>> boy, that is a nice image. the president is also asking americans to continue to do their part, to get vaccinated, not to let their guards down in the coming months, like wearing masks. john harwood is at the white house. and john, the president, other top officials, they're going to hit the road and promote this. i'm sure they have the experience of the 2008 rescue package in mind. started popular, not as pap lar as this. and you see republicans attacking the package around the edges here. is the intention to try to keep this popular. >> absolutely. and they'll get some help when the checks start arriving in bank accounts this weekend, $1,400 for adults and children in families with incomes under $150,000. so that is going to help them. but they do have to make sheer the other benefits of the plan including new benefits for small businesses that haven't been touched by previous rounds of paycheck protection. but this is a -- was a speech last night where the president was not claiming victory over this virus. even as he held out those ambitious goals that you mentioned, trying to get everyone eligible for a vaccine by may 1st even though they won't all be vaccinated by then trying to get back to some semblance of normal by july 4th. and he appealed to the american people saying i need you to help m me do this, stay on track and because if we let down our guard we could be vulnerable to a setback. here is how the president described it. >> if we don't say vigilant, and the conditions change, then we may have to reinstate restrictions to get back on track. and please, we don't want to do that again. we've made so much progress. this is not the time to let up. >> reporter: so the president was appealing there to a sense of shared sacrifice, that has been a consistent theme of him. the other consistent theme is over-promise and deliver. you could bet that the white house team is confident that they will be able to continue the accelerated production of vaccines vaccines in order to achieve that goal of may 1st and as well as trying to get back to the quasinormalcy by the 4th of july. >> thank you very much from the white house this morning. let's bring in dr. william schaffner, professor for the division of vanderbilt medical center. good morning, doctor. >> good morning, poppy, good to be with you. >> we're glad you're here. two big goals, may 1st all adults could be vaccinated by, starting then. and then july 4th, semi normal mask-free barbecue with a small group of friends. are they attainable. >> i could taste the hot dogs already. >> so could we. >> those are aspirational goals but he made it quite clear, he set the goals but we have to implement it. i think everybody in every state health department in the country sat up straight last night and said we have to really press down on the accelerators. and as john said, we have to have the vaccines continue to come in so we can deliver them. but once they arrive locally, we have to get them in arm. vaccine never prevented any disease. vaccination prevents disease. >> so, in the last few weeks, a few things have rifsen as worris to derail, one is the variants and the other is the speed of the vaccination, the availability of it and that led to concerns about a plateauing of the decline in new infections and deaths. that seems to have abated now. and i wonder if in your view, did we in effect dodge a bullet on some of the concerns? >> we're not there yet. we're not there yet, jim. we're still dodging. and we're still very concerned. because these variants are extremely contagious. we have to maintain masking. we have to continue to vaccinate. we have to continue to be prudent. you know, we could get through this in the next several months, but we all have to continue to come together and focus on the goal and do what is necessary to get there. >> on the schools front, the hope from the biden administration really the guarantee is that we're going to have your kids in schools almost fully by april. kevin mccarthy, the gop house minority leader, said that what america needs now is to, quote, fully reopen our economy and our classrooms. what do you think, not from a political perspective, but from the sciences we sit here this friday morning, is it time now to fully reopen classrooms or does april make more sense. >> i think moving toward it at a local level, how much is the staff all vaccinated, and can we implement a lot of those recommendations made by the cdc to continue to keep the school environment safe. if we can do both of those things, i think we can open up our schools at very, very low risk. and that will help stimulate the economy because those parents then can focus on going back to work. >> so, about a fifth of the country now has gotten at least one shot. that is great progress. but still most the country has not been vaccinated. your advice to folks like poppy and myself, as we wait to get vaccinated? >> please, when your turn comes up, roll up your sleeve, let's all get vaccinated. and we have to provide access to the vaccine to all minority and ethni ethnic communities and they have to make the decision, they have to be comfortable that this is good for them and their communities. we don't want to leave pockets of our population unvaccinated. >> dr. william schaffner, listen, it is good advice. always good to have you on. >> my pleasure. well joining us now to talk about the politics of all of this, david chalian. good morning, david. >> good morning. >> i'll tell you, in terms of tone setting, but beyond tone really focus, right, the difference between biden's approach and this trump's i alone could do it and biden's let's do it together. i want to play one clip of that that gets to that larger point. have a listen and get your reaction. >> i need every american to do their part. beating this virus and getting back to normal depends on national unity. >> he was not able to do that, a reflection of the politics in washington today in terms of the legislation. does he have an opportunity to get the public, you know, with him here on this. they already support the covid relief plan but could he do that more broadly. >> the public according to our polling broadly sees joe biden, they have a lot of confidence in him to get the country to the other side of this covid crisis. our brand-new poll showed two-thirds, if you add up there the 42%, they have a lot of confidence in biden's ability to lead this, and 25% some and 67%, two-thirds of americans don't agree on anything. but two-thirds of americans have confidence in biden's ability to lead us out of this. obviously we still see polarization in our politics and that breaks down along party lines. but jim, i think it shows, there you go, of people that have a lot of confidence in biden's ability and you have democrats, 72% say they have a lot and independents 35% and only 6% have confidence in biden's ability to get us out of this. that is the polarization. i think this is a man sort of built for this moment. and as you noted, the difference from what the kind of rhetoric that we heard from donald trump, not this is everything i've done, but i need you in this with me. it is just a total turnaround in terms of political rhetoric. >> such a good point. this was the line, david, that struck me the most. here it is. >> longest walk any parent can make is up a short flight of stairs to his child's bedroom to say i'm sorry, but i lost my job. can't be here any more. >> the reason it struck me is because as our david gurgen said brilliantly last hour you felt like biden has been on those stairs, his dad did, and so many parents have in the last year said we have to move we're going to lose the house. but also because it addresses the challenges they have ahead. because even when most people are vaccinated, a lot of jobs will never come back, a lot of economists say. he was acknowledging that we have a lot of work because our whole economy is just different now. >> right. which is why this covid relief package that just passed is not going to be sort of the end of what biden pursues economically in terms of policy. you've heard the administration describe this as sort of a bridge to get to the other side of this crisis. but as you know, poppy, on the other side of the crisis still a totally new american economy that is going to have to be dealt with. but the empathy in that moment, you know, there are just moments where a president matches the time, right. and just hearing that from him as he's addressing the nation for the first time in prime time as president, and that is a line that he said for his whole career. everybody who covered joe biden heard him talk about that long walk. but at this moment in time, in that setting, it just has this connection ability that i think very few of his predecessors really had. this is a unique joe biden thing. >> david chalian, a popular relief package, very popular across even among republicans, did not get a single republican vote. the president has a very ambitious agenda going forward. immigration, infrastructure, voting rights, et cetera. where does that all go here, right? are there places to work together or is the republican strategy in effect no, that is the best strategy going forward? >> so far it seems that the republican strategy is to believe that their best chance back to power is in a totally unified opposition. because as you noted, jim, if you can't get some republicans on board with a broadly popular program, even listen to the way republicans are dealing with the president's speech last night, he's joining in a parade in trying to get to the front of it that was already going. there is clearly a decision among republicans here that they're in unified opposition, there is a strike. that doesn't mean there won't be an opportunity on some of the other agenda items, for joe biden to pick off some republican votes. the white house press secretary said again this morning, the oval office is open to republicans. but as narrowly divided as the house and senate is, in these very polarized times and having seen no republicans come on board with this bill, i'm not that all hopeful for a ton of bipartisanship on capitol hill going forward. >> right. >> smart bet. it is a smart bet. >> sad reality. david, also this moment last night, addressing the hate and violence against asian-americans. listen to this. >> vicious hate crimes against asian-americans who have been attacked, har hassed, blamed and scapegoated. at this very moment, so many of them, our fellow americans, they're on the front lines of this pandemic trying to save lives. and still, still they are forced to live in fear for their lives just walking down streets in america. it's wrong, it's unamerican and it must stop. >> how important was that from him in prime time last night? >> so incredibly important. because he's not brushing over the ugliness that exists. right. he's trying to call it out. and call upon a unified america to appeal to better angels, right. and so it is not ignoring the reality that we're seeing on our streets as it comes to this particular slice of racism and racial hate, it is putting it front and center and explaining to america how wrong it is as part of his overall plea for a unified approach to combatting every aspect of what this virus has brought. >> yeah. for sure. david, we're so glad you're with us this morning. >> thanks, guys. >> thank you. well still to come this hour, vaccine hesitancy particularly among republicans may have a hand in delaying when this country reaches herd immunity. we'll take you live to one of ten states considering legislation to outright bar some institutions from requiring a vaccine. plus maryland is the latest state to ease restrictions in quarantine requirements. we'll have a live report next. and the nation's hunger crisis has been exacerbated by the pandemic. so many children, millions of them in america and their families, still without enough to eat. how should the biden administration tackle america's hunger problem? the ceo of feeding america is here. age is just a number. and mine's unlisted. try boost® high protein with 20 grams of protein for muscle health. versus 16 grams in ensure high protein. boost® high protein also has key nutrients for immune support. boost® high protein. we made usaa insurance for members like martin. an air force veteran made of doing what's right, not what's easy. so when a hailstorm hit, usaa reached out before he could even inspect the damage. that's how you do it right. usaa insurance is made just the way martin's family needs it with hassle-free claims, he got paid before his neighbor even got started. because doing right by our members, that's what's right. usaa. what you're made of, we're made for. ♪ usaa ♪ life... doesn't stop for diabetes. be ready for every moment, with glucerna. it's the number one doctor recommended brand that is scientifically designed to help manage your blood sugar. live every moment. glucerna. that's why at america's beverage companies, our bottles are made to be re-made. not all plastic is the same. we're carefully designing our bottles to be one hundred percent recyclable, including the caps. they're collected and separated from other plastics, so they can be turned back into material that we use to make new bottles. that completes the circle, and reduces plastic waste. please help us get every bottle back. up at 2:00am again? tonight, try pure zzzs all night. that completes the circle, and reduces plastic waste. unlike other sleep aids, our extended release melatonin helps you sleep longer. and longer. zzzquil pure zzzs all night. fall asleep. stay asleep. was that your great-grandmother, keeping the family together? was that your grandfather, paving the way for change. did they brave mother nature... and walk away stronger? did they face the unknown, with resolve...and triumph. ♪ there's strength in every family story. learn more about yours. at ancestry. leader today, the state of maryland will lift some covid restrictions and end the quarantine requirement for out of state travelers as well. >> however, state's mask mandate will stay in effect in concert and sporting venues they'll have to operate at 50% capacity. joe johns is following this. it is interesting balance here. texas reopen everything, kill the mask mandate. they're reopening most things but keeping the mask mandate. i wonder how businesses react to that? >> reporter: well, you know, the reaction have been interesting. i think most of the reaction has been surprise. pleasant surprise in the restaurants. but in the health care community, a lot more concern. either way, governor larry hogan's order going into effect at 5:00 eastern time today easing up some of the coronavirus restrictions that have been in place for so long, that means bars, restaurants, gyms, and other businesses can now go to full capacity. of course, that doesn't necessarily mean all things change. in fact, there are a number of caveats, probably the most important one is that masks remain in effect. there is also social distancing that is in effect, the biggest caveat is that counties and cities could opt out if they think all of this is moving too fast. there is a reason for that. the number of vaccinations in this state is going up. the number of cases is actually going down. still, with all of the caution here in the state of maryland, there are people who say that the governor is moving entirely too fast. though he's not moving as fast as some states like oklahoma for example, got rid of all of its coronavirus restrictions just about. texas got rid of most of its restrictions. but still, the attorney general in the state of texas is now suing the capital city of austin and the surrounding travis county because essentially they are not getting on board with the program. just goes to show cities, counties states, they may all have to go different ways to get to the same place. back to you. >> yeah. maybe not one size fits all. joe johnss, thank you very much. as president biden pushes for americans to get vaccinated, there are still many people refusing to get the coronavirus vaccine. >> and some states are taking up legislation allowing citizens to opt out of vaccination or prohibiting some institutions from making them mandatory. let's go to miguel marquez who went to new hampshire and spoke to a number ever people who thinks it should be a personal choice and not the law. here is his reporting. >> reporter: as coronavirus vaccinations pick up steam, some aren't convinced it is safe. enough of them could make it tougher to get back to pre-pandemic life. >> i think that people should be allowed to choose, have medical freedom. >> reporter: jenna, a pharmacist, said she takes coronavirus seriously, isn't opposed to vaccinations but thinks getting one for covid-19 is a matter of individual choice. >> it doesn't matter what trump did, it doesn't matter what biden is doing, what matters is do i get the choice to say what is good for me. >> nursing assistance and mom of three, sequoia downs, her youngest 5, said she won't get the vaccine because she does not believe the virus is a threat to her. >> i feel like i would be able to get, if i was to get sick, i would get natural immunity to it and i would be, you know, it wouldn't be as detrimental to me as someone else. >> reporter: both say they support a bill making its way through the new hampshire state house barring punishment against those who refuse any coronavirus vaccine. >> we introduced house bill 220 which is medical freedom act. >> the granite state one of ten said the national council of state legislatures currently allowing citizens to opt out of vaccinations, protect them from being punished for not getting it and preventing certain institutions for requiring them. >> for new hampshire, some sort of medical intervention, they all have to have. >> reporter: lang expected the bill to pass after amending it to allow several exceptions like school vaccinations and some law enforcement medical emergencies. >> is there any concern that we'll not get to that herd immunity? >> i don't think this bill will change that. and we don't have mandatory vaccines right now and people are still getting vaccinated. >> polls show a higher degree of skepticism among republicans in a new cnn poll, 46% of republicans nationwide said they would not try to get the vaccine. here in new hampshire, 45% of republicans said they almost certainly or probably would not get vaccinated. >> without question -- >> >> reporter: this is after former president trump's drum beat playing down the seriousness of the pandemic. >> having a vaccine is good. but we're rounding the turn regardless. we're rounding the turn. >> reporter: even neglecting to announce he and former first lady melania trump got vaccinated before leaving the white house. to combat vaccine hesitancy, all of the former presidents and first ladies except the trumps releasing a psa encouraging people to get vaccinated. >> so roll up your sleeve and do your part. >> reporter: while the medical experts warn about the consequences of not enough americans getting the vaccine. >> we anticipate and again it is purely a speculation that the herd immunity level will be about 70 to 85% if a significant number of people do not get vaccinated, that would delay where we could get to that end point. >> reporter: the end point, enough people getting vaccinated to allow life to get back to something like normal. so one little bright spot that researchers and pollsters are seeing is that as politics around the coronavirus, as those politics get less heated and more people get vaccinated as society opens up, hesitancy will go down and more people will get vaccinated and with a little hope and luck, we'll get back to something ap