this is a conversation with the american people, that his drawing you and and he is using his age and has experience, his five decades in public life to appear like this stage, why is republicans say grandfatherly, too old for the job but you can see that he is using the weight of the office to try to persuade people that this is a moment where we mustn't throw it all away, we have to build on the progress that has been made and if we do, comejuly four we can celebrate with our friends. �* , ., friends. let's widen our discussion _ friends. let's widen our discussion and - friends. let's widen our discussion and bring - friends. let's widen our discussion and bring in| friends. let's widen our| discussion and bring in a couple of get. democratic strategist amanda there on the bottom left, the political director for hillary clinton's 2016 campaign. and on the bottom right, an internal medicine physician. let me start with you, from a medical point of view, was this speech what you wanted to hear? absolutely, because i think what biden did that was very smart as he started off by reminding us how severe covid is, he reminded us of the numbers of individuals we have lost in that tone acknowledging what we've lost is something that we all have to remember because covid is still present, covid is still here, covid is still killing individuals in our communities but at the same time we need individuals to start to get the vaccines are what i think biden did very successfully was also create incentives of getting the vaccine. to let us return to smi normal life again, and also a tone of optimism that many of us need to hear at this point because it has been a year of a very, very, very hard amount of loss and loss of freedoms, and i think this idea thatjuly four is independence from covid will really galvanise people to say, what can i do to make that a reality?— a reality? amanda, prime-time addresses _ a reality? amanda, prime-time addresses for _ a reality? amanda, prime-time addresses for presidents - a reality? amanda, prime-time addresses for presidents are i addresses for presidents are quite hard to pull off. did the president manager? i quite hard to pull off. did the president manager?- quite hard to pull off. did the president manager? i think he did. listen, — president manager? i think he did. listen, america _ president manager? i think he did. listen, america needed i did. listen, america needed both— did. listen, america needed both a — did. listen, america needed both a hug and a hope, and he gave _ both a hug and a hope, and he gave both _ both a hug and a hope, and he gave both. his style of really understanding where people are with empathy, the pain that people have gone through, i thought he captured that very well at — thought he captured that very well at the beginning. you can see it — well at the beginning. you can see it anything biden does is, he connects with you. even on tv. _ he connects with you. even on tv, particularly those who have really _ tv, particularly those who have really lost — tv, particularly those who have really lost someone in this time, _ really lost someone in this time, but then the other piece he did — time, but then the other piece he did was he gave hope and specific— he did was he gave hope and specific hope. he said, here is the light— specific hope. he said, here is the light at the end of the tunnel_ the light at the end of the tunnel and i need these things in order— tunnel and i need these things in order to get here. the event today, — in order to get here. the event today, the _ in order to get here. the event today, the timing today, was a really— today, the timing today, was a really big — today, the timing today, was a really big deal for biden because it really set the tone for how — because it really set the tone for how he is going to govern. he said i am going to move something forward, i'm going to have _ something forward, i'm going to have a _ something forward, i'm going to have a plan and show leadership and today— have a plan and show leadership and today was the culmination of all— and today was the culmination of all of— and today was the culmination of all of that coming together. i thihk— of all of that coming together. i think he _ of all of that coming together. i think he delivered well, i thihk— i think he delivered well, i think timing was well and frankly— think timing was well and frankly i think every body now is making _ frankly i think every body now is making plans forjuly four and — is making plans forjuly four and toning down made what they might— and toning down made what they might want to do tomorrow or when — might want to do tomorrow or when spring hits, i think they -et when spring hits, i think they get that— when spring hits, i think they get that if we could just hold it together, july four will be a very— it together, july four will be a very specialjuly four. what did ou a very specialjuly four. what did you make, _ a very specialjuly four. what did you make, doctor, - a very specialjuly four. what did you make, doctor, of- did you make, doctor, of president biden directing all the states and make every adult american eligible for the vaccine by may the first? i eligible for the vaccine by may the first? ~ ., , the first? i think what he is t in: the first? i think what he is trying to — the first? i think what he is trying to do _ the first? i think what he is trying to do there - the first? i think what he is trying to do there is - the first? i think what he is trying to do there is reallyl trying to do there is really put the pressure on states to figure out how to operationalise getting the vaccines out to as many individuals as possible, and so part of what is happening, every time you open up a new eligibility group, we have to think about how that makes a little bit harder for previous groups to get access. if for example we opened it up to individuals and new york with prior conditions, older adults above 65 who may not be as tech savvy or good with using phones struggle to be able to get access to what he said is on may one all adults will be eligible but he also promised that he would send help in terms of personnel, additional sites and supplies so we can overcome the supply and demand gap that i think is really affecting individuals from being able to actually sign up and get the vaccines. so i think that it's a good pressure point on states to figure out the logistical barriers that they are having now and with they are having now and with the kind of promise that comes additional resources, i think many public health officials are really going to celebrate that. �* ~ ., ., ., that. and amanda, we heard the president urged _ that. and amanda, we heard the president urged americans - that. and amanda, we heard the president urged americans to i president urged americans to wear masks, but you know of course in texas they have lifted the mask mandate and people have been burning masks, so there is a political reality there that a lot of people have stopped wearing their masks, haven't they?— haven't they? they have and when you — haven't they? they have and when you go _ haven't they? they have and when you go to _ haven't they? they have and when you go to certain - haven't they? they have and when you go to certain parts| haven't they? they have and i when you go to certain parts of the country, where there is a large — the country, where there is a large republican base you will see the — large republican base you will see the same thing happening, whatever— see the same thing happening, whatever state you are in. he talked — whatever state you are in. he talked about that today when he said listen, it's too bad that this mask is dividing up. i think— this mask is dividing up. i think it _ this mask is dividing up. i think it was important for him to call— think it was important for him to call that out and at the same _ to call that out and at the same time it's why he gave the address— same time it's why he gave the address and the tone that he did — address and the tone that he did he — address and the tone that he did. he did not promise, he said — did. he did not promise, he said we _ did. he did not promise, he said we got to do this together, we got to get to july four together but there's certainly still going to be states— certainly still going to be states that aren't going do that — states that aren't going do that. think this is the beginning of a relationship that— beginning of a relationship that he _ beginning of a relationship that he is building with states _ that he is building with states. not only is there money in this bill for states but now he is — in this bill for states but now he is giving them a target for may one with the ability to say hey listen, you don't and mandates, i'm actually helping you get when they first deadline you can do it on the way— deadline you can do it on the way that— deadline you can do it on the way that you want to do it, but freedom — way that you want to do it, but freedom and a little bit good news for all of these governors, red or blue, to be able — governors, red or blue, to be able to— governors, red or blue, to be able to stay and actually be able — able to stay and actually be able to _ able to stay and actually be able to build their plan, for those — able to build their plan, for those folks who do want to move fasten _ those folks who do want to move faster. is — those folks who do want to move faster. , . , those folks who do want to move faster. , ., , ., faster. is there any part of ou, faster. is there any part of you. when _ faster. is there any part of you. when you _ faster. is there any part of you, when you heard - faster. is there any part of| you, when you heard those dates, made the first for eligible vaccination, july the fourth small barbecues that just thought, hold on a second, don't be so optimistic. make sure that people understand that this could still go wrong, this could still be delayed? absolutely. i mean, some people have said that doctors and scientists and public officials are just internal pessimists, and it's not that at all, it's just that this virus is really wildly and very good at putting us in our place when we think that we are about to get ahead. we got the vaccines and then the variance popped up, which we expected but that was a setback. i think though that everyone is cautiously optimistic because there is something really important about the message here, and the message is not just, just vaccinating that it. i think what was mentioned earlier about masks are very important. none of this is going to work if we step away from the public health measures that we know have worked. if we stop wearing masks in public, if we stop avoiding big gatherings as we are vaccinating, so a hope that folks didn't hear the message go out and just live like you are free, because vaccines are coming on a first. no, it is, if we do all the things that we know we have to do and keep doing them while we hurry up and get everyone vaccinated, by july four, and again he said it, let's hold that date lightly, byjuly four, we could have a little bit of freedom to travel and maybe get together, but they hope no—one heard it has kind of a removal of all public health measures that we've been growing for the last year. we've been growing for the last ear. �* . . we've been growing for the last ear, �* ., ., ., " we've been growing for the last ear. ~ ., ., ., ~ ., year. amanda, i would like to no year. amanda, i would like to to back year. amanda, i would like to go back to — year. amanda, i would like to go back to the _ year. amanda, i would like to go back to the passage - year. amanda, i would like to go back to the passage of- year. amanda, i would like to go back to the passage of thej go back to the passage of the bill. mr biden only signed it a few hours ago. i will not repeat the petty set of words that president biden whispered to obama after the passage of the healthcare bill, but does the healthcare bill, but does the passage of this bill merit those same words? it the passage of this bill merit those same words?- the passage of this bill merit those same words? it does, this is the biggest — those same words? it does, this is the biggest will _ those same words? it does, this is the biggest will that. .. - is the biggest will that... (crosstalk) | is the biggest will that... (crosstalk) iwasn't is the biggest will that... (crosstalk) i wasn't going to say it! — say it! and for a couple say in — and for a couple of reasons, not — and for a couple of reasons, not only— and for a couple of reasons, not only in— and for a couple of reasons, not only in the speed with which _ not only in the speed with which he brought it through, the way— which he brought it through, the way he governed it through, the way he governed it through, the way— the way he governed it through, the way he governed it through, the way he had a bipartisan process— the way he had a bipartisan process but did slow down in order— process but did slow down in order to _ process but did slow down in order to get a bipartisan vote because _ order to get a bipartisan vote because he had the votes, but there's— because he had the votes, but there's also a target for low income _ there's also a target for low income and middle income folks income and middle income folks in a way— income and middle income folks in a way that we haven't seen in a way that we haven't seen in this— in a way that we haven't seen in this country for a long time _ in this country for a long time we _ in this country for a long time. we talk about tax cuts, that's— time. we talk about tax cuts, that's usually the fight. this time — that's usually the fight. this time he _ that's usually the fight. this time he is talking about cutting _ time he is talking about cutting child poverty and half. the moral obligation, the soul of the — the moral obligation, the soul of the nation is very fitting for what he was pushing through and actually got through in a way— and actually got through in a way that— and actually got through in a way that was very clear from the very _ way that was very clear from the very beginning to the end and now— the very beginning to the end and now as he said, hold me accountable. how often do you hear _ accountable. how often do you hear that — accountable. how often do you hear that from a politician? he is saying — hear that from a politician? he is saying it _ hear that from a politician? he is saying it and he said it from _ is saying it and he said it from the _ is saying it and he said it from the very beginning and i think— from the very beginning and i think this _ from the very beginning and i think this is a new day for really— think this is a new day for really thinking about what kind of policy — really thinking about what kind of policy we need in this country— of policy we need in this country so that all people are able — country so that all people are able to— country so that all people are able to recover and really get back— able to recover and really get back into _ able to recover and really get back into what we call the american dream here, and it's a good _ american dream here, and it's a good start _ american dream here, and it's a good start-— good start. one of the things that is in that _ that is in that coronavirus relief bill, it sounds a bit technical and a bit wonky, but it's the reintroduction of the subsidies for obamacare. after this public health crisis that we have had in america, how big of a deal is this for low income americans who haven't been able to afford health insurance?— been able to afford health insurance? it's a really big deal insurance? it's a really big deal. if you _ insurance? it's a really big deal. if you look _ insurance? it's a really big deal. if you look at - insurance? it's a really big deal. if you look at the - deal. if you look at the unemployment rates and knowing that insurance is often tied to employment, many individuals don't have enough coverage to manage their primary care. also many individuals have just kind of let go of the normal care that they would have thought during the pandemic, first because it wasn't safe and then for some folks because it is just really hard to get appointments now in some of these areas, so as things start to slow down, people start to vaccinate, we're to see individuals need to use healthcare for preventative care, for the management of chronic illness and if folks don't have the coverage, they are not going to be able to met in ways that should be. so i think that it is very proper that they went ahead and put that they went ahead and put that into this bill to make sure that we can get back to the ability to take care of population health, essentially, in the way that we haven't really been able to think about proactively during fighting this global pandemic. find this global pandemic. and amanda. _ this global pandemic. and amanda, we _ this global pandemic. and amanda, we heard - this global pandemic. and amanda, we heard president biden say that he is going to go out on the road, he is going to sell the coronavirus relief bill republicans are already saying it's too big, it's wasteful, it's going to be inflationary. is he trying to avoid the mistake of president obama in 2009 who got kind of overwhelmed by republicans who used the opposition to that stimulus to drive the tea party and when the mid—term elections —— when the mid—term elections? yes, remember being on the hill and the — yes, remember being on the hill and the active one had that we weren't— and the active one had that we weren't talking enough about what — weren't talking enough about what was in the stimulus at that— what was in the stimulus at that time, we weren't talking enough — that time, we weren't talking enough about the programmes that were happening, why people were getting jobs, they have certainly learned the lesson of that, — certainly learned the lesson of that, but — certainly learned the lesson of that, but i will even say another— that, but i will even say another step that he has done as he — another step that he has done as he has— another step that he has done as he has actually putting his cabinet — as he has actually putting his cabinet up there as well. so not only— cabinet up there as well. so not only has he learned the lesson _ not only has he learned the lesson of— not only has he learned the lesson of he has to go out on the road _ lesson of he has to go out on the road and talk about what is happening but is also putting the entire cabinet, because this— the entire cabinet, because this bill— this bill is that comprehensive, and it is really important _ comprehensive, and it is really important. you are coming off from — important. you are coming off from an— important. you are coming off from an election we had the most — from an election we had the most voters ever in the selection cycle and a divisive country _ selection cycle and a divisive country. this is your moment on this to _ country. this is your moment on this to really the country together and say, we are going together and say, we are going to come — together and say, we are going to come together, we are going to come together, we are going to make — to come together, we are going to make sure you recover all across — to make sure you recover all across the _ to make sure you recover all across the country and has what we are — across the country and has what we are doing. it is not only smart— we are doing. it is not only smart but— we are doing. it is n