PEOPLE TO DO THEIR PART, AND
THAT MEANS GETTING THE SHOT.
>> AS IF ON CUE, JOINING OUR
CONVERSATION IS WHITE HOUSE
CHIEF OF STAFF RON KLAIN.
MY FIRST QUESTION FOR YOU, AS
THE PRESIDENT WAS LEAVING THE
SPEECH AND THE -- THE LENGTHY
Q & A SESSION AFTERWARD, THERE
WAS A SHOUTED QUESTION ABOUT
DR. JILL BIDEN.
WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT?
HIS RESPONSE WAS, "IM ABOUT TO
FIND OUT."
>> Reporter: WELL, DR. BIDEN
WHILE SHE WAS IN HAWAII COMING
BACK FROM JAPAN FROM THE
OLYMPICS, SHE MADE SOME STOPS
THERE TO ENCOURAGE VACCINATION.
WHILE SHE WAS OUT WALKING SHE
STEPPED ON A SHARP OBJECT, AND
SO SHE IS GOING TO GO TO WALTER
REED THIS AFTERNOON AND HAVE
THAT OBJECT REMOVED.
>> OKAY.
WE APPRECIATE THAT.
I MEAN WE JUST CAUGHT OUR EARS.
HE WAS ALMOST OUT THE DOOR.
I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT WHAT --
THE PRESIDENT MADE ABUNDANTLY
CLEAR IT IS A TRAGEDY BECAUSE
OBVIOUSLY WE CONTINUE TO HAVE
AMERICANS SICK AND DYING.
BUT AT THIS POINT THE VAST
MAJORITY OF ALL OF THEM, HE
SAID, ARE UNVACCINATED.
HOW DID YOU COME TO SORT OF THIS
PASSION PLEA AND CALLING OUT AND
SINGLING OUT FOR PRAISE PEOPLE
LIKE MITCH McCONNELL AND KAY
IVEY AND THE NFL FOR THEIR HELP?
IS THAT WHERE WE ARE?
DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE PRESIDENT
HAS REACHED EVERYONE HE CAN
CONVINCE?
>> YEAH, LOOK, I THINK THAT THE
PRESIDENT HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN
REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE TO TRY TO
PERSUADE THEM, BUT IT IS NOT
JUST PERSUASION.
ALSO PROVIDE INCENTIVES, MAKE IT
EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO GET
VACCINATED.
LOOK, THE MOST COMPELLING THING
I THINK IS PUTTING THE VACCINE
WITHIN REACH OF THE LARGEST
NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
WE HAVE DONE THAT WITH 80,000
SITES.
IT IS FREE OBVIOUSLY.
YOU NO LONGER NEED AN
APPOINTMENT, YOU JUST WALK IN
AND GET IT ANY TIME.
THE PRESIDENT TALKED ABOUT MORE
INCENTIVES TODAY, WHETHER IT IS
PAID TIED OFF TO GET YOURSELF
VACCINATED, GET A FAMILY MEMBER
VACCINATED, GIVING PEOPLE $100
TO GET VACCINATED.
ALSO, OF COURSE, PUTTING SOME
REQUIREMENTS ON TO TRY TO
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET
VACCINATED OR ELSE GO THROUGH
RIGOROUS TESTING REGIMES AND
WHAT NOT.
SO WERE GOING TO USE THE FULL
SET OF CARROTS AND STICKS WE
HAVE HERE TO TRY TO MAKE MORE
PROGRESS.
WE HAVE NEARLY 70% OF PEOPLE
WITH ONE SHOT.
WE NEED TO GET THE REST OF THE
COUNTRY VACCINATED.
THATS WHAT WEVE BEEN TRYING
ALL SIX MONTHS.
THATS WHAT WERE GOING TO
CONTINUE TO DO.
HOPEFULLY THIS NEW DELTA VARIANT
WILL MAKE PEOPLE PAY A LITTLE
MORE ATTENTION AND DO WHAT THEY
NEED TO DO.
>> DOES THE PRESIDENT -- WE SAW
A FLASH OF REAL PASSION THERE,
THAT HES HAVING TO EXPLAIN THAT
THE MASK GUIDANCE CHANGING
WASNT ANY SORT OF POLICY
FLIP-FLOP.
IT WAS A DYNAMIC NATURE OF A
VACCINE.
I MEAN WHAT IS SORT OF THE
DEGREE OF EXASPERATION WITH THE
POWER OF THIS INFORMATION ON THE
RIGHT?
>> WELL, I MEAN OBVIOUSLY WE ARE
CONCERNED ABOUT DISINFORMATION.
ALSO, WERE TRYING HARD TO
CORRECT IT WITH TRUTHFUL
INFORMATION, WITH REAL
INFORMATION.
YOU HEARD THE PRESIDENT GO
THROUGH THAT TODAY.
YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER ONE THING
WE HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO REFUSE
THE VACCINE IS THIS CONCERN THAT
IT WAS DEVELOPED TOO QUICKLY,
AND THE PRESIDENT AGAIN
EXPLAINED THE SCIENTIFIC
BACKGROUND AND HISTORY OF THE
VACCINE.
WE HEAR PEOPLE SAY THAT THEYRE,
YOU KNOW, CONCERNED ABOUT THE
SIDE EFFECTS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE ARE COMBATTING
DISINFORMATION WITH THE TRUTHFUL
INFORMATION, WITH SCIENTIFIC
INFORMATION, TRYING AGAIN TO
PERSUADE MORE AND MORE AMERICANS
TO GET VACCINATED TO PROTECT
THEMSELVES, TO PROTECT THEIR
FAMILIES, TO PROTECT THEIR
COMMUNITIES, KEEP OUR ECONOMY
GROWING.
YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE THINGS WE
ALL WANT TO SEE HAPPEN.
>> DO YOU EXPECT POLICY
ESCALATIONS.
COULD YOU SEE CALLING ON THE
SORTS OF THINGS WHERE YOU DO
HAVE CONTROL TO MANDATE
VACCINATION, ATTESTATION, TO
TRAVEL BY AIR OR TRAIN OR ANY
OTHER WAY?
>> WELL, I THINK WE HAVE LAID
OUT A SET OF INCENTIVES TODAY.
OBVIOUSLY WERE ALWAYS LOOKING
AT ADDITIONAL POLICIES.
HOPEFULLY THESE THINGS WILL GET
THE JOB DONE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE
LAID OUT A VERY ROBUST SET OF
POLICY INITIATIVES TODAY, AND
WERE HOPING THAT IT CONTINUES
TO PROD THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO
DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, GET THE
REST OF THE COUNTRY VACCINATED.
>> RON, WERE THERE CONVERSATIONS
BETWEEN -- HE SINGLED OUT SENATE
MINORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL,
WHO HAS A VERY NOTABLE NEW -- I
BELIEVE HIS CAMPAIGN FUND IS
PAYING FOR PSAs OR ADS TO
ADVOCATE FOR THE VACCINE.
WAS AT THIS PRESIDENTS URGING?
>> NO.
FIRST OF ALL, WE NEED TO GIVE
SENATOR McCONNELL CREDIT.
HE HAS BEEN ENCOURAGING
AMERICANS TO GET VACCINATED
SINCE THE VACCINE WAS FIRST
AUTHORIZED BACK IN DECEMBER.
HE HAS BEEN A STRONG,
CONSISTENT, REGULAR VOICE URGING
VACCINATIONS.
HE AND THE PRESIDENT HAVE
DISCUSSED THIS PREVIOUSLY MONTHS
AGO, AND I JUST THINK SENATOR
McCONNELL HAS BEEN AS STRONG
URGING VACCINATIONS AS ANY
PUBLIC FIGURE HAS BEEN.
>> WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HIM DO
MORE IF THATS THE CASE?
>> LOOK, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US
ALL DO MORE.
SENATOR McCONNELL HAS DONE --
AGAIN, HAS DONE A LOT MORE THAN
WHAT A LOT OF OTHER FOLKS HAVE.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS MORE
AND MORE PEOPLE DO THIS, MORE
VOICES, YOU KNOW, IN BOTH
PARTIES, REACH OUT AND ENCOURAGE
PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE
OUR DIFFERENCES WITH SENATOR
McCONNELL HERE, BUT HIS VIGOR IN
PUSHING VACCINATIONS IS NOT ONE
OF THOSE DIFFERENCES.
HE HAS BEEN A VERY STRONG
ADVOCATE FOR THIS.
>> I KNOW THIS ISNT ALL THAT
YOU WORK ON.
I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
I MEAN THE PRESIDENT --
>> SURE.
>> -- MADE CLEAR TO SPEAK TO
WHAT IS ON PEOPLES MINDS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY, ACROSS THE
IDEOLOGICAL SPECTRUM.
HE MADE CLEAR THAT SCHOOLS WILL
BE OPEN IN THE FALL,
UNEQUIVOCALLY THAT THE SAFEST
WAY TO DO THAT IS TO KEEP
VACCINATION LEVELS IN
COMMUNITIES DOWN SO THAT KIDS
UNDER 12 WHO CANT BE VACCINATED
ARE AT THE LOWEST RISK POSSIBLE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION
ABOUT WHEN KIDS YOUNGER THAN 12
WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE
VACCINE?
>> NICOLLE, I DONT HAVE ANY
PRIVATE INFORMATION ON THAT.
YOU KNOW, THE MEDICAL
COMMUNITYS DISCUSSED THAT
CLINICAL TRIALS ARE STILL GOING
ON, AS YOU HEARD LAST WEEK.
TWO OF THE MAJOR VACCINE MAKERS
EXPANDED THOSE CLINICAL TRIALS
TO MAKE SURE WERE GOING TO BE
SAFE IN TERMS OF SIDE EFFECTS.
AS SOON AS THOSE CLINICAL TRIALS
ARE FINISHED, THE FDA I KNOW
WILL REVIEW THE DATA QUICKLY.
I REALLY WOULDNT WANT TO PUT A
TIMELINE ON IT.
I HAVE HEARD EXPERTS SAY LATER
THIS FALL, MAYBE NOVEMBER, BUT,
AGAIN, I DONT HAVE ANY PRIVATE
OR INSIDE INFORMATION ON THAT.
THATS JUST THE PUBLIC
INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRESS
OF THESE CLINICAL TRIALS AND
POTENTIAL FDA REVIEWS.
>> RON, LET ME GET YOU ON THE
RECORD ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE
DEAL.
HOW INVOLVED WERE YOU?
HOW INVOLVED WAS THIS PRESIDENT?
HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS TO THE
AGENDA?
>> WELL, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO
THE PRESIDENTS AGENDA.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE
COUNTRY.
LOOK, WEVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT
INFRASTRUCTURE WEEK FOR A LONG
TIME, AND WE HAVE BRIDGES IN
THIS COUNTRY THAT ARE CRACKED,
THAT ARE UNSAFE.
WE HAVE ROADS THAT NEED TO BE
UPGRADED.
WE NEED TO GET EVERY KID IN THIS
AMERICA BROADBAND.
WE NEED TO GET ALL OF THE LEAD
PIPES OUT OF THE GROUND AND GET
EVERY KID AND FAMILY IN AMERICA
SAFE DRINKING WATER.
WE NEED TO BUILD ELECTRIC
CHARGING STATION, WE NEED TO
BUILD THE CLEAN ECONOMY FOR THE
FUTURE.
ALL OF THESE THINGS IN THIS
PACKAGE ARE VITAL INVESTMENTS.
IM PROUD TO BE PART OF THE TEAM
HERE.
THE PRESIDENT REALLY ENGAGED
DIRECTLY WITH MEMBERS OF THE
HOUSE AND THE SENATE,
PARTICULARLY MEMBERS OF THE
SENATE.
HE MET WITH REPUBLICANS, WITH
DEMOCRATS, REALLY PUSHED TO GET
THIS DONE.
OBVIOUSLY WERE STILL AT THE
FIRST STEP.
THE BILL IS JUST NOW GETTING TO
THE SENATE FLOOR.
WE HAVE TO GET THE BILL PASSED.
WE HAVE TO GET IT OVER TO THE
HOUSE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK LEFT TO
DO, BUT I THINK IT IS A
SIGNIFICANT MOVE TO ADDRESS THE
VITAL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.
YES, I DO THINK IT IS POSITIVE
THAT IT IS BIPARTISAN.
IT SHOWS THE DEMOCRATS AND
REPUBLICANS CAN GET TOGETHER AND
START TO TACKLE SOME OF THESE
PROBLEMS.
I THINK THATS ALSO A HOPEFUL
ELEMENT OF THIS.
>> RON, THERES NOW A PLAYBOOK
FOR THE SUCCESSFUL LEGISLATIVE
ENDEAVORS BY THIS WHITE HOUSE,
THE COVID RELIEF PACKAGE WHICH
WAS NOT BIPARTISAN, IT WAS IN
TERMS OF THE SUPPORT YOU HAD IN
THE COUNTRY AND THE PRESIDENT
MADE THAT POINT REPEATEDLY, AND
NOW THE INFRASTRUCTURE DEAL
WHICH YOU SAID IS BIPARTISAN.
WILL EITHER ONE OF THOSE
APPROACHES BE APPLIED TO
SOMETHING MANY DEMOCRATS AND
EVEN SOME REPUBLICANS FIND
URGENT, AND THAT IS THE NEED TO
PROTECT THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND
THE RIGHT TO HAVE YOUR VOTE
COUNTED FROM 389 VOTER
SUPPRESSION LAWS RACING THROUGH
48 STATES?
>> YEAH, NICOLLE, OBVIOUSLY
VOTING RIGHTS IS VERY IMPORTANT
TO THIS PRESIDENT.
IT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY HE
RAN FOR PRESIDENT.
I WAS ENCOURAGED TO SEE
YESTERDAY PROGRESS IN THE
SENATE.
YOU HAD CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN
SENATOR WARNOCK, SENATOR
MANCHIN, SENATOR KLOBUCHAR IS A