are at the front of the vaccine line and getting money for schools so they can rapid test students. let's send our coverage over to lester holt and savannah guthrie. we will see you again at 6:00. again, we're waiting for the president to take the podium here to address the nation in a live national address. we'll send it over to washington, d.c. to lester holt and savannah guthrie. this is an nbc news special report. a presidential address. here are lester holt and savannah guthrie. good evening, everyone. >> tonight, joe biden will talk

about what we've been through and what lies ahead, as vaccines point the way to what we all hope will be better days to come. >> kristin, what do you expect to hear from the president tonight? >> well, savannah, lester, good evening. president biden is expected to announce that he's directing states to expand eligibility to all vaccines to all adults by may 1st. the question is, is he going to be able to follow through with that timeline. the president will also say the country is going to aim for small group gatherings by july 4th. now it comes after the white house vowed to start sending out those $1400 direct payments. that's of course part of that sweeping relief bill. they're vowing to send them out by this weekend. republicans saying they would have backed a smaller bill that was more targeted.

gop arguing the bill balloons the deficit and spends too much on non-covid items like the arts and climate change, it could spell trouble for the rest of his agenda. and here is the president now, approaching the podium. >> good evening, my fellow americans. tonight i'd like to talk to you about where we are as we mark one year since everything stopped because of this pandemic. a year ago we were hit with a virus that was met with silence and spread unchecked, denials for days, weeks, then months that led to more deaths, more infections, more stress and more loneliness. photos and videos from 2019 feel like they were taken in another era. the last vacation. the last birthday with friends.

the last holiday with extended family. while it was different for everyone, we all lost something. a collective suffering. a collective sacrifice. a year filled with the loss of life and the loss of living for all of us. but, in the loss, we saw how much there was to gain. and appreciation, respect and gratitude, finding light in the darkness is a very american thing to do. in fact, it may be the most american thing we do. that's what we've done. we've seen frontline and essential workers risking their lives, sometimes losing them, to save and help others. researchers and scientists racing for a vaccine, and so many of you, as hemingway wrote,

being strong in all the broken places. i know it's been hard. i truly know. i told you before, i carry a card in my pocket with the number of americans who've died from covid to date. it's on the back of my schedule. as of now, total deaths in america, 527,726. that's more deaths than in world war i, world war ii, the vietnam war and 9/11 combined. there were husbands, wives, somes sons and daughters, grand parents, neighbors, young and old that leave behind loved ones, unable to grieve and even have a funeral. but i'm also thinking about

everyone else who lost this past year, to natural causes, like accident or disease. they, too, died alone. they, too, leave behind loved ones who are hurting badly. you know, you've often heard me say before, i talk about the longest walk any parent can make is up a short flight of stairs to his child's bedroom, to say "i'm sorry, i lost my job, can't be here anymore." like my dad told me when he lost his job in scranton, so many of you have had to make that same walk this past year. you lost your job. you closed your business, facing eviction, homelessness, hunger, a loss of control, maybe worst of all, a loss of hope. watching a generation of children who may be setback up

to a year or more because they've not been in school because of the loss of learning. it's the details of life that matter the most. and we miss those details. the big details and the small moments. weddings, birthdays, graduations, all the things that needed to happen but didn't. the first date, the family reunions. the sunday night rituals. it's all has exacted a terrible cost on the psyche of so many of us. but we are fundamentally a people who want to be with others, to talk, to laugh, to hug, to hold one another. but this virus has kept us apart. grandparents haven't seen their children or grandchildren. parents haven't seen their kids. kids haven't seen their friends.

the things we used to do, that always filled us with joy, have become things we couldn't do and broke our hearts. too often we turned against one another. a mask. easiest thing to do to save lives. sometimes it divides us. states pitted against one another instead of working with each other. vicious hate crimes against asian-americans who've been attacked, harassed, blamed and scapegoated. at this very moment, so many of them, our fellow americans, they're on the frontlines of this pandemic trying to save lives, and still, still, they're forced to live in fear for their lives, just walking down streets in america. it's wrong. it's un-american, and it must

stop. look. we know what we need to do to beat this virus. tell the truth. follow the scientists. the science. work together, put trust and faith in our government to fulfill its most important function, which is protecting the american people, no function more important. we need to remember, the government isn't some foreign force in a distant capital. no, it's us, all of us. we the people. for you and i, that america thrives when we give our hearts, when we turn our hands to common purpose. and right now, my friends, we're doing just that. i have to say, as your president, i'm grateful to you. last summer i was in philadelphia, and i met a small business owner, a woman. i asked her, i said what do you

need most? never forget what she said to me. she said, looking me in the eye, she said i just want the truth. the truth. just tell me the truth. think of that. my fellow americans, you're owed nothing less than the truth. and for all of you asking when things will get back to normal, here is the truth. the only way to get our lives back, to get our economy back on track, is to beat the virus. you've been hearing me say that for, while i was running in the last 50 days i've been president. but this is one of the most complex operations we've ever undertaken as a nation in a long time. that's why i'm using every power i have as president of the united states to put us on a war footing to get the job done.

sounds like hyperbole, but i mean it. a war footing. and thank god, we're making some real progress now. in my first full day in office, i outlined for you a comprehensive strategy to beat this pandemic. we've spent every day since, attempting to carry it out. two months ago, the country, this country, didn't have nearly enough vaccine supply to vaccinate all or near all of the american public. but soon we will. weave he a been working with vaccine manufacturers, pfizer and moderna and johnson & johnson to manufacture and purchase hundreds of millions of these vaccines, and now with the assistance of my administration, johnson & johnson is working together with a competitor, merck, to speed up and increase the capacity to manufacture new

johnson & johnson vaccine, which is one shot. in fact, just yesterday, i announced, and i met with the ceos of both companies. i announced our plan to buy an additional 100 million doses of johnson & johnson vaccines. these two companies, competitors, have come together for the good of the nation, and they should be applauded for it. it's truly a national effort, just like we saw during world war two. now, because of all the work we've done, we'll have enough vaccine supply for all adults in america by the end of may. that's months ahead of schedule. and we're mobilizing thousands of vaccinators to put the vaccine in one's arm, calling active duty military, fema, retired doctors and nurses,

administrators. and those to administer the shots. and we've been creating more places to get the shots. we've made it possible for you to get a vaccine at nearly one, any one of 10,000 pharmacies across the country, just like you get your flu shot. we're also working with governors and mayors in red states and blue states to set up and support nearly 600 federally-supportive vaccine centers that administers hundreds of thousands of shots per day. you can drive up to a stadium or a large parking lot, get your shot and never leave your car and drive home in less than an hour. we've been sending vaccines to hundreds of community health centers all across america, located in underserved areas, and we've been deploying and we will deploy more mobile vehicles and pop-up clinics to meet you

where you live so those least able to get the vaccine are able to get it. we continue to work on make being at-home testing available and focussed on serving people in the hardest-hit communities of this pandemic, black, native-american and latino communities. when i took office 50 days ago, only 8% of americans after months, only 8% of those over the age of 65 had gotten their first vaccination. today that number is 65%. just 14% of americans over the age of 75 50 days ago had gotten their first shot. today that number is well over 70%. with new guidance from the centers of disease control and prevention, the cdc, that came out on monday, it means simply

this. millions and millions of grandparents who went months without being able to hug their grandkids can now do so. and the more people are fully vaccinated the cd will continue to provide additional guidance on what you can do in the workplace, places of worship with your friends as well as travel. when i came into office, you may recall, i set a goal that many of you said was kind of way over the top. i said i intended to get 100 million shots in people's arms in my first 100 days in office. tonight i can say we're not only going to meet that goal, we're going to beat that goal, because we've actually on track to reach this goal of 100 million shots in arms on my 60th day in office. no other country in the world has done this. none. i want to talk about the next steps we're thinking about. first, tonight, i'm announcing

that i will direct all states, trieshs and territories to make all adults, people 18 and over, eligible to be vaccinated no later than may 1. let me say that again. all adult americans will be eligible to get a vaccine no later than may 1. that's much earlier than expected. let me be clear. that doesn't mean everyone's going to have that shot immediately. but it means you'll be able to get in line beginning may 1. every adult will be eligible to get their shot. to do this, we're going to go from a million shots a day that i promised in december, before i was sworn in, to maintaining, beating our current pace of 2 million shots a day, outpacing the rest of the world. secondly, at the time when every adult is eligible in may, we will launch, with our partners, new tools to make it easier for

you to find the vaccine and where to get the shot, including a new website that will help you first find the place to get vaccinated and the one nearest you. no more searching day and night for an appointment for you and your loved ones. thirdly, with the passage of the american rescue plan, and i thank again the house and senate for passing it, and my announcement last month of a plan to vaccinate teachers and school staff, including bus drivers, we can accelerate massive nationwide effort to reopen our schools safely. and meet my goal that i stated at the same time of about 100 million shots, of opening majority of k-8 schools in my first 100 days in office. this is going to be the number one priority of my new secretary of education.

miguel cardona. fourth, in the coming weeks, we will issue further guidance on what you can and cannot do once fully vaccinated. to lessen the confusion, to keep people safe and encourage more people to get vaccinated. and finally, fifth, and maybe most importantly, i promise i will do everything in my power. i will not relent until we beat this virus. but i need you. the american people. i need you. i need every american to do their part. that's not hyperbole. i need you. i need you to get vaccinated when it's your turn and when you can find an opportunity, and to help your family, your friends, your neighbors, get vablgted as well. because here's the point. if we do all this, if we do our part, if we do this together, by

july 4th, there's a good chance you, your families and friends will be able to get together in your back yard or in your neighborhood and have a cookout and a barbecue and celebrate independence day. that doesn't mean large events. with lots of people together, but it does mean small groups will be able to get together. after this long, hard year that will make this independence day something truly special. where we not only mark our independence as a nation, but we begin to mark our independence from this virus. we can get there. we can't let our guard down. this fight is far from order, from over, as i told the woman in pennsylvania. i'll tell you the truth. on july 4th, with your loved ones is the goal. but with goals, a lot can happen. conditions can change.

the scientists have made clear that things may get worse again, as new variants of the virus spread. we've got work to do to ensure that everyone has confidence in the safety and effectiveness of all three vaccines. so my message to you is this. listen to dr. fauci, one of the most distinguished and trusted voices in the world. he's assured us the vaccines are safe. underwent rigorous scientific review. i know they're safe. vice president harris and i know they're safe. that's why we got the vaccine publicly in front of cameras for the world to see, so you could see us do it. the first lady and the second gentleman also got vaccinated. talk to your family, friends, your neighbors, the people you know best who've gotten the vaccine. we need everyone to get

vaccinated. we need everyone to keep washing their hands, stay socially distanced, and keep wearing the mask as recommended by the cdc. because even if we devote every resource we have, beating this virus and getting back to normal depends on national unity. and national unity isn't just how politics and politicians vote in washington. what the loudest voices say on cable or online. unity is what we do together as fellow americans, because we don't stay vigilant and the conditions change, then we may have to reinstate restrictions to get back on track. and please, we don't want to do that again. we've made so much progress. this is not the time to let up. just as we were emerging from a dark winter, into a hopeful

spring and summer is not the time to not stick with the rules. i'll close with this. we've lost so much over the last year. we've lost family and friends. we've lost businesses and dreams we spent years building. we've lost time, time with each other. and our children have lost so much time with their friends, time with their schools, no graduation ceremonies this spring. no graduations from college, high school, moving up, you know, there's something else we lost, we lost faith in whether our government and our democracy can deliver on really hard things for the american people. but, as i stand here tonight, we're proving once again something that i've said time and time again till you're probably tired of hearing me say it. i stay to foreign leaders and

domestic alike. it's never, ever a good bet to bet against the american people. america's coming back. the development, manufacture and distribution of vaccines in record time is a true miracle of science. it's one of the most extraordinary achievements any country has ever accomplished. we also just saw the "perseverance" rover land on mars. stunning images of our dreams that are now reality. another example of the extraordinary american ingenuity, belief in science and in one another. and today, i signed into law the american rescue plan, a historic piece of legislation, that deliver immediate relief to millions of people, includes $1,400 in direct rescue checks, payments. that means a typical family of four earning about $110,000 will

get checks for $5,600, deposited if they have direct deposit or in a check, a treasury check. it extends unemployment benefits, helps businesses, lowers health care premiums for many, provides food and nutrition, keeps families in their homes and will cut child poverty in this country in half according to the experts, and it funds all the steps i just described to beat the virus and create millions of jobs. in the coming weeks and months i'll be traveling along with the first lady, vice president, second gentleman, members of my cabinet to speak directly to you, to tell you the truth about how the american rescue plan meets the moment. and if it fails at any place, i will acknowledge that it failed, but it will not, about how after

long, dark years, one whole year, there is hope and light and better days ahead. if we all do our part, this country will be vaccinated soon. our economy will be on the mend. our kids will be back in school. we'll have proven once again that this country can do anything, hard things, big things, important things. over a year ago, no one could have imagined what we were about to go through. but now we're coming through it. and it's a shared experience that binds us together as a nation. we're bound together by the loss and pain of the days that have gone by. we're also bound together by the hope and possibilities of the days in front of us.

my fervent prayer for our country is that after all we've been through, we'll come together as one people, one nation, one america. i believe we can and we will. we're seizing this moment. and history, i believe, will record we faced and overcame one of the toughest and darkest periods in this nation's history, darkest we've ever known. i promise you, we'll come out stronger, with a renewed faith in ourselves, a renewed commitment to each other, to our communities and to our country. this is the united states of america. and there's nothing, nothing, from the bottom of my heart i believe this, there's nothing we can't do when we do it together. so god bless you all, and

please, god, give solace to all those people who lost someone. and may god protect our troops. thank you for taking the time to listen. i look forward to seeing you. >> president biden at the white house in his first prime time address to the nation on the occasion of one year since the covid virus was declared a worldwide pandemic, and the big headline out of this speech, he says by may 1st, the white house will direct all states to expand eligibility for the vaccine to every american, regardless of age or previous health condition but also noted that it wouldn't be until may 30th that the white house expects there to be enough vaccine supply to inoculate every adult american, but big headlines out of that. >> basically saying people can get in line at that point if they're not already in line. with us, moderator of "meet the press", chuck todd. the president set his

100-day-bars early on. >> what are we on, day 51. the fact that they're able to say they've got this rescue plan. and basically, the plan he submitted to congress is essentially the plan that got handed back to him, very minor tweaks. the vaccine manufacture and distribution has been ramped up. on paper they haven't set any promises they haven't met yet. and that, to me, is probably the biggest theme of this speech is that what the president is trying to sell is competency. he's trying to say, look, we know you lost a little bit of faith in government. and maybe you've lost a little bit of faith. but look what we're doing, and this is what government does when it does well. i thought it was interesting that he mentioned "perseverance." competent government can do big

things. the most important thing out of this for me was him selling the good that he believed government can do. >> and very quickly, chuck, it also seemed he wanted to turn the page in terms of tone and really set a tone of empathy. it wasn't a policy-heavy speech. it was empathetic and looking to kind of mark this milestone. >> think about this, savannah, he dedicated, what, maybe 30 seconds to the details, right, of the, instead, he focussed on empathy. i think it was about talking to the american people, not to us in washington. >> all right, chuck, thanks very much. that is going to do it for us for now. but join savannah and i later, "covid one year later, life after lockdown." >> i'm savannah guthrie. thanks. with safe distancing guides, so you can browse our wide aisles and be amazed with our even wider selection. or easily order online,

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tonight from washington, d.c., our special coverage as the nation marks one year of heart aches but looks forward with hope. the growing sign of america is bouncing back one year after the covid pandemic shutting down the nations and causing unimaginable loss 12 grueling months later, new covid deaths falling and vaccinations ramping up where that race stands tonight? my conversation with the cdc's director why she says march and april are critical months >> president biden hours after signing his $1.9 trillion relief plan