of the $1.9 trillion stimulus plan ignites a powerful recovery from the pandemic and helps lift global growth. the organization for economic cooperation and development said the economic recovery coming alongside the country's emotional recovery, images of vaccinated grandparents reunited with their families flood the news and social media. those reunions likely to surge permitting vaccinated americans to gather. hospitals declaring the worst of the third wave of covid in america is over. the numbers back that up. hospitalizations are down nearly 70% from january and the reduction in cases is ushering in the closest thing to a national effort to return kids to the classroom after a year of uneven remote learning. "the new york times" reporting on children across the country heading back to school. from nathan, i was a little scared because i didn't want to get the virus. i feel better because of the safety precautions. we have tissues and hand sanitizer everywhere. from aaron, i don't want to be remote anymore, but i'm going to have to on some days and i'm really scared of school closing. this is the new normal. it will take years to really grasp what those fears of catching covid and having schools closed down have done to our kids. the hope coursing through the markets and hospital workers is not an accident. it's not some miracle that the former president promised. it's the result of leadership. the modelling of safer behavior like mask wearing. the supply of vaccines and distribution of them. the economic stimulus for families hurting. there will be setbacks for any white house, but for now this one is off to a solid start. the biden recovery is where we start today. former rnc chairman michael steele is back. also ashley parker is here. and branding expert donny deutch is here. i'm going to start with you, donny deutch. there's something in this coverage. it's not the sensational kind of political journalism that ashley perfected and elevated to an art form during the last administration. it is this sort of meat and potatoes result of governing and of moving the public to where you want to lead them. these numbers around the covid relief package, 70% of the public approves of the president's response to covid. you can't tweet your way to these numbers. these are the result of the discipline the white house has exhibited in the first couple months. >> the contrast of the presidency of do, versus the presidency of don't. do convince people to -- make sure the vaccines are available. do convince people to wear a mask. do get the relief package passed. do move forward. do versus don't. in everything the republicans have stood for whether voter suppression, or cancel culture, antifa, which doesn't exist, they're in the negative space. what biden is doing, what the democrats are doing, is doing. it seems so simple in hindsight. it seems simple that they made the right human decision which is vaccinating people is also the right economic decision which is also the right political decision. when we reference the former guy, it's so simple in hindsight, but it's about doing versus don't doing. it's that simple. >> i understand why that was complicated michael steele for the former guy. i don't understand why the entire republican party insists on following the guy who lost big time over the cliff. george w. bush's first year was marked by bipartisan accomplishments on education, tax cuts. i don't think we were anywhere in the stratosphere of 76% public approval. the covid-19 relief package is a package of reforms and stimulus and money for vaccines and money for ventilation in schools that 76% of the people want and zero, no republicans. >> yeah, i think when you're looking back at prior administrations who had to go head long into a crisis, whether it was bush coming on the heels of 9/11 or having to deal at the end of his term with the economic slowdown. then, of course, you've got what obama had to deal with. the dynamics are different. i think donny puts his finger on the moving point on this. we've been in a space for five years where the head of government, the president, the members of his party told us that -- what we could not do in the sense that they played off the challenges and the desperation of a lot of people by essentially lying to them and people were kind of putting that up against their own personal realities as they watched family members succumb to the virus. now you have a president saying to them, look, not only do i understand the walk you've just gone through, but i'm going to help walk with you the rest of the way. in that moment, it is a demonstration of the kind of leadership that's been absent. for republicans where do they go, nicolle? you have two choices here. you basically reject the last five years, four years, and say my bad, we were wrong or you double down on it which is what they've decided to do because that reality is so stark and so demanding on them that they just don't want to face it, but they will, and they will next year as they go to the american people and say put us back in charge after, you know, the success of joe biden. that's going to be a hard argument to make. >> i think, michael steele, what the biden administration has deprived them of is an economic argument. what the market is responding to is the promise that we'll be healed from the pandemic. i know that republicans are making this bet that the stimulus will become less popular. i think the opposite is true. i think when moms and dads are in the position to safely drop their kid back at school and they go back vaccinated to a workplace or if you have to travel, you feel safe, i think when people's lives return to something that approximates a pre pandemic normal, the stimulus package, it will be clear that's why it happened. >> absolutely. the thing about stimulus is not just the economic piece. everybody thinks $1.9 trillion. true, a lot of money. i was talking to a buddy of mine living in california and yesterday was the first day his kid got back to school. he was, like, oh, my god i'm so excited. it was this whole other level of energy. one, because the stimulus for him was, yeah, we can begin to make some of these steps back to normal. the kid gets to go back to school where he wants to be with his friends. i get a day at home where i can focus on other things as opposed to trying to be a teacher for my kid. a lot of these pieces aren't just about the economics. again, back to donny's point, the doing actually has action behind it and that -- it's not just enough to do, but it's what you see on the other side of the doing that i think is going to really stimulate the stimulus in a way that, again, the economic piece is one big part of it. then how people feel about how where they are a year from now will be all the rage and will be a big driver potentially if the democrats don't screw it up going into next fall. >> ashley parker, you and i are momming through the pandemic with all of the complications that entails. there is a thing out there that i don't know that politicians in washington grasp. that is that, of course, the pandemic has disproportionately hurt in a health sense and economic sense communities of color and people that don't have the privilege -- it is an extreme privilege to get to work from home. it's also a universal challenge. there is something unspoken that may not show up in the polls. i think what this stimulus has been branded as is the gateway to normal. the biden white house has to be heartened by what they're seeing in the polls around this package. >> that's the bet they're making. when you talk about schools, that goes hand in hand with this and the economic side. i want to pick up what was said, it's one thing that former president trump didn't understand. he desperately wanted the economy back and working, but you couldn't do that without the public health piece because the two are bound. even when donald trump would declare i want all schools opened, it failed to take into account that as much as parents want their kids back in school because it's hard to work from home when you're trying to pretend to be a 4th grade teacher and it is hard for these kids who are missing the chance to be captain of the basketball team, the school play, the emotional devastation of high school students cannot be overstated. even if the schools opened up, until parents and families felt comfortable that their kids would be safe in schools and would not bring back risk to the family, they were not -- the schools could be open and ready for business and parents in hard-hit minority communities that have born the brunt of the pandemic were not going to send their children back. you need all these pieces to hit on the same level. you need the vaccines. you need people to feel comfortable. you need the businesses not just open, but people feeling like they could go and do indoor dining because they have been vaccinated and the government has a plan for this to be safe. that's the thing the biden administration understands. that's what they're trying to do in a way that president trump never could bring himself to. >> donny, the former guy is history, but his legacy is seen in these images of mask burnings in idaho. the distrust he was able to sew around the very things that would have helped him achieve his aims. he wanted the economy back, but he never could be made to understand that no one would choose, if they were lucky enough to get to have it be a choice, to put themselves or other people in their household or their kids in danger. it seems that the lesson in the losing in the most secure election of our country's history and one of the largest margins hasn't been learned by anyone who has to stand before voters again. what do you make of the fact that a lot of his accolades in congress are carrying on and repeating his mistakes? >> i said this before. they have to go through another losing cycle. they'll have to get their butts kicked one more time to realize trump is a losing proposition. not only do they stand for nothing, but with their entire demeanor they cannot win the suburban women. they cannot win the voters that are in play that you need to win. if you said to somebody right now what do the republicans stand for, you can't even attach them to an issue. it's just what we won't do. we won't pass minimum way. we'll get in the way of an infrastructure bill. they'll have to go through one more losing cycle that will go against the norm. they're not going to learn until they get spanked again. to your point, nicolle, they're acting no differently. we see the five senators leaving and the party is being handed over to the hawleys and the trumpers. they're going to suffer the same fate. >> it's not just, donny, i think roy blunt, senator toomey, senator burr have realized what a losing proposition it is to govern under the banners of republicans. they've taken this soft line against accountability for the insurrection. they're against the stimulus package with a 76% approval rating. they're making pilgrimages to this guy who wants donations to go to him. if you're dumb enough to send money, i'll give it to you. saveamericadonaldtrump.com. where does this lead? >> it's always about the money. >> let's not call it money. let's call it the legal defense fund. i can't wait until ashley breaks the story that they've renamed it to the trump legal defense fund. >> you're talking donald trump here. it's always about the money. principles, governing, those noble ideas, crap. how much are you going to pay me? just send your money direct to me, and they will. they will. that's why you see members of the party leaving in the senate. there is no governing here. there is no governing ideal. we wasted eight years fighting obama on obamacare just to come up with a great slogan -- repeal and replace, but squat for policy. that's an example of what the republican party is about right now to the question what do they stand for. we stand for you sending us a check. that's what we stand for. by the way, make it out to donald trump inc. how do you go into 2022? i disagree with my buddy donny. 2022 is just the beginning of the hit. it doesn't end in 2022. you don't correct that ship. we didn't get the house and senate back, now we'll stand straight going into 2024 with donald trump dictating who the nominee is going to be. this river is going to run dryer than the nile in the worst drought ever. the realities are stark. i think the members of the senate leaving are an example of how stark that reality is. you don't walk away when you see an opportunity to win. you lean into it that, not move away from it. >> ashley, i'm going to say at least a few of these folks resigning, maybe portman and toomey chief among them, have a more natural ability to govern with someone like president biden than they do with ted cruz or josh hawley. i wonder if you have any insights into how the white house feels about retirements of people who they may not agree with, but president biden is known to relish the opportunity to at least talk policy with members of the other party. any reaction from them on these resignations? >> just more generally i think the thing you're seeing with the covid relief bill is what the white house has described as a test case for how they get legislation done. it seems like with any other big package going forward, they're always going to proceed on that track that is consider to president biden's dna which is bipartisanship, legislating, respect for the senate and procedure. someone to take equipped to me that biden's entire life has been one giant mark-up committee. when you lose -- little congressional humor. when you lose someone like a senator portman, it makes that aspect of what biden is trying to do more difficult. the flip side is even with all these people you named, they're on track to pass this bill with no republican support. that is also their north star going forward. in this case the belief is that when people get their checks and people get their shots, they're not going to remember which republicans did or did not vote for it. again, you're going to see both. to the extent that moderate republicans are leaving, it does make it more difficult for biden to do that thing that he loves to do. >> everyone is sticking around. i appreciate the congressional humor. when we come back, as the vaccine rollout accelerates there's still some groups left behind. what the biden administration is doing to right that wrong. and, well the former guy escaped responsibility over the insurrection from his fellow republicans. one of the impeachment managers is talking to us. another challenge growing for president biden. restoring america's compassion and humanity at the u.s./mexican border. jacob soboroff is joining us. we'll be back after a quick break. don't go anywhere. k after a qui break. don't go anywhere. 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 ♪ ok everyone, our mission is to provide complete, balanced nutrition for strength and energy. whoo-hoo! great tasting ensure with 9 grams of protein, 27 vitamins and minerals, and nutrients to support immune health. in the romo household we take things to the max oh yeah! honey, you still in bed? yep! bye! that's why we love skechers max cushioning footwear. they've maxed out the cushion for extreme comfort. it's like walking on clouds! big, comfy ones! oh yeah! want to save hundreds on your wireless bill? with xfinity mobile, you can. how about saving hundreds on the new samsung galaxy s21 ultra 5g? you can do that too. all on the most reliable network? sure thing! and with fast, nationwide 5g included - at no extra cost? we've got you covered. so join the carrier rated #1 in customer satisfaction... ...and learn how much you can save at xfinitymobile.com/mysavings. we know that communities of color have born the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic in the united states from an economic standpoint and when it comes to the cases and the deaths. why is the "new york times" reporting that communities of color have received a smaller number of vaccines? the vaccination rate for black americans is half of white people and the gap for hispanic americans is enlarger. a worrying statistic that president biden's administration says has to change to address the widening inequity that has fallen out for many. last night vice president kamala harris announcing a $250 million push to promote covid vaccinations in under served communities. >> we need to acknowledge the pandemic has made worse the fissures and flaws and failures that already existed in our systems and in our structures. we've seen that race and place matter a lot in how well protected a person is from the virus or not. and race and place have played a role in access to services. our administration will offer $250 million in grants for localities to partner with community organizations on health literacy. our goal is to provide under served communities with the information they need to stay safe and to get vaccinated. >> joining our conversation dr. blackstock, she is the ceo of advancing health equity and a medical contributor to yahoo news. doctor, just pick up where the vice president leaves off here. i mean i thought we learned this lesson when the pandemic made clear that it wasn't an equal opportunity killer, when remote school made clear it revealed all the fissures the vice president talked about. now we seem to be repeating those mistakes with the vaccine. >> it feels like deja vu, like we have not learned our lesson. i think what these gaps show is that any effort to close the gap requires intentionality. i think what i heard from the covid-19 white house task force is promising, but we need them to be more aggressive. targeting the most vulnerable communities is important. there needs to be accountability as well as follow up. we need to see a change in those numbers and a closing of the gap as soon as possible. >> doctor, what does it look like? can you be granular with us? is it offering at-home vaccinations? what are the practical solutions? >> it's bringing the vaccine to the people. that definitely partnering with community-based organizations is important. those are trust ed messengers who have the relationships with community members. going door to door. it also means any registration process isn't -- it means have vaccine distribution sites based in the community and that transportation and travel is not a barrier to getting there. it means grassroots efforts. i think that what vice president harris mentioned in terms of partnering with community groups will make a tremendous difference. we just need to hold states accountable. >> ashley, just to listen to the policy specificity and think there's a receiving -- someone interested in receiving this kind of policy advice is a whole new dynamic in terms of the pandemic. i mean, to talk about states -- the treatment from the first year of the pandemic was to alternately abuse the states, force the states to go online and hunt for ventilators. it's a different policy undertaking. i wonder what your reporting shows in how they're getting the states and all the partners up to the task that now falls to them. >> well, one thing in talking about equity specifically is the biden administration came in and has basically an equity office to help with all of this. as the doctor said, intentionality is incredibly important. one way to do that is recognize in these four major crises the biden team la