rose Garden.

The 2020 National Thanksgiving Turkeys are being raised by National Turkey Federation Chairman Ron Kardel of Walcott, Iowa. The 'Presidential Flock' of turkeys was hatched in July, and Corn and Cob were selected as the presidential nominees. Kardel, a sixth generation turkey, corn, and soybean farmer, has interacted with Corn and Cob daily to ensure they are ready for today's big celebration.

The following individuals are expected to attend:

The White House
President Donald J. Trump
First Lady Melania Trump
Ivanka Trump, Assistant to the President and Advisor to the President
Jared Kushner, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor

External Participants
Ron Kardel, National Turkey Federation Chairman
National Turkey Federation Staff and Family

In town pool report #8 / waiting for POTUS

Pool has gathered in the Rose Garden where perhaps 100 guests are seated in folding chairs spaced around 3 feet apart. Most are wearing masks, but pool sees a few without. Jared and Ivanka have arrived with their children, all in masks.

One turkey is now present.

This event will be livestreamed here:https://whitehouse.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c97630621baff8c44f...

In town pool report #9 / POTUS speaking

President Trump took the podium in the Rose Garden at 2:26 with FLOTUS beside him and opened by reiterating his national congratulations over the stock market's performance.

In-town pool report #10 / more POTUS

POTUS continues to speak.

He says "this year's lucky bird" is Corn, who is present. Whereabouts of Cob unknown.

Again, this event is live streaming.

In-town pool report #11 / turkey pardoned, event over

In brief, news-free remarks President Trump thanked health care workers and giving "thanks for the vaccines."

Thanking the armed services: "America First — shouldn't go away from that," he said to applause. "America First."

"Corn, I hereby grant you a full pardon," Trump said, raising a hand over the large white and unwitting turkey, which had been placed on a table festooned with autumnal flowers and mini-pumpkins.

POTUS made no reference to the election and did not acknowledge questions including whether he would concede to President-elect Biden.

After a wave and photo pose atop the steps up to the West Wing, POTUS entered the Oval at 2:25pm.

Pool has asked about the whereabouts of Cob.

In-town pool report #12 / lid

The WH called a lid at 7:01pm.

Have a great evening.