In-Town Pool Reports of February 24, 2021

WH in-town pool report — #1 — VP pool note

Good morning from the White House. A member of the vice president's press pool tested positive for COVID-19 this morning and so the POTUS pool is covering today's swearing in ceremony.

Your pool is in position at EEOB.

A note from the Office of President Biden:

This morning, a member of the Vice President's press pool tested positive for COVID-19 during routine screening. As soon as we were notified, we disbanded the Vice President's pool and sent them home. They will be tested again tomorrow. Out of an abundance of caution, we made arrangements for the briefing room to be cleaned. We have also begun the process of contract tracing. This individual did not have any contact with the Vice President or White House staff.

VP in-town pool report #1

Linda Thomas-Greenfield was sworn in as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations at 10:06 am ET by the Vice President. Thomas-Greenfield was joined by her husband, Lafayette Greenfield, and their son, Lafayette Greenfield II (he goes by "Deuce"), according to the Vice President's office.

WH in-town pool report #2 — briefing room cleaning

The White House says the briefing room will be cleaned before the daily briefing with Jen Psaki at 12:30pm.

WH in-town pool report #3

A lunch lid has been called until 12:15 pm ET.

WH in-town pool report #4 – briefing delay until 12:45 pm ET

The daily press briefing has been pushed to 12:45 pm ET, per press office.

WH in-town pool report #5 – Now 12:35 pm ET

Wrote that too fast – the press office apologizes that it meant to say the briefing will begin at 12:35 pm ET.

WH in-town pool report #6 – two-minute warning

We've been given a two-minute warning for the start of the press briefing with Jen Psaki. You can watch it here among other places: https://www.youtube.com/user/whitehouse

WH in-town pool report #7 – briefing begins with guests

Psaki entered the briefing room at 12:37 pm ET joined by Peter Harrell, senior director for international economics and competitiveness, and Sameera Fazili, Deputy Director of the National Economic Council.

WH in-town pool report #8 – briefing ends at 1:30 pm ET

[APP Note: No additional text was provided.]

WH in-town pool report #9 — gathered outside oval

Your pool is gathered outside the Oval Office for the following event on POTUS' schedule:

2:00 PM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT meet with a bipartisan group of House and Senate members on U.S. supply chains
Oval Office

WH in-town pool report #10 — list of attendees

The press office passes along a list of attendees in POTUS and VPOTUS' Oval Office meeting on U.S. supply chains:

Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
Senator John Cornyn (R-TX)
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
Senator Mike Braun (R-IN)
Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)
Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
Senator Rob Portman (R-OH)
Senator Mark Warner (D-VA)
Congressman John Joyce (R-PA-13)
Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA-06)
Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX-10)

WH in-town pool report #11 — Oval Office

Your pool was ushered into the Oval Office for brief remarks from the president. We were in there for about two minutes.

He said that the bipartisan group assembled had made a "pretty good effort" on securing an improved supply chain for semiconductor chips and thanked them for joining him.

"It's nice to have everyone down here on a subject matter we agree on," the president said.

As your pool was ushered out at 2:16 pm ET, a reporter asked the president what he had to say to the Republicans gathered who haven't acknowledged his election victory. He laughed. "You'll have to ask them," POTUS said.

More quotes to come.

WH in-town pool report #12 – more quotes and a photo

See below more full quotes from the president's brief interaction with the press. Please double check these quotes yourself, as the audio is a bit muffled due to mask use and distancing.

"The last year has shown some of the vulnerability we have with some of the supply chains, including the PPE we needed badly, but had to go abroad to get. And there are current strategies."

He held up what seemed to be an automotive semiconductor chip and said they would be talking about them.

"John Cornyn and the bipartisan group here put together an effort last year that I think is a pretty good effort on how to deal with these chips," POTUS said.

WH in-town pool report #13 – gaggle with Cornyn and McCaul

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas and Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas gaggled with reporters outside the West Wing after emerging from their meeting with the president and vice president around 3:10 pm ET.

They both said the meeting was positive.

"The president was very receptive, as was the vice president," Cornyn said. "He said, 'we're all in.' We all understand this is important, not only to our economy, but to our national security, because these cutting edge, high-end semiconductors – they operate on everything from the F-35 fifth generation stealth fighter to our cell phones. So it was very positive."

Cornyn noted that China is currently building 17 semiconductor fabrication manufacturing facilities, while the United States is in the early stages of building a single facility in Arizona.

He said that, with the CHIPS for America Act, work on increasing high-end semiconductor production is "shovel-ready," and hence was the focus of the Oval Office meeting.

The COVID-19 relief package known as the American Rescue Plan did not come up in the meeting, Cornyn said.

"I want to commend the president for making this a priority," said McCaul. "When I talked to Secretary of State Blinken, the national security advisor Jake Sullivan, the president, the vice president – they get this, that we've got to focus on decoupling our supply chain from the Chinese Communist Party, particularly on medical, on rare earth minerals, but semiconductors as well."

"It signaled to me from the president of the United States that this is a high priority," McCaul continued, praising the president for raising the matter "within the first four weeks of his presidency."

You can find video of their gaggle here, courtesy of C-SPAN: https://www.c-span.org/video/?509319-1/lawmakers-speak-reporters-meeting...

A small note on pool report #12 – the pool report system, unfortunately, can no longer support photos, so the one sent did not go through. I've tweeted it here: https://twitter.com/mawilner/status/1364662818432196610?s=20

WH in-town pool report #14 — gathered for EO signing

Your pool has gathered in the State Dining Room for the president's signing of an executive order on securing critical supply chains. Awaiting POTUS.

WH in-town pool report #15 — two minute warning to EO signing

[APP Note: No additional text was provided.]

WH in-town pool report #16 — POTUS arrives

POTUS entered the State Dining Room at 4:39 pm ET accompanied by the vice president.

He said their meeting earlier in the day with a bipartisan group of congressmen and senators, on the topic of securing critical supply chains, was "very productive."

"It was one of the best meetings, best meetings we've had," Biden said. "It was like the old days."

He said the United States should not be relying on foreign nations for critical supplies during crises, a vulnerability revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

POTUS is still speaking. This event is being streamed live.

WH in-town pool report #17 — POTUS takes questions

POTUS signed the executive order at 4:49 pm ET and a took a few questions.

Asked whether he was disappointed more of his Cabinet nominees haven't been confirmed yet, he said that he was, yet blamed it not on the Senate but on not having a "rational" transition from the Trump administration.

I blame it on the failure to have a transition that is rational," he said.

He said that he plans to speak to Saudi King Salman, but did not give a timeframe, and said that he has read the government report on the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.

WH in-town pool report #18 — travel/photo lid

We have a travel/photo lid for POTUS.

VP POOL # 2 Swearing In

VP HARRIS was on the stage alone with no mask with Vilsack and his family joingin via Zoom.

Before it began, HARRIS could be overheard saying it was the first swearing in she's done virtually.

Before he was sworn in, Vilsack said the second gentleman called him to congratulate him and said "we want to get him involved in nutrition." The VP replied Emhoff "cares a great deal about that."

After swearing Vilsack in, Harris said:
"Congratulations Mr. Secretary and to the whole family. Congratulations to everyone. The president is so excited. We've got a lot of work to do and we'll do it together."

On Background from OVP Official

Sec. Vilsack is being sworn in on a Bible he has had since he was 16 years old. It was a gift from his mother on his adoption day – a tradition by his parents of giving him a gift to mark the occasion. He was also sworn in on this Bible as Governor and previously as Secretary of Agriculture.

Joining —

In-person with Sec. Vilsack:

• Christie Vilsack (spouse)
• Jess Vilsack (son)
• Kate Vilsack (daughter-in-law)
• Jake, Caroline, and Amelia

Virtually watching swearing-in:

• Doug Vilsack (son)
• Janet Lopez Vilsack (daughter-in-law)
• Cassin and Ana

That's a wrap!