Pool Reports by Geoff Earle, Daily Mail
| Sent: | Reports: |
| September 22, 2021 10:42 |
In-town Pool report No. 1, Sept. 22 – Checking in Good morning from the WH, where pool will soon be gathering for the 'virtual' COVID summit on the margins of the UN, to be held in the South Court Auditorium. There was a background call on the latest US vaccine pledge last night. There is still no time or guest list on POTUS' afternoon meeting with lawmakers, although some of those invited have been confirming they'll come. Pool will pass that along if more info becomes available. |
| September 22, 2021 11:17 |
In-town Pool report No. 2, Sept. 22 The President entered the South Court Auditorium at 11:15 AM for the virtual Global COVID-19 Summit. The event kicked off with a video about the pandemic with some dramatic music. He was seated at a medium sized brown desk, situated a few feet away from ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who had her own desk. They were facing a large screen that was to show them the other leaders. Putus took the desk closer to the hallway from where he entered, leaving LTG seated closer to the pool, which is seated in the auditorium. Behind them was a backdrop of fake windows that showed trees outside the White House. The White House sends a list of attendees. Event is streaming online. The President (in person) |
| September 22, 2021 11:38 |
In-town Pool report No. 3, Sept. 22 Potus spoke for about 11 minutes during the event. He faced straight ahead during his remarks. Participating leaders could be seen on a large screen to his left. There were no questions for the press and no opportunity to ask them. Biden spoke soon after he entered the room, followed by brief remarks by Thomas-Greenfield. At that point, the pool was ushered out just as the UN Secretary Guterres started to speak from the screen. Some on screen appeared to be at UN HQ judging by the flags. Some had bare surroundings. Trudeau won the room-rater challenge hands-down, with a maple leaf flag, flowers, and a window. His image was placed bottom center on the screen. Biden hit familiar theme in his remarks. Pls check transcript. He led with buying another half billion doses of Pfizer. He called for a 2nd virtual summit in the first quarter 2022. "We know we have to act to save lives now," he said. He stressed "donating – not selling – doses to low and lower-income countries." He called for the private sector to step up to solving the Oxygen shortage. He said of the leaders on screen: "I think they know we can do this." "We need other high -income countries to deliver on their own ambitious … pledges," Biden said. "I want to thank everybody on the screen I can see here, without going to each one of you," he said at the end of his remarks in a nod to participants. Biden wrapped at about 11:26 AM. |
| September 22, 2021 11:53 |
In-town poll report No. 4 -- briefing time The press briefing is now set to begin at 1:45 pm, according to the WH. |
| September 22, 2021 11:57 |
In-town Pool report No. 5 -- lunch lid We have a lunch lid until 1:30 pm. |
| September 22, 2021 12:55 |
In-town Pool report No. 6, Black Caucus members on campus The White House provides this border update: Congressional Black Caucus Members came to the White House today and met with Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice, Director of Public Engagement Cedric Richmond, and Chief of Staff to the Vice President Tina Flournoy, to discuss the situation in Del Rio. The following members were in attendance: |
| September 22, 2021 13:20 |
In-town pool report No. 7, long list of lawmakers attending POTUS meetings / also Faith-based meetings The White House sends out names of many lawmakers who will be here today and tonight, following the trickle of names that have come out publicly. The President will participate in three meetings with members of Congress today. Attendees: Leadership meeting: Afternoon meeting: Evening meeting: In addition, the White House sends this along: Today at 3PM, Cedric Richmond, Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement and the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, is hosting a meeting with the Circle of Protection, a diverse coalition of Christian denominations with close to 100 million members, to discuss President Biden's Build Back Better Agenda and its historic investments in anti-poverty initiatives and programs that support children and families. Earlier this morning, the coalition submitted the following letter urging Congress to move forward with the President's Build Back Better agenda: circle-of-protection-letter-on-family-budget-support-bill-sep-2021.pdf (circleofprotection.us), the letter affirmed that the pending legislation "would strengthen the physical and social infrastructure of our society, cut family and child poverty more than any time in our lives, and ensure the precious right to vote for all people made in God's image." The roundtable will feature the Circle of Protection Steering Committee:
The Circle of Protection Steering Committee will speak at the stakeout after the meeting concludes. |
| September 22, 2021 14:07 |
In-town pool report No. 8 - 2 mins WH gave a 2 minute warning on the briefing. |
| September 22, 2021 15:22 |
In-Town Pool report No. 9 -- Pic White House releases this photo for distribution of POTUS call with President Macron. Caption: President Joe Biden talks on the phone with President Emmanuel Macron of the French Republic on Wednesday, September 22, 2021 in the Oval Office of the White House. Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz
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| September 22, 2021 17:35 |
In-town pool report 10 -- Lawmakers update / Lid / Faith leaders backing reconciliation First a sked update, per the White House: The President's meeting with Congressional leadership began at 2:13 PM and ended at 3:20 PM. The President's afternoon meeting with members of Congress began at 3:38 PM and ended at 5:14 PM. The President's evening meeting with members of Congress began at 5:25 PM. (This meeting is thus underway). The White House also called a travel/photo lid at 5:27 pm. While Biden was hashing out the budget with lawmakers, the steering committee of the Circle of Protection came out to the sticks for a few statements and questions. (Full list of attendees ID'd in earlier report) They pitched their letter to Biden and lawmakers, linked here: https://circleofprotection.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/circle-of-prote... The group members met with Cedric Richmond Richmond, director of the WH office of public engagement. Your pooler will send a C-span link if he can locate one. In the meantime, here some quotes. Each of the speakers made direct pitches for the Biden economic legislation moving through Congress, with an emphasis on the refundable child tax credit. In addition to the child tax credit, members touted the reconciliation bill and the infrastructure bill. Jim Wallis, of Georgetown Center for Faith and Justice, spoke first. "These are issues, what Jesus would call good news to the poor." "We want to bring a religious factor into this conversation." "You can't be pro-family and not have economic policies that help families escape poverty. These bills will help families escape poverty." Next was Walter Kim, president, National Association of Evangelicals Kim also spoke to the child tax credit raising people out of poverty. "It's not a theoretical thing. They're the lives of actual people." "We urge the passage of that legislation," he said. Wallis fielded a question from your pool about climate and various other provisions in the bill, along with process issues, and whether it was irreligious to oppose it. Willis mentioned the expanded EITC. "These things should be bipartisan. Making them partisan is really, to me, a religious offense." Bishop Michael McCurry, of the Episcopal Church spoke. "There's a moral high ground that these bills have an opportunity to meet … to make sure that people most in need are cared for," he said. "Jesus of Nazareth said, as you did it to the least of these, you have done unto me," he said. "That's what we stand for, regardless of our religion. That's what our country stands for at our very best, and these bills present an opportunity to be our best." Asked if he was angry with Republicans, he responded: "I'm not angry with anybody because God is love." Elizabeth Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, spoke before the rain picked up and cut short the avail. She stressed the faith aspect, but added: "It makes very good economic sense." Wallis concluded with a pitch for tax elements: "When there's a concentration of wealth, and the poor are being neglected, then they have a responsibility, biblically, to support the most vulnerable." He then mentioned housing, family leave provisions, and others "symbolized by the child tax credit." David Beckman, president emeritus, Bread for the World, talked taxes. "This whole group supports the overall thrust of the whole economic package." He mentioned the bipartisan infrastructure bill. "We support higher taxes on high income people and corporations" because the extent of help for low-income people "really depends on the size of the investment." Good night all. |
| September 22, 2021 19:55 |
In-town pool report 11 Per the White House: The President's evening meeting with members of Congress ended at 7:03 PM. |
Joseph R. Biden, Pool Reports of September 22, 2021 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/352722