President Biden said in a speech at the White House on Monday that his government will achieve two “giant goals” in the next 10 days: 100 million doses of coronavirus vaccine and 100 million relief checks distributed to the public.
Why does it matter: The speech kicks off the government’s “Aid is Here” campaign, which will see Biden and Vice President Harris travel around the country to sell the benefits of COVID’s $ 1.9 trillion aid package to the American public.
Worthless: The U.S. as a whole administered more than 109 million doses of vaccines, but 16 million came while former President Trump was still in office.
What they are saying: “In the next 10 days we will achieve two goals, giant goals. The first is 100 million shots in the arms of people that will be completed in the next 10 days. And 100 million checks in people’s pockets in the next 10 days. Shots inside guns and money in my pockets, “said Biden.
- “And the plan does a lot more. It extends unemployment insurance to the 11 million unemployed Americans and to everyone who will be unemployed in the short term.”
- “This will help hundreds of thousands of small businesses to keep their doors open, which makes a huge difference in neighborhoods and communities.”
- “This expands health coverage and reduces health care costs for many people. And it will cut child poverty in half in this country.”
Between the lines: Biden was asked whether he believes that former President Trump should urge his supporters to get vaccinated, given the high rates of vaccine hesitation among white Republicans.
- The president replied that he had talked to his COVID team about the issue and that the move that would have even more impact than Trump’s words would be the endorsement of local doctors and community members.
- “I ask all doctors, ministers and local priests to talk about why it is important to get this vaccine. And even after that, until everyone is actually vaccinated, wear this mask, ”concluded Biden.