DIVISIVENESS WE HAD IN THIS
COUNTRY WHERE MIXED MESSAGES
WERE COMING FROM WASHINGTON.
THAT’S FOR SURE.
>> JOINING ME WHITE HOUSE
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR.
KATE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DAY 51, HOW EXTRAORDINARY IT IS.
LET’S START WITH WHAT WE JUST
HEARD FROM DR. FAUCI AND THOSE
FORMER PRESIDENTS.
WHERE DO YOU THINK WE’D BE TODAY
IN THIS VACCINATION EFFORT IF
YOU HAD INHERITED A MORE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IN THE WEEKS
AND MONTHS BEFORE AND IF PEOPLE
HAD BEEN TOLD TO WEAR THEIR
MASKS.
THAT IT WASN’T A POLITICAL
ISSUE.
>> Reporter: I DON’T THINK
THERE’S ANY QUESTION THAT WE
COULD HAVE BEEN IN A BETTER
POSITION IF THERE HAD BEEN A
MORE AGGRESSIVE AND COME
COMPREHENSIVE VACCINE PROGRAM
AND MORE AGGRESSIVE AND DIRECT
COMMUNICATION ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF WEARING MASKS.
LET’S LOOK AT WHERE WE HAVE COME
SINCE JANUARY 20th, SINCE
PRESIDENT BIDEN TOOK OFFICE.
FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE TOOK
OFFICE, LESS THAN HALF OF THE
VACCINE THAT WAS BEING SHIPPED
OUT TO STATES WAS GOING OUT TO
PEOPLE.
NOW THAT NUMBER IS 75%.
WE MADE TREMENDOUS STRIDES ON
ACTUALLY GETTING THE VACCINE
INTO AMERICANS ARM.
THAT’S BECAUSE WE HAVE INCREASED
THE IS UPSUPPLY RNGS INCLUDING
THROUGH THINGS LIKE FOSTERING A
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN MERCK AND
JOHNSON TO COMPETITORS WHO ARE
COMING TOGETHER TO PRODUCE THE
VACCINE AT A HIGHER RATE, TO
ENSURE WE HAVE MORE SUPPLY.
THAT’S SOMETHING THAT PRESIDENT
BIDEN’S LEADERSHIP WAS ABLE TO
GET DONE.
WE CREATED MORE SUPPLY.
WE CREATED MORE VAKCCINATION
SITES.
WE GOT MOBILE CLINICS.
WE STARPTED PHARMACY PROGRAM
THAT ALLOWED PEOPLE TO GO TO
THEIR PHARMACY AND GET THE SHOT.
WE HAVE CREATED MORE
VACCINATORS.
WE RECRUITED MORE PEOPLE TO GIVE
THE SHOT.
PEOPLE LIKE FORMER RETIRED
DOCTORS AND NURSES AND MILITARY
FOLKS.
WE REALLY MADE A WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT COMPREHENSIVE EFFORT.
GOVERNMENT COMPREHENSIVE EFFORT.
WE MADE ENORMOUS STRIDES.
WE MADE HUGE STRIDES.
YOU’LL HEAR THE PRESIDENT TALK
ABOUT THAT TONIGHT.
>> THE PRESIDENT WILL LOOK BACK
AT THE LOST OF THE PAST YEAR.
HOLD UP IS HE BALANCING THAT AS
HE KNOWS THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE
STILL SUFFERING AND WE STILL
HAVE REALLY TERRIBLE INEQUITIES
IN THE VACCINE DISTRIBUTION?
>> Reporter: WELL, HE IS GOING
TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE LOST OVER
THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR.
HE’S GOING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
SACRIFICE THAT WE HAVE BEEN
THROUGH, THE LOSS OF LIFE.
ALSO THE LOSS OF LIVELIHOOD.
THIS HA BZS BEEN AN INCREDIBLY
DIFFICULT YEAR FOR ALL AMERICAN.
HE’S GOING TO STRIKE AN
OPTIMISTIC TONE ABOUT WHAT WE
CAN DO TO MOVE FORWARD NOW THAT
THE END IS ON THE HORIZON.
HE’S GOING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
END IS NOT TOMORROW.
THIS IS NOT AN EASY JOURNEY.
THERE’S STILL A LOT THAT PEOPLE
NEED TO DO.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WEAR
MASKS.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO SOCIAL
DISTANCE IN PUBLIC.
WEAR MASKS IN PUBLIC.
THERE’S NEW CDC GUIDANCE ABOUT
WHAT VACCINATED PEOPLE CAN DO IN
TERMS OF MAXESSKS INDOORS AND SM
GROUPS.
HE’S GOING TO LAY OUT HIS VISION
FOR WHAT WE CAN DO OVER THE NEXT
FEW MONTHS TO REALLY MOVE US TO
A PLACE WHERE THIS PANDEMIC IS
BEHIND US.
A BIG PIECE OF THAT IS THE
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.
A BILL HE’S GOING TO SIGN INTO
LAW THAT IS GOING TO GET MONEY
OUT THE DOOR TO ENSURE WE CAN
CONTINUE TO GET PEOPLE
VACCINATED.
WE CAN GET OUR SCHOOLS REOPEN.
WE CAN GET OUR SMALL BUSINESSES
BACK ON THEIR FEET.
THAT MONEY THAT’S COMING FROM
THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN IS
GOING TO ENSURE THAT WE’RE ABLE
TO GET RID OF THIS VIRUS ONCE
AND FOR ALL. >> TO DO A BETTER JOB OF SELLING
>> TO DO A BETTER JOB OF SELLING
THE NEW COVID RELIEF BILL.
WHERE DOES IT GO FROM THERE?
>> Reporter: YOU’RE GOING TO SEE
ALL OF THEM OVER THE NEXT FEW
WEEKS REALLY MAKE THE CASE
DIRECTLY TO AMERICANS ABOUT WHAT
THE RESCUE PLAN WILL DO FOR
THEM.
WE’LL TALK ABOUT HOW PEOPLE CAN
GET ACCESS TO THE CHILD TAX
CREDIT. HOW PEOPLE WILL GET ACCESS TO
HOW PEOPLE WILL GET ACCESS TO
THE DIRECT CHECKS TO THE $1400.
ALMOST NO WASTE, FRAUD AND
ABUSE.
IT’S SOMETHING HE FEELS STRONGLY
ABOUT.
HE KNOWS HOW TO DO IN A
MEANINGFUL WAY TO ENSURE THE
DOLLARS ARE SPENT EFFICIENTLY.
HE’S FOCUSED ON BASICEFFECTIVE A
FAST IMPLEMENTATION.
WE’LL SPEND THE NEXT COUPLE OF
WEEKS WITH THE PRESIDENT, THE
FIRST LADY, THE VICE PRESIDENT,
THE SECOND GENTLEMAN, MEMBERS OF
THE CABINET OUT IN COMMUNITIES
REALLY TALKING ABOUT THE
GRANDULAR PIECES OF THIS PLAN
AND HOW IT WILL MAKE A
DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES.
>> WHEN HE WAS VICE PRESIDENT,
HE WAS IN CHARGE OF THE
IMPLEMENTATION IN 2009.
IS HE GOING TO MAKE VICE
PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS IN
CHARGE OR SOME OTHER POINT
PERSON TO OVERSEE ALL OF THIS?
>> Reporter: I WOULD EXPECT
WE’LL HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT HOW WE’RE GOING TO STAFF THIS,
HOW WE’RE GOING TO STAFF THIS,
IF YOU WILL IN THE COMING WEEKS.
THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE
LASER FOCUSED ON ENSURING THIS
IS IMPLEMENTED WELL.
IT’S SOMETHING -- NOW PRESIDENT
WAS SORT OF FAMOUSLY CALLED
SHERIFF JOE.
PRESIDENT OBAMA CALLED HIM
SHERIFF JOE DURING THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOVERY
ACT.
HE WILL BE PERSONALLY FOCUSED ON
THIS AND HE WILL APPOINT STAFF
WHO WILL MAKE SURE THIS MONEY IS
BEING USED QUICKLY AND
EFFICIENTLY.
>> YOU DIDN’T HAVE ANY
REPUBLICAN VOTES IN THE HOUSE OR
THE SENATE.
SENATOR WHEN I CANNER FROM
MISSISSIPPI WAS TAKING CREDIT
FOR THE RESTAURANT RELIEF THAT
EMBEDDED IN THE BILL.
WHAT’S YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT?
ARE REPUBLICANS GOING TO START
TAKING CREDIT FOR THE GOOD
THINGS IN THE BILL THAT THEY
DIDN’T VOTE FOR?
>> Reporter: I THINK THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE KNOW THAT THIS
IS PRESIDENT BIDEN’S BILL AND
THE DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS AND THEY WERE THE ONES WHO GOT THIS
THEY WERE THE ONES WHO GOT THIS
DONE.
KOENG PASSED A THE PLAN HE LAID
OUT IN JANUARY THAT HE SAID WE
NEEDED TO GET THIS VIRUS UNDER
CONTROL.
HE ALWAYS IS INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH REPUBLICANS.
WORKING WITH REPUBLICANS.
HIS DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN.
HI ALWAYS WANTS TO WORK IN A
BIPARTISAN MANNER WHEN POSSIBLE.
I THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE KNOW
WHO FOUGHT FOR THEM, THIS BILL
AND THAT’S SOMETHING WE WILL BE
FOCUSED ON P TALKING ABOUT OVER
THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS AS THE
PRESIDENT AND THE VICE PRESIDENT
ARE OUT TRAVELING AROUND THE
COUNTRY AND REALLY TALKING ABOUT
THE IMPACT OF THIS BILL ON
PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
>> HOW CONCERNED ABOUT YOU
TEXAS, MISSISSIPPI, OTHER STATES
THAT ARE LIFTING ALL
RESTRICTIONS.
THE CDC WARNS TOO QUICKLY GIVEN
THE VARIANTS.
>> Reporter: YOU HEARD THE
PRESIDENT SPEAK ABOUT THIS.
HE BELIEVES IT’S IMPORTANT TO
FOLLOW THE SCIENCE.
DR. FAUCI, WHO YOU WERE JUST
TALKING ABOUT AT THE TOP OF THE
SHOW HAS SAID, DR. WOLENSKY SAID
THIS IS NOT THE MOMENT TO
RELENT.
TAKING STEPS BACK WARD WILL NOT
MOVE US CLOSER TO GETTING THIS
PANDEMIC UNDER CONTROL.
THE PRESIDENT UNDERSTANDS THE
SACRIFICE THAT EVERYBODY IS
MAKING, THAT AMERICANS ARE
MAKING IN TERMS OF SOCIAL
DISTANCING AND NOT TRAVELING AND
LIMITING THE SIZE OF YOUR
GATHERINGS.
HE UNDERSTANDS.
IT’S A HUGE SACRIFICE BUT THIS
IS NOT THE MOMENT TO RELENTS.
THIS IS THE MOMENT WHEN VICTORY IS REALLY ON THE HORIZON AND IN
IS REALLY ON THE HORIZON AND IN
OUR GRASP.
THE PRESIDENT SAID THE ACTION
PEOPLE TAKE TO STAY MAS MKED
BRINGS US CLOSER.
THAT’S A MESSAGE THE DOCTORS AND
SCIENTISTS HAVE BEEN CLEAR
ABOUT.
IT’S ONE THE PRESIDENT TAKES
SERIOUSLY AND YOU’LL HEAR HIM
ADDRESS THAT A LITTLE BIT
TONIGHT ADD WELL.
>> YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS BUT WAS
THERE AN INVITATION TO FORMER
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP TO BE
PART OF THAT PUBLIC SERVICE
ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE PRESIDENT’S
CLUB?
>> Reporter: THAT WOULD BE A
QUESTION FOR THE ADD COUNCIL.
THIS IS THEIR AD.