♪ this is "nightline." >> tonight, president biden, the high stakes as omicron cases surge, going one on one exclusively with our david muir. >> the vice president said in recent days that you didn't see delta coming, you didn't see omicron coming. how did you get it wrong? >> how did i get it wrong? nobody saw it coming. >> drilling down on whether the u.s. is considering additional boosters. >> it remains a possibility. >> and will he run again? >> if that means a rematch against donald trump? >> you're trying to tempt me now. plus, santa's shortage. our friend whoopi goldberg brings us a holiday tale from just south of the north pole. >> what's on your christmas list? >> where a dwindling number of

st. nicks are bringing christmas cheer. >> i've been told, better buckle up your boots because we're going to be extremely busy. and kentucky strong. the communities giving back after the tornado's wrath. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ the ride of your life is closer than you think. for the first time ever, buy your new car entirely from home with nissan@home. delivered direct from dealer to driveway. ♪ ♪ ♪

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thanks for joining us. tonight, as omicron becomes the dominant strain here in the u.s., for the second holiday season in a row many families again anxious about traveling and seeing loved ones. though there are bright spots. today the fda authorizing a new antiviral pill aimed at significantly reducing hospitalizations. still, the pressure is building on the biden administration. did they see the surge coming? and is the country prepared? today our david muir sat down with the president for an exclusive interview at the white house. >> i want to get right to omicron. as you know, the dominant strain here in the u.s. dr. fauci said it could account for 90% of all new cases by next week. the cdc warning americans we could see peaks we haven't seen so far in this pandemic. i know just before we sat down here the fda has authorized the first covid pill, the first antiviral pill, from pfizer. 89% effective at preventing

hospitalizations and death. the obvious question, how much has the government purchased, how much is ready to go right away? >> purchased several million already, but right away i think -- don't hold me to the number -- i think it may be 20 million. but a lot of pills. all they can make so far. but you know, i hope we don't get there. because if people get the shots, they get their two shots and a booster, they're not going to be in a position where they're going to need such a pill. >> do you have any idea how quickly the american people will actually see these pills, how soon we're going to be able to get them to hospitals that are already seeing patients? >> the answer is, i think it will be a matter of weeks to a month to ge the pills. there won't be enough to get to all the hospitals. we've ordered a lot more of those pills. we have to order millions of those pills. >> you told the american people just yesterday that, we are prepared for what's coming. but three days before christmas, if you look out across the country, you see it everywhere. these long lines. people waiting for hours outside in the cold. just to get tested. >> yep. >> to be reassured before they spend time with their family.

if you go to the pharmacy, we hear over and over again, empty shelves, no test kits. is that a failure? >> no, i don't think it's a failure. i think it's -- you could argue that we should have known a year ago, six months ago, two months ago, a month ago. i've ordered 500 million of the pills. 500 million test kits that are going to be available to be sent to every home in america if anybody wants them. but the answer is, yeah, i wish i had thought about ordering 500 million pills two months ago, before covid hit here. >> but we're nearly two years into this pandemic, you're a year into the presidency. empty shelves, no test kits in some places three days before christmas when it's so important. is that good enough? >> no, nothing's been good enough. but look, we're in a situation now where we have 200 million people fully vaccinated. 200 million people fully vaccinated. and we have more than that who

have had the one shot, at least one shot. and are getting these booster shots as well. >> let me ask about what dr. fauci said i think a week ago today about the so-called neutralizing antibodies. he said after two shots it did wane over some period of time. then it was only after the booster that you got back into that protective zone. so are you talking about gatherings with people who had both vaccinations, both shots, and the booster? >> that's the safest thing you can do. both shots and a booster. >> let me ask you about what you said on july fourth. you told the american people, we're closer than ever to our independence from a deadly virus. do you think you overpromised? >> no. we were closer than ever. but there's a lot we don't know. >> what would you say to some americans who might say, this feels like we're chasing omicron, instead of being ahead of it, fully prepared for it? >> omicron only really came on the scene just about thanksgiving. we weren't talking about omicron six months ago.

it's just recent. and so we are chasing omicron. but the fact of the matter is, you're chasing whatever comes on the scene that wasn't there before. and this wasn't there this last summer, for example. >> the vice president said in recent days that you didn't see delta coming, you didn't see omicron coming. how did you get it wrong? >> how did i get it wrong? nobody saw it coming. nobody in the whole world. who saw it coming? >> i guess what i'm asking is, scientists have long said that when you're dealing with the coronavirus, covid-19, that there are going to be mutations, that most likely over time it is going to become very transmissible because this virus is trying to stay alive. >> yes. >> trying to survive. so did the administration not expect that there could be moments like this one where you'd have a highly transmissible variant -- >> sure. >> -- as possible around the corner? >> it's possible, and it's possible there could be other

variants that come along. that's possible. but what do you plan for? you machiplan for what you thin available, that is the most likely threat that exists at the time, and you respond to it. and i think that that's exactly what we've done. >> i know you're going to get together with the children and grandchildren for the holiday. how will that work? will you all rapid test before you're together? >> yes. i'm doing it almost every day. >> is your hope that for the millions of americans who are trying to get tests -- >> yes. >> -- before the holiday that they'll be able to do -- >> they won't be able to do it -- the number of tests available, i've ordered 500 million of them for the united states to be sent to everybody who wants a test can have one sent to home. >> that's january? >> that's in january. >> so will they have those rapid tests by, when, mid-january, by the end of january? >> the answer is the expectation is it will be by -- rapid tests will start going out in the beginning of january. because they're being produced now. >> let me ask you about what we heard from israel overnight.

they're already moving forward with a second booster now. so this would be the fourth shot for people 60 and older and for frontline medical workers. is that something you're considering? >> i listen to the scientists. and i'm sure the scientists are paying very close attention to that. there may be a need for another booster, but that remains to be seen. >> so it remains a possibility? >> it remains a possibility. >> mr. president, let me ask you about just getting on a plane in this country. we're seeing millions travel home for the holidays, filling the airports, getting on these planes. have you considered requiring passengers in this country to be vaccinated to get on flights? >> it's been considered, but the recommendation i've gotten, it's not necessary. >> even with omicron? >> even with omicron. that's the recommendation i got so far from the team. >> let me turn, mr. president, to "build back better." many say it's an agenda in peril, in large part because of senator joe manchin. you've met with senator joe manchin a number of times.

invited him to your home in delaware, he came to the white house a week ago. then he's on sunday morning cable and says, i'm a no. >> look -- >> how does that happen? how were you not able to close the deal? >> look, let's talk about what we have done. we have passed more major legislation than anybody in their first year ever, ever, ever, ever. i haven't given up on this. i haven't given up on it. >> senator manchin's main sticking point, it would appear, is the child tax credit. are you willing to take that out if it means bringing him on board? >> well, look. i want to get as much as i can possibly get done. it's extremely consequential. >> you know many of your supporters believe, in order to protect democracy in this country, you've got to protect voters' rights. >> yes. >> as we near the end of year one, nothing's been done. i's been blocked by the filibuster. are you prepared to support fundamental change in the senate rules to get this done? >> yes. >> what does that mean? >> that means, whatever it takes. change the senate rules to

accommodate major pieces of legislation without requiring 60 votes. >> you support a carve-out of the filibuster for voting rights? >> the only thing standing between getting voting rights legislation passed and not getting passed is the filibuster, i support making the exception of voting rights for the filibuster. >> i want to ask you about something i asked weeks before the election when we sat down. you said you would absolutely serve eight years if elected. do you plan to run for re-election? >> yes. but look. i'm a great respecter of fate. fate has intervened in my life many, many times. if i'm in the health i'm in now, in good health, then in fact, i would run again. >> if that means a rematch against donald trump? >> you're trying to tempt me now. sure. why would i not run against donald trump if he's nominee? that would increase the prospect of running. >> our thanks to david muir. up next, our friend whoopi

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high demand, low supply. it's a problem for many industries this time of year. now even kris kringle is feeling the burn. our friend whoopi goldberg tells us about the santa shortage. >> 'twas the month before christmas. and as santa mike dressed, he thought of the shortage and it made him so stressed.

>> i've been told, better buckle up your boots because we're going to be extremely busy. >> what's so rare, you may ask? is it presents or cheer? no, no, no, it's santa himself and his trusted reindeer. >> i feel that we're working really hard to keep the quality, as well as quantity, as high as possible for this season. >> nationwide, the labor shortage has been affecting businesses from restaurants to retail. but now you can add santas to the list. >> it's endless, it's overwhelming. and i consider it ho ho hope, that we now have people that really want to get back together and have christmas parties. >> with the holiday season upon us, demand for st. nick is high. but the supply is low.

susan mezcal has won the santa claus school of denver for the last four decades. >> warmth and holiday cheer. >> warmth and holiday cheer -- >> we've probably graduated half as many people as we normally would in an average year. so i would say we're down 120 to 140 santas just from the santas we put back into the supply chain. >> she says in part, covid-19 is to blame. >> santas, because they're of that age, we've had a lot of santas take their last sleigh ride. and we're mourning their loss. and we're seeing a lot of santa suits that are now available for sale from a lot of gentlemen who have retired and elected not to risk their health and be santa anymore because of covid. >> like comes last year, susan had to pivot to spreading holiday cheer online. >> it's an interactive zoom with

puppet shows and sing-alongs and trivia, and just a lot of fun -- >> ho ho! victorian santa here. we had a massive change. there were no in-person visits. so susan very quickly pivoted to prerecorded messages to children. then we went to virtual visits. >> ho ho ho! >> but this year they're back. and on this day, michael kothra, aka kris kringle, and susan, who also acts as mrs. claus, are headed to denver's union station for the annual grand illumination ceremony. >> merry christmas, everyone! >> this is just one of many appearances this week. with soaring demand, holiday events that were once on weekends have now trickled into the weekdays to work around

santa's busy schedule. >> children don't care if it's a saturday or a wednesday. cookies taste just as good on tuesday. we've come up with a lot of creative ways for all of our clients to be able to host a marvelous santa party. >> thursday through sunday, those are the busy times. i've got 18 events through christmas eve. >> a quick sleigh ride away in new jersey -- >> buddy, how are you? >> freelance santa kevin chesney is also feeling the holiday rush. >> preschools, bakeries, arts and crafts places, corporate parties, corporate lunches. just regular house visits. tons of photographers. a little bit of everything. >> what's on your christmas list? go ahead. you can tell me. >> i think i saw about 2,800 families just myself last year. between all my jobs together.

>> and while it's not just sugarplums and tinsel, for him, the hard work is worth it. >> as much as i enjoy doing this, i run myself ragged. and i do, i get tired. the 10, 12, 14, 15, 16-hour days. come christmas day, santa's done. he's back at the north pole. he's back in bed. and he's resting. i look at it the same way. >> we get that smile and i say, see you later, merry christmas. and off they go. mom and dad's hearts are warm, my heart's warm, and that's what keys me going. the kids warm my heart. >> in colorado, mr. and mrs. claus have just a few events left before they can rest for the season. >> my santas are going to have a great year. they've had two years of polishing up their performances. >> on the count of three, let's say princess! >> i think it's going to be a

very, very exciting year this year. >> and so please, everyone, have no fear. please do not whine. because santa will make it just after "nightline." >> three, two, one! >> our thanks to the fabulous whoopi. up next, the communities coming together kentucky strong. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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♪ it's been nearly two weeks since dozens of tornados ripped through the heartland. the scale of the devastation breathtaking. now communities are coming together to help each other. in the aftermath of those deadly tornados, buildings completely gone. towns flattened. families left with nothing right before the holidays. but in kentucky, community members stepping up and keeping hope alive. >> we've opened our school up.

>> reporter: principal jamie woolsey and his staff at jennings creek elementary, who turned their school into a shelter for families in need. >> we've got food, heat. let us help you out. we opened up a day care on that monday. families would bring their kids in, and we had mental health counselors there. we tried to give them a little bit of normally. >> reporter: in mayfield, kentucky, the fairgrounds, one of the only buildings standing in town, now a relief center. behind it all, sandy delk. >> she doesn't have a title, but she's the person everybody looked to for guidance in the middle of chaos. >> reporter: as contributions began pouring in, sandy was there day and night to make sure everyone was accounted for. >> she had actually slept in her car, to not leave it at night. and that is so typical of what sandra does. >> reporter: she's helped thousands access food and supplies. >> sandy, come on, come on. >> hey, hey. >> reporter: it wouldn't be the

holidays without spreading joy to those who deserve it most. >> oh my gosh -- >> $100,000 donated by 84 lumber to help in the rebuilding effort provided to the city of mayfield. >> i don't know what to say. they're wonderful. they're fantastic. >> that's "nightline" for tonight. watch all our full episodes on hulu. we'll see you right back here same time tomorrow. thanks for staying up with us. good night, america.