In-town pool report #6: More notes from Oval Office

President Trump's remarks recognizing Ryder Williams in the Oval Office and the subsequent Q&A were broadcast, so your pooler won't quote them extensively here, but a few notes from the room:

• POTUS asked senior lifeguards from California State Parks several questions about conditions on the California coast and expressed amazement at Ryder Williams' rescue of 10-year-old Nathaniel Rai, who was seated to the president's left with his father.
• "I've never seen something quite like this," POTUS said of the rescue, adding later: "It's not my world, but I respect that world."
• When reporters first tried to ask questions on other topics, POTUS returned to the lifeguards: "Let's finish on this topic. This is very exciting to me."
• After POTUS took questions about Iran, Oman, the White House ballroom and more, a CNN reporter tried to ask a question. POTUS interrupted her and said, "Quiet. You're very disrespectful in front of this young man," turning to Nathaniel Rai. After asking where the reporter works, POTUS repeated "quiet," "fake news" and called her "a loud, boisterous person."
• Earlier, Ryder Williams was asked what message he had for his generation. He replied that he hopes other young people "try to help more people, try to look out for everybody around you, and just try to help everybody out as much as you can."

Your pooler has asked for a list of people in the room and will share that if WH provides it. The event recognizing Ryder Williams was initially announced as closed press, and the president has no additional public events on his schedule today.

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Orion D. Smith

D.C. Reporter, The Spokesman-Review