Subject: FW: In-town pool report No. 2 - Cinco de Mayo remarks
From: White House Press Office<[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 5 May 2016 16:02:47 -0500

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: *Feldmann, Linda* <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, May 5, 2016 at 4:44 PM
Subject: In-town pool report No. 2 - Cinco de Mayo remarks
To: "Velz, Peter" <[email-masked]>, "Allen, Jessica" <[email-masked]>

Potus addresses revelers at Cinco de Mayo bash in East Room

POTUS was introduced byYanely Gonzalez, a young Mexican-American woman. She is a citizen, but her parents are not, so she made a pitch for DAPA - and is looking forward to casting her first vote in November.

POTUS entered East Room at 4:11 pm to chants of "four more years!"

"In addition to the Constitution, Michelle will not allow it," POTUS said.

Then he welcomed the crowd: "Bienvenido a la Casa Blanca!"

POTUS praised guest chef Johnny Hernandez, here for his famous tacos and margaritas. POTUS told the story of Cinco de Mayo. Also mentioned that he spoke to Mexican President Pena Nieto earlier today, and wished him a happy Cinco de Mayo.

POTUS talked about the rise in high school and college graduation rates for Latinos, and about the 700,000 Dreamers who benefited from his policies.

"One of the big frustrations of my administration" was not getting immigration reform thru Congress," he said. But "I will keep working on it as a citizen," after he leaves the White House.

Still, he added, "change has been possible because of people like you." Praised a man named Ephraim Escobedo of the California Community Foundation, which encourages immigrants to become citizens.

Obama encouraged everyone to vote. Remarked finished at 4:20.

"We miss you already!" someone shouted.

Vice President Biden was with POTUS.

Some color: The Mexican rock band Mana performed before Obama's remarks. Room was packed with party-goers drinking margaritas and other beverages. IN the entrance hall on the main floor, more party-goers mingled as a military band played.

Mana is from Guadalajara, Jalisco.

-- 

Linda Feldmann

Washington Bureau Chief

The Christian Science Monitor

202-481-6644 [ tel:202-481-6644 ] (office)

202-744-2857 [ tel:202-744-2857 ] (cell)

[email-masked]

Twitter: @linda_feldmann