there was some political drama because of president biden's vaccine mandates. . >> a small number threatened to hold up the vote. they see fighting vaccine as a winning political play, obviously. it comes as we see a dramatic measure out of germany where the unvaccinated are essentially being banned from public lives a the country deals with a surge. a considerable one. it shows patience has completely run out with those refusing a shot, very similar to what's happening in the u.s. as the winter months begin. joining us now is michael smerconish, host of cnn's "smerconish." what do you think about what germany is doing, and can you imagine that being done in the u.s.? >> i imagine it not being tried here. and it wouldn't work, brianna, if it were to be tried. we narrowly averted a government shutdown because of continued opposition among republicans, red state else, rural representatives to vaccine mandates. and the president's announcement yesterday of increased emphasis