no more mr. nice guy? president biden's scathing attack on his predecessor may be a hint that he is ready to rumble with republicans to get big-ticket issues on his agenda passed, especially voting rights. and who's really wearing the pants in the gop? that is the question after senator ted cruz grovels to a host on the fox propaganda network. >> the way i phrased things yesterday, it was sloppy, and it was frankly dumb. >> i don't buy that. whoa, whoa, whoa. i don't buy that. i've known you a long time since before you went to the senate. >> oh, boy. so what's really going on with cruz? a former aide who spoke with him this afternoon joins me just ahead to talk about it. also coming up this hour, a measure of justice for ahmaud

arbery. the three georgia men convicted of his murder sentenced to life behind bars. i want to get right now to cnn white house correspondent john harwood and stuart stevens, the former chief strategist for the romney presidential campaign and senior adviser to the lincoln project. good evening to both of you. john harwood, we thought we might get a ruling tonight but it's expected to come very soon. the supreme court appears poised to block president biden's vaccine and testing rules aimed at large businesses. how big of a blow would this be to the biden administration and their attempt to stop the spread of covid? >> well, it would certainly be a blow. i don't know how big of a blow. there are many difficulties that are in front of the biden administration as they try to get the country vaccinated. and the biggest one is hard vaccine resistance from a few tens of millions of americans, you know, just about 30% of the country, of adults in the country who are simply not

willing to get vaccinated. the mandate helps to force some of those people to do it but that's not really the core of the issue. the core of the issue is there are a lot of people who don't want to get it. so they're going to have to keep pushing. it's unclear how much ultimate headway they're going to be able to get because even with a mandate, you're going to get some people resisting. so it would take one tool out of their toolbox, but they've got more than one. >> you know, stuart, this is yet another example of how elections have consequences. and while the congress and the country may be divided politically, the court is now firmly leaning to the right. >> yeah. elections do have consequences. what i find just astounding about this, it all goes back to the politicization of a disease. how did we let this happen? it just shows this incredible lack of caring and putting the country first by the trump administration. that's where all this started,

when it became like a democrat and a republican issue. when you look at the states where they have republican governors and you have resistance to this, more people are dying. i mean how much does it take to be like against death and try to lead the country and your own party to be against death? it's just extraordinarily nihilistic. >> just think of, stuart, what's happening with january 6th. i mean npr is reporting the january 6th committee is considering asking the former vice president mike pence to voluntarily appear. if pence actually cooperates with this investigation, even if it's just in some limited fashion, do you think the c changes -- that that will change the game? would it give coverage to other republicans to finally step up for democracy? >> no, i don't. i think you saw it yesterday when, you know, there were two republicans on the house side, the cheneys. the party is lost. those -- i have a lot of friends

still who think you can save this republican party. it doesn't want to be saved. it's like someone drowning who if you go out to swim, they're just going to try to attack you. the republican party is what it wants to be, and we keep trying to think it's going to revert to something. no, it's not. this is what they want to be, and that is no desire to change. >> you said something to me that i think was very important. you said, this isn't about donald trump. what donald trump did -- this is more about the republican party. donald trump gave them cover to be what they wanted to be, right? to make this pivot. they wanted this. it wasn't -- explain what you meant by that and how you said it. >> i think the republican party was revealed by donald trump, not changed. just as i think fox didn't create the republican party. the republican party created fox. if there wasn't a market for fox with these republicans out

there, it wouldn't exist. it would be like a restaurant. you know, you open up an italian restaurant, it doesn't make people like italian food. they just come and eat it. the republican party has had these two strands. i go back and talk about it, the eisenhower strand and the joe mccarthy strand. i think it's pretty clear that the mccarthy strand is the one that has emerged dominant. and we have a party that is an autocratic party in america. it's really an autocratic movement in america. >> don, if i could just add to what stuart is saying? >> wait. just complete your last -- yeah, i'll let you jump in, john. complete your last few words. i couldn't hear what you said. >> i was just saying we have to stop thinking they're going to change on their own. they're not. >> got it. go ahead, john. >> i would just say the irony, don, is that at a time when the republican party has suffered a moral and intellectual collapse, their political prospects are really good right now. they have a very strong chance

of taking over the congress this fall. joe biden, for all the forceful speech that he gave yesterday, and he is going to continue to go after donald trump on issues of democracy, he went very hard at republicans on economic issues today when he was talking about job numbers, talking about republican obstruction and how their solution to inflation is to make people poorer rather than do things to reduce the cost of things that burden them like child care, for example, that he wants to deal with in build back better. but his rankings are low. he is in a fairly weak political position at the moment. so as weak as republicans are in terms of what they're saying, the honesty of what they're saying and their conduct, they've got a very good chance to win the election, and that's what makes the stakes of 2022 and 2024 so high. >> let's talk about his tone a little bit more, john, because he is set to deliver a speech on

voting rights in atlanta on tuesday on the heels of his january 6th address. what kind of a speech are you expecting? do you think he's going to strike the stronger tone that we heard this week? it seems to be what democrats want. there's at least a little glimmer in democrats' eyes saying, well, maybe joe biden finally gets it that he has to be a fighter and this whole kumbaya bipartisan thing is not going to work, as it didn't work with the former president, barack obama, when he was in a similar position. >> well, i think -- yes, i think you're going to see biden be very forward-leaning on pushing for voting rights. but remember what the key to action is here. he's got to get two democratic senators to move on issues related to the filibuster, either a carveout or some sort of change in filibuster rules to let them get to a vote on voting rights. there is no persuading republicans to go along with him. he's got 98% of the party behind him on voting rights, but he's

got a very specific problem with a couple of people. and so what they've got to figure out is what are the things that are going to move those two people. if they can do that, they're going to be able to pass the bill. so, you know, there's an outside issue of rallying democrats and getting them inspired by the fact that you're fighting for this. the practical problem in trying to get results and establish a national floor of standards for voter registration and voting procedures and election administration in the bill that's before -- or that's potentially before the senate, the issue is joe manchin and kyrsten sinema. what's going to get them? we don't know the answer to that. nothing has yet. but there's a very strong push being made within the party, from outside the party, president obama, oprah winfrey contacted joe manchin to try to make the case as well. so a lot of people are putting pressure on. the question is whether he's going to respond to it. >> biden's long been under

pressure for voting rights. i pressed him on it back in our town hall. watch this. >> this is important for people who look like me. my grandmother would sit around when i was a kid, had a fifth grade education. i learned she couldn't read when i was doing my homework. she would tell me stories about people asking her to count the number of jelly beans in the jar or the soap in -- so why is protecting the filibuster, is that more important than pr protecting voting rights, especially for people who fought and died for that? [ applause ] >> no, it's not. i want to see the united states congress, the united states senate pass s-1 and s-4, the john lewis act, get it on my desk so i can sign it. but here's the deal. what i also want to do, i want to make sure we bring along not just all the democrats, we bring along republicans who i know

know better. >> stuart, do you think that he's still going to try to work with republicans on voting rights since his attempts to reach out have been rebuked? >> well, first, that was a hell of a question you asked. you ought to think about doing this for a living. that really summed it up. look, i hope they have -- they've given up on that. i mean it's a fantasy. it's not going to happen. i mean it's just not. >> yep. >> so history is going to hate this moment. if we lose this democracy because we defended the filibuster rath than defending voting rights, that's going to be a dark moment. and it could be a very decisive moment, and i believe that the biden -- president biden and the biden administration ultimately realize that. >> thank you, gentlemen. i appreciate it. >> they do. and just remember it's not joe biden who is defending the filibuster. it's joe manchin and kyrsten sinema right now. >> thank you both. i appreciate it. ted cruz went on the fox propaganda network to beg

forgiveness after getting caught doing something that seems to be a cardinal sin in today's gop -- telling the truth. >> whoa, whoa, whoa. can i ask -- hold on. i guess i just don't believe you, and i mean that with respect because i have such respect for your acuity and your precision. nothing kills more viruses, including the covid-19 virus, on more surfaces than lysol disinfectant spray. lysol. what it takes to protect.

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senator ted cruz told the truth about the january 6th capitol insurrection. seriously he did. he called it a terrorist attack. that's the truth. it was. but fox propaganda host tucker carlson really didn't like that, so watch what happened when senator cruz went on tucker's show to clear things up. it is a master class in flip-flopping and groveling. >> the way i phrased things yesterday, it was sloppy, and it was frankly dumb and -- >> i don't buy that.

whoa, whoa, whoa. i don't buy that -- look, i've known you a long time, since before you went to the senate. >> i wasn't saying that the thousands of peaceful protesters supporting donald trump are somehow terrorists. i wasn't saying the millions of patriots across the country supporting president trump are terrorists, and that's what a lot of people have misunderstood that -- >> but wait a second. hold on. what you just said doesn't make sense. >> i was talking about people who commit violence against cops, and you and i both agree if you commit violence against cops, you should go to jail. >> yeah, but you're not a terrorist, you know? you're not. you're a guy who assaulted a cop. there's a legal difference as you well know. >> i've used that word for people that violently assault cops. i use that word all in 2020 for the antifa and blm terrorists that assaulted cops and fire bombed police cars. but i agree it was a mistake to use the word yesterday. >> homina, homina.

joining me now, cnn political commentators alice stewart and bakari sellers. bakari is the author of a new chu children's book, "who are your peo people?" hello to both of you. alice, let's talk about ted cruz. i understand that you have some news for us. you spoke to senator cruz about that disaster of an interview. what did you learn about this debacle? >> well, first off, don, i expressed to him that he should have just left well enough said. what he said initially in his comments before the hearing, thanking the capitol police for their work, was the right thing to say, that attacking a police officer is wrong and it is an act of domestic terrorism, and violence is wrong.

peaceful protest is right. that comment and those comments should have stayed. and going on with tucker carlson, i think took a lot of what he did say out of context. what he said and the way he explained to me was what he had explain the to tucker carlson was reiterating what he said, is that violence against police officers are wrong. and when he went on to say that he stumbled and didn't say things the right way, and very un-ted cruz like, by not being able to exactly say that all of the people at the capitol were not terrorists, just the people that were attacking police officers. and his mistake and what he was trying to clarify on tucker's show was he was not referring to everyone at the capitol, just the people that were going after police officers. >> okay. >> and that was a big distinction, and it was something that should have just been said and left said at the

hearing. but going on to tucker, exacerbating the situation, i think made some very correct and positive statements, i guess you could say about -- >> okay. i feel you. >> and took it too far. >> i know you're dying to jump in here, bakari. but cruz actually asked, alice, to go on tucker's show to clear things up. but look at the words that tucker put up directly under the senator's face. cruzzin' for a bruisin'? he had to have known that this was going to happen. you wouldn't have advised him to go on, would you? >> i would not have. he anticipated this kind of feedback from tucker, and i reached out to tucker today as well to see if he had any additional thoughts. and he said there's no additional context other than what we saw on the air. so clearly tucker made his point to clarify his concern about what ted cruz said, and i think ted certainly didn't make the

situation any better for himself. >> okay, bakari. do you want to respond to any of -- >> no. i mean i reached out to both tucker and ted cruz, and i think i have the wrong number. it just kept ringing busy, so i don't know. i got to check that out. i think they gave me the wrong number at the bar when i saw him. but the fact is you got to look at the full context of who ted cruz is now. the ted cruz who we see now is not the principledprincipled, ce ted cruz that we knew when he was the solicitor general. knew that although you may have disagreed with his conservative outlook, he at least was principled. that's a totally different person than it is today. ted cruz got bullied on national tv, and i actually felt bad for him because tucker carlson literally just bullied him. it was -- it was downright -- i mean, you know, it was like an anti-bullying campaign. that could have been the commercial. but you have to actually look at

the full context of who ted cruz has become. we cannot forget, we have to remember how donald trump talked about this man's wife like a dog. >> and his dad. >> and what did he do? well, and his dad with these mythical fantasies. what did he do? he ran back to donald trump. he said, please, please, take me in. donald trump laughed and took him in. we remember this whole -- watching him backtrack, the only thing i think is appropriate for us to say is we see ted cruz. he does not necessarily have the testicular fortitude it takes to stand up for people who are bullying him, which is not going to put him in a good position going forward. >> wow. >> what? >> there's always something about ted cruz. i remember cancun and i remember -- >> ted cruz -- for those people

watching who want to go into politics, and i think me and alice may disagree on where we land on ted cruz. but what we can agree on is the fact that you have to be principled in politics because if you don't have principles, then you can get beat and bullied into positions and look somewhat like a fence sitter and you don't stand for anything. no one knows what ted cruz stands for when it comes to january 6th now because he's not consistently on message and he goes where the wind goes. >> he has been consistent with regard to attacks on police officers being terrorists and certainly acts of domestic terrorism. look, i think it's really important while there's been a lot of headlines and conversation about this interview between tucker and ted last night, their feelings are not reflective of rational republicans across the country. rational republicans do look at what happened on january 6th as an insurrection at the capitol. they oppose the challenging of the certification of the

elections. they do believe joe biden is the duly elected president. they supported a peaceful transfer of power. they do want answers with regard to january 6th. that's how many are feeling. >> i don't know if that is true. the reason i say that is because most republicans who are in office and who represent those people voted against the certification of the election, have not said what you are saying on television. so they must somehow believe that that's what their constituents want them to -- wanted them to do and want them to say because they're not voting the people out who didn't vote to certify the election. they're not voting people out who don't speak up against what happened on january 6th. so, look, i think -- i think rational republicans would like to believe that, but i don't know if that's necessarily true that most republicans across the country feel that way. i would like to think that they do, but i don't. i don't. i've got to go because i've got to get to bakari's book.

otherwise we're going to run out of time. we'll continue this conversation. thank you, alice. i appreciate that. so, bakari, i want to take a moment to talk about this, right? "who are your people?" >> yes. it is beautifully illustrated, and i have to say it looks like it was inspired a lot by you and your family. so tell me about this book. by the way, i'm not kidding you. my entire family will tell you whenever we brought someone new over or my sisters brought over a guy they were dating, my dad would be like "who are your people?" they would say i'm from the joneses. from gramercy or -- is that what this was inspired by? >> that's what that's inspired by. who are your people, and where are you from? growing up in the deep south, that's how you got to know people. that's how you got to know where people were from, whether or not they were of good stock. for me having these twins -- by the way, today is their third

birthday. it gives them images that they can see themselves in. i hope that when young children of color read it, they're able to feel some sense of pride. when white children and other children read it, they're able to get some sense of emt pathy. hopefully it teaches us some lessons and brings us together. i'm excited to be in the children's book realm. >> the illustrations are beautiful. they're by reggie brown except that it makes you look handsome. i don't know how that happened, but your kids look gorgeous as they are. but i want to say happy birthday to your kids. let's put them up on the screen. >> oh, look at that. >> what do you tell them? >> well, i tell them -- >> when they ask you, who are your people, what do you tell them? >> i tell them your people were strong. i tell them your people are heroes. i tell them you stand on the shoulders of individual who dreamed big dreams.

and i tell sadie she could be president. i tell stokely he could be an astronaut. it's up to me and you, don, to ensure that sadie and stokely and all these young people inherit a better country than the one we have today. >> sadie and stokely, daddy loves you. to brittany, she made this world a better place and will always be missed. r.b. that's who it's dedicated to. so beautiful. >> thank you, brother. >> the book again is "who are your people?" and it's by mr. bakari sellers, looking like teddy pendergrass today with that beard. >> sexy teddy. i'm going for sexy teddy ♪ you got what i need ♪ >> that's right. >> see you, bakari. thank you. live in prison. three men convicted of killing ahmaud arbery sentenced today. plus kids caught in the

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tonight ahmaud arbery's mother saying her prayers were answered after the three men convicted of murdering her son were each sentenced to life in prison, two of them without the possibility of parole. before the sentences were handed down, wanda cooper jones addressed the court, asking

judge timothy walmsley to impose the maximum. let's discuss. michael moore is here, a former u.s. attorney for the middle district of georgia, and senior legal analyst laura coates is here, the author of "just pursuit." good evening to both of you. laura, i spoke earlier to wanda cooper jones. it was in the last hour. it aired on this program. she said today was a huge win for the family. the judge really set the tone during the entire trial of these three men, and today was really no different. he was unsparing when he was talking about the mcmichaels. don't you think? >> absolutely, and i want to just point out first of all, the interview with her was absolutely riveting as was, of course, and heartbreaking, her victim impact statement earlier today where she pointed out even aspects of the trial, the idea of the horrible statements that were made by at least one defense counsel about the appearance, also the comment of, look, they were fully committed

to their crimes. they should be fully committed to the consequence as well. the judge really put that out there thematically, to talk about the lack of remorse, to talk about wishing or thinking the worst in your neighbors and having pregnant pauses throughout to really emphasize and underscore the point that the life sentence without parole for at least two was more than appropriate and with parole as an option for the third based on cooperation. but still really having very poignant moments where the judge laid down the law and threw the book at them, justifiably so. >> michael, the mcmichaels both got life without parole. william brian jr. got life and won't be eligible for parole until he has served 30 years in prison. the judge made a point of showing that the mcmichaels showed no remorse. why didn't any of them say they made a terrible mistake or apologize to the family for killing ahmaud arbery? >> i'm glad to be with you both, and i do think it was a day where justice was served.

i think technically it was a mistake by the defense lawyers not to let the clients say something. they did it -- they claim they chose not to do that because they had the pending federal trial. but i really think there would have been a time when you could have said, look, i am sorry. i never wanted somebody to die or something to make you look human. and they certainly weren't afraid to get on the stand and tell their story during the trial. i think there was a way to do that and still protect what is upcoming in the federal trial. so i think it would have gone a long way, and i think, you know, whether the judge had his mind made up, we always wait and see after hearing if a judge will be moved one way or another. i really think when he came out and one of the first things he said before he imposed the sentence was talking about remorse and had there been remorse. i do think that would have gone a long way. it certainly would have been important, maybe important later when we start talking about parole and those kinds of things years and years down the road, decades down the road. but i really think it would have

been to their benefit to say something. >> on the idea of remorse, the judge made an important statement about how remorse is more than just what you say. it had to be demonstrated. i think even if they had spoken at the sentencing regarding their remorse for what took place, which perhaps they could have done so, the judge really pointed to moments after the killing of ahmaud arbery. the use of an expletive by the father. the turning of the back. the thinking about oneself and his own son for the younger of the mcmichaels. then of course remember, these men walked freely for weeks after this murder, and they were even told by the prosecutor at the time that they were protected by the citizen's arrest law, and they did not demonstrate remorse over that period of time. in actually their own words expressed at the scene of the crime what they thought. i do think there's an important moment for remorse to be expressed at sentencing. but i think in this case, the judge given the holistic

content, saw that as too little, too late given what happened in the direct aftermath. >> you were surprised, michael, that the family declined the plea deal that would have put them in federal prison for 30 additional years. why? >> you know, in federal prison, there is no parole. so ostensibly you would have been talking about a life sentence for any one of these individuals. so let's take the men in their 60s. you know, at 90 years old, the chances they're alive at that time is slim to none in custody. so it really would have amounted to a life sentence. it also would have removed the possibility of any appeal. and you would know that there was closure and that these men were going to spend the rest of their natural lives behind bars. so you wouldn't have the uncertainty of an appeal. you wouldn't have the uncertainty of a trial. you wouldn't have to have those things you would have to prove in a hate crimes trial that can sometimes be difficult, abbut i would have given the chance to have a bird in the hand as

opposed to going through a trial and a sentence, which is significant. it's a huge deal when you really talk about putting somebody in jail for the rest of their natural lives. >> that's got to be the last word. tough both. i appreciate it. more than 340,000 kids out of the classroom as chicago's public school system fights with the teachers union. that's next. plus the figure skating champions now out of the competition after testing positive for covid. they're going to join me from quarantine.

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chicago officials and city teachers union, they say they plan to negotiate throughout the weekend to finalize a plan to get public schoolchildren back into the classroom, they hope by monday. the deadlock over covid-19 protocols has kept more than 340,000 children out of school for the past three days. more tonight from cnn's omar jimenez. >> reporter: back to school hangs in the balance for the country's third largest school district as negotiations between chicago public schools and the teachers union remain deadlocked over returning to in-person learning. >> i'm not happy that we're not at work. we want to be at work, and we want people to understand that this -- this idea was to go remote, not to stop working. >> reporter: melanie lopez is a high school teacher in the school district and a union member. it's a teachers union that has argued the city of chicago

hasn't provided adequate resources to be in person safely. did you feel like you had what you needed in the classroom for it to run safely? >> i did because i bought it. >> with your own money? >> with my own money, right. what we were give was not great, so a lot of us had to go buy better quality ppe equipment than what we were provided. we're running through masks pretty quickly. until you actually see it being implemented, and you see where the holes in the situation are happening. >> the city, however, has argued through masking, vaccinations, testing, and more, that school is still safer than being at home, even with record numbers of cases among students, staff, and across chicago in recent weeks. >> the difference between now and a year ago was obviously we have vaccines for a huge swat of our school base population. i think the issues that are on the table, as i understand them,

we can narrow the divide and get a deal done. schools are safe. there's been no question about that. >> reporter: the union disagrees, and one of the major sticking points in their ongoing negotiations with the city is testing. governor j.b. pritzker's office confirmed friday it had been in touch with the white house in recent days asking for more tests. the white house confirmed those conversations with pritzker and mayor lori lightfoot to assess their needs. all the while, students have been out of class and parents have been frustrated. lopez is also a parent to two 7-year-old twins and trying to find a balance, especially as she remembers what remote learning was like last year. you walked that line. >> right. trying to juggle watching them and making sure they're engaged in their activities and trying to make sure i'm also teaching my classes is almost like playing a game of russian roulette it feels like. as a parent, i think what could be done better for next time is let's get those parent voices in there. let's get solutions provided

that if this is something that may happen in the future, we already have some alternatives in place so that parents feel like they're supported. >> reporter: a spokesperson for chicago public schools says they plan to continue negotiations through the weekend, and in a joint statement with the head of public schools, mayor lori lightfoot says their bargaining negotiations went into the evening today, but that their so far productive sessions must conclude this weekend while parents, teachers, and more than 340,000 students will be waiting to see if that actually happens. >> omar, thank you very much. i appreciate that. they should be in the middle of a national figure skating championship. but instead, they're joining me from quarantine. skaters alexa knierim and brandon frazier are here after this.

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. coronavirus causing shock waves at the u.s. national figure skating championship in nashville. on wednesday, the reigning pairs champions, alexa ca near imand brandon frazier, withdrawing after frazier began showing symptoms and tested positive for covid, and they are not alone. tonight u.s. silver medalist amber glenn and two-time u.s. champion alysa liu had to withdraw after positive tests. it comes just as the committee will meet to choose who gets spots on the u.s. olympic

skating team. alexa knierim and brandon frazier join me now. brandon joins us from the team hotel where he is in isolation still. thank you for joining. i'm so sorry this happened to you. brandon, we know that earlier this week you were experiencing some pretty bad covid symptoms. how are you feeling tonight in. >> i'm definitely on the pathway to recovery. my symptoms -- i also struggle with asthma, so that was kicking in as well. so that was making it more chal challenging when i was battling the symptoms. now i am starting to, with all the meds i've been taking and everything and rest, i can feel myself coming out of the worst of it. but still being isolated and taking every precaution to take the very best care of myself. >> and, alexa, have you had any symptoms? how are you doing? >> i'm doing fine.

i'm just having a little bit of heartache for brandon knowing that he's isolated and on his own. and health wise, i'm fine luckily. >> alexa, you both should be competing this week, and you've been training for years, even practicing this week before testing, before he tested positive. it has to be devastating for you. >> yeah. a lot of tears were shed behind the scenes, but, you know, these moments make you stronger, and it's never the end when you don't throw in the towel, if you don't give up. so i'm holding on to a lot of hope for the future, and my focus is hoping that brandon will become healthy and back on his feet really soon. >> brandon, decisions about who will be on the u.s. skating team in the olympics are being made this weekend. it's rare for skaters who don't compete in nationals to get a spot on the team. but you're petitioning the committee to take your whole

body of work into account. are you worried this will cause you the chance -- you and your partner the chance to represent the u.s. in beijing? >> i mean nothing is guaranteed, of course. you know, it's just -- we're trying to make the best of this awful situation. but, you know, alexa and i have done everything we possibly could to show up at every event and be as ready and trained and be as competitive on the international circuit for the u.s. the committee will select who they believe is going to do the best for them at the olympic games, and at this point my job is just to focus on getting healthy and back to training as soon as possible, and whatever the committee decides, of course alexa and i will respect. but not having the ability to go out and defend our u.s. title and even compete at one of the biggest competitions of the year is absolutely devastating. so having to digest all that,

it's definitely been an emotional week. >> you know, brandon, cnn's christine brennan reported earlier this week that the hotel where skaters including you are staying was full of unmasked people, not taking the same precautions as athletes and press. are you concerned not enough steps were taken to protect athletes this week? >> not at all. to be honest, u.s. figure skating has been holding for almost two years now safe events during covid. i felt as safe as i have in the previous events. you know, especially last year after october when the surges were at an all-time high at that time. so, you know, i felt like everyone was doing exactly what they needed to do to be safe. it's just a spike right now, covid times. people are getting sick, and i just really wish everyone can do everything they can to help each other out. you know -- >> alexa, do you have a positive

attitude? do you think that this strategy is going to work? >> yes. i -- i have always felt safe and protected by our federation, and coming to this event, i felt the same way. this demon of a virus is so contagious, that i mean it's nearly impossible to stay away from even if we were to be in a different type of condition as far as a bubble or something different. i still think it's too crazy. >> yeah. i was referring to the body of -- you know, taking your whole body of work, so i hope that works for you as well. but you're definitely right about the virus. it's unrelenting. thank you both. best of luck. feel better and be safe. thank you. >> thank you. >> thank you so much. >> and thank you for watching, everyone. our coverage continues.

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hello, and warm welcome to our viewers in the united states and around the world. i'm ivan watson. ahead on "cnn newsroom," with hospitalizations of kids on the rise in the u.s., the covid fight moves to the classroom. that has teachers and parents on opposite sides of the in-person learning debate. live images out of melbourne, and the vaccination saga surrounding the top tennis player. we're live in sydney with details