HE TALKED ABOUT THE FOUR CRISES
FACING THE COUNTRY.
AND FOR RON KLAIN, THE INCOMING
CHIEF OF STAFF FOR HIS WHOLE
TEAM, THEY KNOW THEY HAVE TO GET
ON TOP OF COVID.
THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE
ECONOMIC CRISIS, THE RACIAL
JUSTICE CRISIS, THE CLIMATE
CRISIS.
IT’S A HUGE TASK, BUT THEY’VE
BEEN PLANNING FOR IT.
THEY’VE STAYED DISCIPLINED.
THEY HAVEN’T BEEN THROWN OFF
COURSE I THINK PARTICULARLY IN
THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
SO, I THINK THEY’RE READY TO GET
INTO THOSE OFFICES AND BEGIN TO
DO THE WORK OF THE COUNTRY.
>> ANDY, YOU WERE LITERALLY IN
THE EAR OF PRESIDENT BUSH AT THE
TIME OF 9/11.
YOU KNOW A LITTLE SOMETHING
ABOUT AN ADMINISTRATION SUDDENLY
ON EMERGENCY WAR FOOTING.
THIS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT IN
THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN KNEW WHAT
THE COUNTRY WAS FACING.
HE’S HAD TIME TO NOW LOOK AT THE
VACCINATION PLAN.
NONETHELESS, HOW DOES IT CHANGE
AN ADMINISTRATION HAVE ALMOST A
SINGULAR FOCUS, THAT EVERYTHING
ULTIMATELY REVOLVES AROUND
COVID?
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL I DO THINK
THIS IS A TIME OF HISTORY AND
HOPE AND THIS INAUGURATION WAS A
TRIBUTE TO OUR DEMOCRACY.
I AGREE WITH WHAT THE PRESIDENT
SAID, AND I LOVED HOW HE SAID
IT.
AND YES, HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT
THERE WAS MUCH TO REPAIR, MUCH
TO RESTORE AND MUCH TO REBUILD.
AND THAT’S THE CHALLENGE.
>> AND ANDY, I JUST WANT TO
PAUSE BECAUSE I WANT PEOPLE TO
SEE WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE, IT’S
IMPORTANT.
THE VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS AND
HER HUSBAND DOUG EMHOFF HAD JUST
ESCORTED FORMER VICE PRESIDENT
PENCE AND KAREN PENCE DOWN THE
EAST FRONT STEPS OF THE CAPITOL.
ANDY, TO CONTINUE YOUR THOUGHT,
THIS IS A MOMENT THAT THE
COUNTRY NEEDED TO SEE ITS LEADER
OF BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES COME
TOGETHER.
THE PRESIDENT -- FORMER
PRESIDENT TRUMP DID NOT CHOOSE
TO ATTEND, BUT VICE PRESIDENT
PENCE’S CHOICE TO COME WAS A
REAL STATEMENT.
HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK THAT
WAS?
>> I THINK IT’S CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT AND I COMPLIMENT VICE
PRESIDENT PENCE FOR BEING THERE.
AND I ACTUALLY CELEBRATE THE
ROLE THAT HE PLAYED IN THE LAST
TEN DAYS.
IT HELPED US CELEBRATE OUR
DEMOCRACY AND RESTORE IT AND PUT
IT ON THE RIGHT PATH.
SO, I’M GLAD THAT HE WAS THERE.
AND I’M GRATEFUL THAT KAMALA
HARRIS, THE NEW VICE PRESIDENT,
SEEMS TO BE VERY GRACIOUS TO
VICE PRESIDENT PENCE.
AND I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD
SIGNAL TO SEE.
I WAS ALSO THRILLED THAT THE
FORMER PRESIDENTS THAT WERE
THERE WERE THERE CELEBRATING OUR
DEMOCRACY.
YOU KNOW, IT’S SO IMPORTANT FOR
US TO POLISH OUR DEMOCRACY.
IT’S BEEN VERY TARNISHED AND THE
WORLD IS WATCHING US.
SO, THIS INAUGURATION WAS A VERY
GOOD INAUGURATION.
I PRAY THAT PEOPLE PAID
ATTENTION TO IT OBJECTIVELY, PUT
THEIR PARTISAN DIFFERENCES ASIDE
AND JUST LISTENED TO IT BECAUSE
THIS WAS AN INAUGURATION OF HOPE
AND I’M GOING TO SAY RESOLVE AND
DETERMINATION TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYONE’S VOICES IN THIS
COUNTRY ARE HEARD BUT THAT OUR
DEMOCRACY AND THE INSTITUTIONS
OF OUR DEMOCRACY WILL WORK.
AND WE’VE GOT TO HELP TO MAKE
SURE THEY WORK FOR THE BENEFIT
OF EVERYONE.
SO, I COMPLIMENT THE PRESIDENT
FOR SETTING THE TONE THAT WAS
VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE.
WE NEEDED IT.
AND IT WAS LONG OVERDUE.
>> FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE
PENCE AND HIS WIFE, THEIR
MOTORCADE NOW HAVING LEFT THE
CAPITOL.
LET’S GO TO CRAIG MELVIN WHO’S
THERE ON THE EAST FRONT OF THE
CAPITOL, CRAIG.
>> HEY, LESTER.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING RIGHT NOW,
THE VICE PRESIDENT AND HER
HUSBAND, THEY’RE HEADING BACK
INTO THE ROTUNDA NOW AS WE WATCH
FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE
PENCE’S MOTORCADE HEAD OUT.
AT THIS POINT, WE DON’T KNOW
WHERE HE AND KAREN PENCE ARE
GOING, BUT THEY’RE LEAVING THE
CAPITOL.
RIGHT NOW THEY’LL GO BACK INSIDE
TO THE ROTUNDA, THE VICE
PRESIDENT AND PRESIDENT BIDEN
INSIDE NOW WITH THE FIRST LADY.
THEY’LL HAVE A BRIEF LUNCHEON
WITH HOUSE AND SENATE
LEADERSHIP.
AND THEN THERE WILL BE AN
EXCHANGING OF GIFTS, IF YOU
WILL.
MEMBERS OF THE INAUGURAL
COMMITTEE WILL PRESENT SOME
GIFTS TO THE PRESIDENT AND VICE
PRESIDENT AS WE WATCH SPEAKER
PELOSI TALKING TO THE NEW VICE
PRESIDENT THERE AS WELL.