and advisory boards, you're not going to get anywhere. >> mark murray, thank you. and thanks to all of you for watching this very busy hour. tomorrow, i will not see you here. i will see you from the pentagon because we will be having special coverage to mark 20 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. 6:00 a.m. eastern. at 10:00, we will be across the river, across the potomac in northernverge verge from the pentagon. for now, we'll turn you over to chris jansing who picks up coverage now. >> good thursday morning. i'm chris jansing in for craig melvin. this nob, we're tracking a number of fast moving stories with critical developments including increased security coming to capitol hill. congress and police now taking crucial steps ahead of a scheduled rally in support of people arresting during the january 6th insurrection. one of those steps, the return of that imposing seven-foot-tall

fence around the capitol. those concerns come as we get a look at brand-new fbi video of the person they think planted pipe bombs the day before the insurrection. we're also following breaking news in afghanistan. 200 more evacuees taking off from kabul today, ending an impasse with the taliban. among them, more americans. this is the brand-new video of that flight. we're live from the city where that plane is expected to land. but we begin with breaking news. a new phase in the pandemic fight. in just a matter of hours, president biden is set to lay out his next big push to stop the spread of covid and to boost vaccinations. one part of the six-point plan is coming into much sharper focus in just the last 90 minutes. we have now learned that president biden will sign an executive order requiring all federal workers and contractors to be vaccinated. plus, there's some new guidance for schools as pediatric cases rise. nbc's mike memoli is at the white house for us.

nbc's cal perry in lexington, kentucky, outside the children's hospital that has just hit capacity, and also dr. anext adalja from the bloomberg school of public health. mike, this afternoon, president biden going to make this announcement in his plan to fight the delta variant. and what we're seeing clearly includes an escalation in this pressure campaign to get folks vaccinated. tell us what the plan is. >> yeah, chris, that's a good way of putting it. when you look at sort of the six broad prongs of this six-point plan that the white house put out this morning, it looks like it's back to basics at a time that americans are going back to work and back to school. focusing on some of the most proven methods for dealing with the pandemic and preventing its spread. when you dial down into the specifics that we have learned so far, it's clear that they're really turning the dial up from some sunl suggests or sort of s

mandates into much stiffer requirements in this case. that's to deal with federal work force is one example. the white house source familiar saying that the president will sign executive orders to do two things. one is to take the regulations that the president put forward two months ago in which he urged the federal work force, all of the federal agencies to require their work force to either have a vaccine or to provide regular testing updates to show that they have not tested positive for covid. they're taking away that second option. you have to be vaccinated in order to show up for work in a federal agency. the second executive order will have to deal with federal contractors. that really increases the universe of individuals who would be covered by this requirement. that's one example of what we're seeing today. the second and most significant for many americans who are sending their kids back to school at this very moment has to do with ramping up the testing regimes that schools are going to be required to provide for their students and for their teachers. we know that the vaccine is now

available for individuals 12 and older. but there are still a lot of youngsters who are not in that category and so there's real concern because of the delta variant's prevalence and its transmissibility even among younger populations this return to school will lead to a further uptick in the cases we're seeing nationwide. so this is just a small part of what the president's going to be laying out here later today, chris. and an important moment, really. we saw just two months ago the president marking an independence from the virus around the fourth of july. the cases then shot way up. we're starting to see them maybe go back the other way. but it's an important moment for the president to really reset the discussion point here after a very difficult summer. >> yeah, especially as a lot of businesses as well are pushing back their start dates for employees. doctor adalja, let's start with the first part of the plan. what do you make of this requirement for federal workers? i guess especially considering the fact the majority of federal workers don't live in d.c. this is going to have an effect in every single state. >> i hope that it does. this is a way to increase the

resiliency of the federal work force through the pandemic. it's a way to increase rates of vaccination uptake, and it really sets the tone because it should be normal that people are getting vaccinated. this is the best way to put the pandemic behind us, and if you're an employer, if you're an organization, you want your work force, your work place to be safe and resilient because we are in the midst of a much more contagious variant of this virus, and we're kind of drowning in a pandemic of the unvailted. and i think it's long past time that we get serious about vaccination as just being a part of society, because that's how we keep ourselves safe. you don't have the right to keep infecting other people, and that's what's happening. >> of course, a lot of kids can't get vaccinated so the president is putting forth this testing recommendation. let me bring in heidi przybyla at an elementary school in arlington, virginia. they have kind of a unique plan pree the announce of the president to slow the spread. tell us what's happening at long

branch elementary. >> the next few weeks are so critical. we're going to see the delta virus peak in this area at the same time we're bringing children back into gym cafeterias that were not designed for social distancing and having them dine indoors. something the principal here told me none of us as adults would do when we weren't vaccinated with a less transmissible variant. here's what some of the principals had to say about their hopes for this very simple, in their words, solution to keeping kids safe. >> did it cost a lot of money do something like this? >> to go outdoors for lunch? >> yeah. >> no. >> you didn't have to use your covid money, right? >> no, we didn't use covid money. we just used our brains and decided, like what's best for kids? and as i said, we figured out several years ago that our kids love being outdoors for lunch. we call it outdoor recess. >> so chris, we're told that all

of the schools now here in arlington county do have plans for outdoor lunch. there's many other counties, however, who are resisting this because they're saying, hey, we made our plans back last spring. well, last spring was before the delta variant. and even so, we knew that all of these kids were going to be coming back into these classrooms unvaccinated. so the teachers and staff here say, look, this is not hard. we open these doors behind us. the children come out with blankets. they come out with towels. we stagger them all around this area. this school is actually the school with the smallest footprint in arlington, so no excuses here. that we don't have the space or whatever, and they say look, this is a temporary solution. the risk to our kids getting sick is now. it's not about sustainability. it's about keeping them safe until they can qualify for the vaccine, which we're hoping will happen later this year, maybe closer to thanksgiving. if the weather gets too cold, we'll make further adjustment. for right now, this is the

really the safest way to do lunchtime. >> one of my favorite quotes in a long time. we didn't have to use our covid money. we just used our brains. doctor, we have been saying this for a long time, think, people, think. what do you make of what's happening at that school and your take on the l.a. county who is expecting to pass a vaccine mandate for schools 12 and up. >> what the school the doing makes a lot of sense. this is something we have known from the beginning. outdoor transmission is much less likely to happen than indoor transmission and we want schools to be flexibility. this is something that happened even in the 1918 pandemic where people did schooling and had instruction outside. this is something we want more school districts to do because we know in many parts of the country there's a lot of community transmission and schools are going to get engulfed and disrupted by the virus. i think our priorities has to be to keep people in school, to keep children learning. this is one way to do it. even if you can only do it when

the weather permits, it's better than nothing, and like what happening in los angeles county are making the right decision. vaccination is one way to keep the virus from disrupting your school year. we know the vaccine is safe and effective and school districts all around the country should be thinking about mandating it as a condition of entry and mandating it for teachers and employees because that's the way we get schools operating as close to normal as possible. >> that's another amazing point. in 1918, when we knew so much less about viruses, they were putting people outside. that's incredible to me. so amazing what they're doing there. all right, cal, you're in kentucky. that state is in trouble, positivity rate above 14% for the first time. and now the children's hospital there full because of the surge in covid patients. talk to me about what you're hearing from folks there. >> yeah, the governor really painting a dire picture, saying this is a health system that's really on the verge, on the brink as he put it, not just the

children's hospitals. it's all the hospitals and they're starting to run short on icu space, which is of great concern to everybody, as we have this broader conversation about children and as they return to school, keep in mind, in kentucky, we have seen mass shutdowns. 38 of 171 school districts have had to shut down since the beginning of the school year because of that incredibly high amount of community spread. six times what it should be considered high by the cdc. i had a chance to speak to the chief physician of the children's hospital behind me about how it's different this time and new from what we have seen earlier in the pandemic. take a listen. >> now, kids are coming in and they're acutely ill with covid. it's very different. that silver lining is different than what it used to be. we hear numbers of 500-plus kids have died in the united states. and that number has changed. it changes weekly. you think about at the beginning, it was rare to hear of a child death. now children are dying. children should not die from a preventable illness. >> we had a 15-year-old pass

away on sunday here in the state of kentucky. certainly a lot of people are hoping this will encourage others to get the vaccine. i will tell you also as we look towards the president's speech this afternoon at 5:00 p.m., expect to hear about these testing regimens in school. i report as the father of a 12-year-old. if you make it mandatory to test kids, that will spur more interest in the vaccines. >> as we hear the sirens behind you, cal perry. doctor, we have what's happening in kentd cent and we have seen this in other states. their neighbor west virginia is also seeing a major surge with the number of icu patients hitting an all-time high. you can really hear in the voice of the republican governor there, jim justice, when he talks about the persistent misinformation that keeps folks from getting vaccinated about just how frustrated he is. take a listen. >> for god's sakes of living, how difficult is this to understand? why in the world do we have to come up with these crazy ideas?

and they're crazy ideas, that the vaccine has something in it and it's tracing people wherever they go. and the same very people that are saying that are carrying their cell phones around. i mean, come on. come on. >> this is all so much common sense, doctor. how significant is it, though, do you think to hear from a republican leader right now, especially when you have the likes of ron desantis saying things like, whether or not you get vaccinated has no impact on me. >> it is important that governor justice and other republican governors and other republican leaders speak vociferously in defense of this vaccine. it's primarily their states where the hospitals are getting crushed, where they're worrying about rationing care again. nobody thought this far into the pandemic we would be fighting the anti-vaccine movement. people thought they would run to it because it's such a great value to each individual's life.

this antivaccine movement is strong and this disinformation campaign is really pervasive. look how nurses unions have blocked mandates for vaccines. it's what's holding back our ability to fight the pandemic. we have this excellent tool at our hands. now covid hospitals are filled, it's really back would we're fighting the voice of the dark ages when it comes to what is a life-saving innovation in medical science. >> which brings me to what is happening in miami-dade county in florida where officials there say at least 13 employees of public schools have died just since august 16th. teachers, school bus drivers, a security worker, a cafeteria manager. npr reports that, quote, according to the president of the united teachers of dade, carla hernandez, all of those who died were african-american and unvaccinated. we have known about this

historically based vaccine hesitancy, but how do we make more progress? >> what it's really going to take is one-on-one conversations with trusted advisers. maybe a primary physician, maybe a community leader, somebody people have a lot of confidence in. that's what moves the needle to people's arms, getting a trusted person to say this is what you should do. it's becoming difficult because we have so much disinformation to combat, and it's hard when someone can't see just by looking, by opening their eyes the benefit of this vaccine. just walk through a hospital and see who's being hospitalized. it's the unvailted. who is dying? the unvaccinated. look at the rates of cases in states where vaccination rates are high and low, and you can see it with your eyes without any medical training. it's baffling and we really have to do better, and i think it's going to fall to primary care physicians to convince them to get this life-saving vaccine.

>> remarkable reporting today. thanks to all of you. we appreciate it. >> and still ahead, new capitol security concerns. how police are getting ready for a rally that's aimed at showing support for the january 6th insurrection. now just ten days away from that. >> plus, president biden's political headwinds. the intensity of opposition to him is on the rise. support is dropping. how it could shake the race happening this hour on capitol hill to get his infrastructure agenda passed. >> first, though, a break in that impasse that's kept americans in afghanistan. in just the last 90 minutes, a plane from kabul carrying 200 americans and other foreigners finally took off for qatar. we're on the ground there next. r until i got on ancestry. it was like touching the past. my great aunt signed up to serve in the union army as a field nurse. my great grandmother started a legacy of education in my family. didn't know she ran for state office.

ended up opening her own restaurant in san francisco. paralee wharton elder, lupe gonzalez, mary sawyers, margaret ross. there's a lot of life that she lived. who are the strong women in your family? people with moderate to severe psoriasis, are rethinking the choices they make like the splash they create the entrance they make, the surprises they initiate. otezla. it's a choice you can make. otezla is not a cream. it's a pill that treats plaque psoriasis differently. with otezla, 75% clearer skin is achievable. don't use if you're allergic to otezla. it may cause severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. otezla is associated with an increased risk of depression. tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts or if these feelings develop. some people taking otezla reported weight loss. your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. upper respiratory tract infection and headache may occur. tell your doctor about your medicines, and if you're pregnant or planning to be. otezla. show more of you.

if you're 55 and up, t- mobile has plans built just for you. and if you're pregnant or planning to be. whether you need a single line or lines for family members, you'll get great value on america's most reliable 5g network. like 2 lines of unlimited for just $27.50 a line. only at t-mobile. mission control, we are go for launch. um, she's eating the rocket. ♪♪ lunchables! built to be eaten.

guys, are you tired of frequent nighttime bathroom trips? well, force factor prostate contains key ingredients to help reduce urges to urinate, fully empty your bladder, and promote a normal prostate size. don't settle. rush to walmart for force factor prostate, from the #1 fastest-growing men's health brand in america. we're following breaking news in the ongoing fight to evacuate more people out of afghanistan. this is the first look we have gotten at the plane that just took off with more than 200 u.s. and other foreign citizens onboard. the taliban allowed that plane to fly out of the airport in kabul. the first international passenger flight from kabul's airport since u.s. forces left on august 30th. nbc's raff sanchez in qatar, where the plane is expected to land soon. what can you tell us about today's evacuation? >> we're just about to go through security at the airport here in doha on the way out to the runway where we expect in

about 90 minutes' time, that the boeing 777 will touch down here in doha. as you said, it's carrying around 200 people. all of them internationals. we don't know how many exactly are americans. the state department has been saying there were about 100 americans still in afghanistan trying to get out. and chris, what was so striking looking at those images from kabul is how weirdly normal it looked given that this is an airport run by the taliban. these passengers passed through customs, immigration, security. they climbed up the steps of that civilian flight. they taxied and took off. this was a very, very different visual from those u.s. military c-17s we saw taking off at all times. now, assuming everything goes smoothly and those americans step off the plane here in doha, they are met by embassy officials. this is a big moment of

vindication for the white house, which has been saying it is confident it could get the cooperation of the taliban and get americans out of the country without u.s. troops on the ground. so a big moment as that first flight takes off from kabul en route to doha. >> of course, the question remains, and again, we don't know how many americans are on that flight, so we don't know how many americans are left on the ground. we do believe that thousands of folks who were helpful to the u.s. during that 20 years of war still want to leave the country. so the question becomes, what's the likelihood this is going to become a regular thing, that there will be sort of more -- there would be a smoother process because there's been so much anxiety since american forces left? >> yeah, chris. absolutely. that is the question. is what we're seeing today scalable? is this the first of many flights that are going to take

off from kabul, and crucially, will afghans without international passports be allowed to get on those flights? now, the qataris have been very involved in weeks of diplomacy now to try to get hamid karzai international airport up and running again. they said earlier today it's about 90% functional, so it is well on the way, they say, to being able to resume civilian air traffic. there were a lot of issues figuring out how to deal with taliban-run air traffic control, but especially security. this is the airport where that isis-k suicide bomber carried out an attack, and civilian airlines are reticent to fly in and take off from an airport rub by the taliban and threatened by isis. the key question is the taliban is letting internationals out today. are they going to let afghan citizens out in the weeks to

come? chris. >> critical question, and we're looking forward to your reporting throughout the day today, especially as the folks get off that plane. thank you so much. >> and this morning, new news that the white house plans to withdraw its pick to run the bureau of alcohol, tobacco, firearms and explosives, that's according to two sources familiar with the matter. president biden tapped david chipman to lead the agency, but he faced opposition from both republicans and some moderate democrats. concerns raised about his previous comments on gun reform. he work for the atf for more than two decades before joining giffords, a group named after former congresswoman gabby giffords, which advocates for stricter gun laws. right now, the ripple effects of january 6th are being felt in washington. there's new fbi video of the person suspected of planting pipe bombs near the capitol. >> plus, the return of fencing around the capitol. next, why a rally ten days away

has police ramping up security. >> first, a fuller picture of the devastating impact of hurricane ida in louisiana. the death toll there has risen to 26 after health officials report 11 more victims in new orleans, most of them dying from heat related impact. and for folks in the state trying to pick up the pieces in an unforgivingly hot september, some areas remain without water 11 days after this storm. more than 240,000 homes and businesses still without power. when you really need to sleep you reach for the really good stuff. new zzzquil ultra helps you sleep better and longer when you need it most. it's non habit forming and powered by the makers of nyquil. new zzzquil ultra. when you really really need to sleep.

(vo) unconventional thinking means we see things differently, so you can focus on what matters most. that's how we've become the leader in 5g. #1 in customer satisfaction. and a partner who includes 5g in every plan, so you get it all. so then i said to him, you oughta customize your car insurance with liberty mutual, so you only pay for what you need. hot dog or... chicken? only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪ as i observe investors balance risk and reward, i see one element securing portfolios, time after time. gold. your strategic advantage. growing up in a little red house, on the edge of a forest in norway, there were three things my family encouraged: kindness, honesty and hard work. over time, i've come to add a fourth: be curious.

be curious about the world around us, and then go. go with an open heart, and you will find inspiration anew. viking. exploring the world in comfort. ♪♪♪ it's velveeta versus the other guys. clearly, nothing melts like velveeta. ♪♪♪

for years, i struggled with anxiety and depression. but when i was ready for help, finding the right care was nearly impossible. luckily, he had us. as mental health professionals, we could help him navigate the system. not everyone has that.

that's why i started cerebral. online mental healthcare, without the high cost and wait times. with our affordable care model, you can get meds prescribed and delivered. and talk with a licensed therapist on your own time. with cerebral, everyone gets a care team. get your first month for just $30 at getcerebral.com. another escalation in security at the capitol. fencing going back up. here's a reminder of what it looked like when the fence first went up earlier this year. speaker nancy pelosi says lawmakers will be briefed ahead of a rally to show support for people arrested in the january 6th insurrection. there's also new evidence that investigators hope will lead them to an arrest in one of the most prominent man hnhunts frome attack. the fbi on wednesday releasing this brand-new video of the suspect who placed pipe bombs the day before the riot. justice correspondent pete williams has the latest on that

investigation and garrett haake has more on security. pete, let's start with the pipe bomber who has managed to elude the fbi for months. >> it's a new video that shows the suspect coming up to a park bench near the democratic national committee headquarters. that's one of the two places where pipe bombs were placed between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. on january 5th the night before the capitol riot. you see the person walk into the frame carrying a backpack, wearing a gray hoodie, a face mask wearing black and light gray speed turf shoes and gloves. reaches at one point into the backpack, pulls out what appears to be a cell phone, looks at it, and walks away. it's later in this area where one of the two pipe bombs were placed. you don't see the person placing the pipe bomb in this video. the second video that the fbi put out, chris, is a map they generated based on looking at all of their earlier surveillance videos and talking

to neighbors. the little red dot is what they believe is the movement of the suspect on that night between those hours of 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. this is based on looking at surveillance videos. you'll see the time when the person was thought to be in this specific places and just coming into view is folger park. that's where police believe the person based the activities out of. based on looking at the surveillance videos, the way the person was moving and talking to all of the neighbors in the neighborhood where the person was, investigators don't think the person is actually from this area. this video, for example, shows the person walking by the capitol hill club near the republican national committee right near the capitol, near the house office buildings and then walking around and going finally back out of the frame. so the hope here is that somebody will see these videos, look at this person's movement, what they were wearing, and perhaps it will strike a familiar bell. and they will call in a tip.

tips have been very valuable in the fbi's investigation of what happened on january 6th. so they're hoping a similar thing will happen with this video. but you know, i have intentionally not said he or she, because i think the investigators still don't know whether the suspect is a man or a woman. >> all right, garrett, so meantime, congress is preparing for what they're worried about, obviously, more violence ahead of this so-called justice for j-6 rally. what kind of security can we expect to see around the capitol? >> robust security posture is the way the capitol police are describing it. we know every capitol police officer will be on duty next saturday when this event is being held, despite the fact congress is not in session, and we have learned that the capitol police is planning to resurrect, reerect, at least, part of the fencing that was around the capitol in the aftermath of january 6th. it's clear that the new leadership of the capitol police department wants to take absolutely no chances here with this rally. given its topic, essentially

showing support for the 599 people who were arrested on january 6th. also we're starting to hear more from lawmakers. yesterday, we had speaker pelosi really condemning the nature of this rally, and a short time ago, mark warner, the democrater senator from virginia, condemning any members who might choose to participate in this rally. here's what he said on our air just a short time ago. >> we're two days away from the 20th anniversary of 9/11. and the idea that we have got a group of people here that are going to come a week later, after that 20th anniversary, and try to celebrate domestic insurrectionists is outrageous. and any responsible political figure, i don't care what political party you belong to, ought to condemn that so-called rally and not participate in it. >> now, warner there alluded to the possibility there could perhaps be republican members who might choose to speak at this rally. though so far, chris, none have been announced. >> meantime, president trump has

endorsed the challenger to representative liz cheney, and in the statement, he calls her a warmonger and a disloyal republican. have we heard from liz cheney yet? >> oh, there's the tweet. >> we have. in fact, you're looking at it. that tweet just moments ago from liz cheney, essentially saying bring it to the former president and to her latest primary opponent. look, chris, this is going to be probably the most consequential republican primary in the country next year. cheney's made it very clear she is running as a referendum on what the republican party wants to be in the post-trump era. now you have the former president weighing in and picking a candidate, in this case, hoping to clear the field. there were so many republicans essentially lining up to challenge chaina in wyoming. the hope among the pro-trump faction is they can get a one-on-one race and potentially be one of only two republican loud critics of the former president remaining in the hus of representatives. >> garrett haake, thank you.

pete williams, we'll see you later. >> meanwhile, inside the capitol, democrats are at a crucial point in their race to pass a key part of president biden's domestic agenda. five separate house committees are marking up their portions of that $3.5 trillion safety bill. you're looking at the ways and means committee meeting going on now. deadlines are fast approaching to get it all done, and there are some critical disagreements within the party that leaders need to work out. and fast. nbc news capitol hill correspondent leeann leighann caldwell is here, and also obama's 2012 election campaign manager. the wig question this morning is how much is too much to spend. take us into that debate over the amount of money as well as through this mark-up process. >> hey, chris. well, the house is starting to mark up their portion of the bill or their version of the bill. the senate, meanwhile, is writing their own version of the

bill. so not only do the house and the senate have to figure out the same thing as far as this legislation is concerned, but there also have to be negotiations between democratic leadership, progressives, and the moderate factions of the party. and that's where things get extremely complicated. we know that the moderates, including senator joe manchin of west virginia, does not support this $3.5 trillion price tag for this bill. whatever that price tag might be, he's indicated between $1 and $2 trillion. he says it must be paid for. i have also gotten some more insight into senator manchin's thinking as well. there's going to be a lot of new programs that are likely to be created if this passes, including two years of free community college, to subsidies for child care, paid family leave, support for the elderly and the disabled. senator manchin wants to make sure the most vulnerable are accessing those programs and not people who don't necessarily

need it. so he wants it means tested, and income capped, so there's a lot of negotiations that are still to be done between the moderates like manchin and even senator kyrsten sinema, and democratic leaders, and they're operating on an extremely tight deadline. they want to pass this bill before the end of september. there's a deadline of september 15th to complete the writing of this legislation. but chris, let me say, i just spoke with senator mark warner of virginia, and i asked him if they're going to be able to meet that september 15th deadline, even just having the legislative text, and he laughed at that. it seems like it's not very possible these deadlines are going to be met. >> that's a no. so jim, timeline aside, six days maybe be wishful thinking, but this is such a critical part of president biden's agenda. you know him, you know how the negotiations work. you also know the power wielded right now by manchin and sinema, so how do you see this playing

out? what do you see as the administration's best strategy? and biden's role in it? >> yeah, that's a great question. so washington functions on two things. power and time. democrats have the power, now they're running out of time. so it is very easy for biden to say to both sides in these debates, look, we have got to move here. we have got to figure out our differences. and these are, you know, he's got a very small majority. the democrats in the house have the smallest majority since world war ii. we have a tied senate where kamala harris has to break the tie. we're operating on a razor thin margin where each member is incredibly important. manchin, of course, being the one everyone focuses on. but here's the truth. it doesn't matter if you're a progressive democrat or a moderate democrat. what you want to do is get big things done so you can go to the ballot box next year and tell people you did the things you promised you were going to do. so you will have a united democratic party on getting something done. i think the president will get a very big moment this fall when

he gets to sign something that will fundamentally deliver a lot of things that progressive democrats have been hoping for for a very long time. which will probably also help with turnout in next year's elections. >> meanwhile, as you know, the president is set to outline for the nation his broad new plan to stop the spread of covid and boost vaccinations, including this vaccine mandate, this executive order that affects a vast majority of federal workers and contractors who do business with the federal government. could he call on businesses and schools to do this if he didn't do it at home? was this almost necessary if he's going to get the kind of broad cooperation he wants to get? >> well, first, it's the right thing to do. the federal workforce is huge, and the contractors are as well. so doing this move right now is exactly the right thing. we aren't seeing the vaccination rates in some of the states that we need to do, and so biden is putting all of his chips on the table. and then yes, because i think it's exactly what we ought to do, we ought to look at

employers and say you need to follow us. school districts need to go with us too, and we're going to put our money where our mouth is. there's a bunch of money to help do this. it's not being used by some of the states. i think biden is saying if you're not going to act, i'm going to go first. >> there's also this question about how much power he yields in all of this, and amy walter did a deep dive on the president's poll numbers recently. hiapproval rating has been dropping, 48% approval. 46% disapprove. she notes, though, the intensity of the disapproval as something you need to look at and that has also spiked. only 19% of people polled say they strongly approve of the president. 41% say they strongly disapprove. the conclusion is this could lead to an enthusiasm gap among 2022 voters favoring republicans. do you agree with that, and how can the president course correct? >> what i agree with is amy is right that enthusiasm is the only number i would look at in these polls. i think it's the most predictive

thing. but the thing i probably don't agree with amy on is we are way a ways from these elections. we're sitting 14 months which is like 19 political lifetimes in american politics. and so we just don't know what the playing field is going to be. and in the middle of all this, what you haven't seen in the polls recently is texas and the united states supreme court decided to dump abortion into the american political debate. and that is absolute fire tinder in politics. you saw this on tuesday night, chris. when democrats for only the second time in 200 years won a special election in new hampshire. and the referendum was really about abortion. and if that's going to be an issue that kind of seizes to the front of these things, none of the polls have even started to register that. so i think we're way too far away to start worrying about joe biden's approval ratings. >> jim messina, leigh ann caldwell, thank you. >> and ahead, the supreme court just halted the execution of a texas man.

why? it has to do with the letting his pastor lay hands on him in the execution chamber. that story next. [ "the addams family" theme playing ] ♪ they're nice but irritating ♪ ♪ their excitement can get grating ♪ ♪ they're dressed for pastry baking ♪ ♪ the progressive family ♪ ♪ they're helpful but annoying ♪ ♪ they always leave us snoring ♪ ♪ accidents are boring with the progressive family ♪ so... when do you all go home? never! we're here for you 24/7. how terrifying. protection so good it's scary. "the addams family 2" playing october 1st. do i need to pretreat my laundry? nope! with tide pods, you don't. need to worry. the pre-treaters are built in. tide pods dissolve even when the water is freezing. nice! if it's got to be clean, it's got to be tide. wealth is breaking ground on your biggest project yet. worth is giving the people who build it a solid foundation.

wealth is shutting down the office for mike's retirement party. worth is giving the employee who spent half his life with you, the party of a lifetime. wealth is watching your business grow. worth is watching your employees grow with it. principal. for all it's worth.

i'm still wowed by what's next. even with higher stroke risk due to afib not caused by a heart valve problem. so if there's a better treatment than warfarin,... i want that. eliquis. eliquis reduces stroke risk better than warfarin. and has less major bleeding than warfarin. eliquis has both. don't stop taking eliquis without talking to your doctor as this may increase your risk of stroke. eliquis can cause serious and in rare cases fatal bleeding. don't take eliquis if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. while taking, you may bruise more easily... or take longer for bleeding to stop. get help right away for unexpected bleeding, or unusual bruising. it may increase your bleeding risk if you take certain medicines. tell your doctor about all planned medical or dental procedures. the number one cardiologist-prescribed blood thinner. ask your doctor about eliquis. this is how you become the best! [music: “you're the best” by joe esposito]

[music: “you're the best” by joe esposito] [triumphantly yells] [ding] don't get mad. get e*trade and take charge of your finances today. [♪♪] don't get mad. if you have diabetes, it's important to have confidence in the nutritional drink you choose. try boost glucose control. it's clinically shown to help manage blood sugar levels and contains high quality protein to help manage hunger and support muscle health. try boost today. we gave new zzzquil pure zzzs restorative herbal sleep to people who were tired of being tired. i've never slept like this before. i've never woken up like this before. crafted with clinically studied plant-based ingredients that work naturally with your body. for restorative sleep like never before. (vo) unconventional thinking means we see things differently, so you can focus on what matters most. that's how we've become the leader in 5g.

#1 in customer satisfaction. and a partner who includes 5g in every plan, so you get it all. been given pore time after the supreme court stepped in late last night. john henry ramirez was set to be executed wednesday night. but he's fighting to have his pastor pray with him and lay hands on him as the state administers the lethal injexz. i want to bring back nbc's pete williams who is following the story for us. walk us through this order and why ramirez is even on death row. >> sure, it's a very brief order. it came out about three hours in fact before he was scheduled to be put to death. he argued that the state of texas was violating his constitutional rights by refusing to let his pastor come into the execution chamber so they could pray together, so they could talk together, and the pastor could lay hands on him.

the court blocked the execution last night and said it would take up his constitutional claim in october and november. ramirez is on death row because he was convicted of fatally stabbing a convenience store clerk in a 2004 robbery after a drug binge. now, other death row inmates have challenged restrictions on participation by religious figures in executions, and the question here is whether that violates the first amendment's guarantee of religious freedom. the court in the past has blocked other executions when such people have been barred from the process. and when there was a restriction on the kind of religious figures who can be in. the question is how much can they do when they're actually in the execution chamber. the state said this was too much involvement in the process. >> all right, pete williams, i know you'll continue to follow it for us. thank you for that. >> meanwhile, this morning, minnesota democratic senator amy klobuchar revealed that she was diagnosed with stage 1-a breast cancer earlier this year.

she says she had a lumpectomy at the mayo clinic and she's undergone a course of radiation treatment. here's what she had to say about her experience earlier today on "good morning america." >> it's something that no one wants to hear and no one wants to experience. but it's really renewed my faith in the people around me and in my purpose. >> she has a great prognosis, by the way, and klobuchar says she's now using her experience to encourage others to get their annual mammograms and checkups. >> next, of the 343 firefighters who died on september 11th, 12 were black. some fellow black firefighters feel like their stories were never fully represented in the wake of that day. and it's putting diversity in the department in focus. >> black on this job, it's like being black in america. it's difficult. you have to fight to be treated fairly. you have to fight for them to change the policies that kept blacks off this job for so long.

it's awe. beauty. the measure of progress. it's where people meet people. where cultures and bonds are made between us. where we create things together. open each other's minds. raise each other's ambitions. and do together, what we can't do apart. this is space for dreams. loopnet. the most popular place to find a space.

you booked a cozy vrbo mountain cabin. [laughs] with a kitchen where everyone can chef. [laughs] a family room where you can let your hair down. and a backyard that is a tree-lined living room. but the thing they'll remember forever? watching the game together once again. ♪♪ the time for getting back together is now. ♪♪ find it on vrbo.

i love it. ♪♪ i just wear a little sensor and that's it. the dexcom sends my glucose readings to my receiver every five minutes. and i can also get it on my smartphone. you don't have to prick your fingers - at all. it's amazing. i can't imagine anything simpler.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ this week americans across the nation pause to remember and honor the legacy of first

responders who we lost on september 11th. msnbc correspondent tremane lee and his into america podcast team take a look at the history of black firefighters in new york city, specifically the 12 who died on 9/11 and the struggle for justice and equity for those who carry their legacy. [ siren ] >> of the 343 firefighters who tragically died on 9/11, 12 were black. >> leon smith, great guy. always had a big smile on his face. >> captain paul robertson knew them all. >> we studied together for the captain's exam. >> captain washington helped recruit, train and mentor many of them including keith maynard. >> that was my friend. i miss keith. >> washington and maynard bonded as members of new york's society, an association of black firefighters focused on fighting

racial discrimination and building racial equity in the department. maynard's identical twin kevin remembers their shared mission. >> they became great friends because they were very passionate about what they were doing. >> but just two years into his career as a new york firefighters keith maynard was gone. killed along with hundreds of others in the collapse of the twin towers. >> i was numb. i couldn't believe it. >> even as the nation mourned together, both captain washington and kevin were struck by the lack of representation in the remembrances. >> there was never an image of them throughout the whole 9/11. there wasn't always a picture and there were one or two stories and it was just forgotten. >> for captain washington, it was symbolic of a larger problem. people of color make up a majority of new york city's population, but the fire department remains overwhelmingly white. >> when you're black on the job it's just like being black in

america. it is difficult. you have to be treated fairly and to change the policies that kept blacks off this job for so long. >> the fire department's entrance exam. >> there was no way you were going to get on the job in new york if you weren't prepared or exposed to the way the test was given and what to expect. >> what was the fire department? >> we brought the issues to their attention and they just would either blow us off, basically, you know? >> they took their grievances to court and in 2010 the judge ruled that the fdny used the entrance exam to discriminate against black and hispanic applicants with deep historical roots. >> where are we now in the diversity of the department? >> the numbers have gone up. we are 89%. >> kevin maynard, now a firefighter in houston know his brother would be proud to see the changes the vulcan society has seen.

>> what's it like for you to come back home and see brothers and sisters with their uniforms on on those engines? >> it's twofold. it is good to see. you have a sense of guilt. for me, i wanted him to be around to see it. >> thank you. the city disputed the finding that discriminatory practices by the fire department were intentional, but after the election of mayor bill de blasio city lawyers settled the discrimination suit. the city hired a chief diversity officer and a diversity advocate. since then, the two have overseen the biggest gains in recruitment in hiring people of color in the department's history. tremane digs much further into the story of black firefighters. listen wherever you get your podcast. tune in starting at 6:00 a.m. for special coverage as we mark 20 years since 9/11.

we have a special edition of "morning joe" at 6:00 and my colleague reports from ground zero, hallie jackson at 10:00 from the pentagon and in this hour, 11:00 a.m. tomorrow craig melvin is back and we'll host our coverage from shanksville, pennsylvania, that is where they took the plane from the those who hijacked it. "andrea mitchell reports" starts next. . more gain scent plus oxi boost and febreze in every gain fling.

♪ fixodent ultra dual power provides you with an unbeatable hold and strong seal against food infiltrations. fixodent. and forget it. and there you have it— -woah. wireless on the most reliable network nationwide. wow! -big deal! ...we get unlimited for just $30 bucks. sweet, but mine has 5g included. relax people, my wireless is crushing it. that's because you all have xfinity mobile with your internet. it's wireless so good, it keeps one upping itself. switch to xfinity mobile and save hundreds on your wireless bill. plus, save up to $400 when you purchase a new samsung phone or upgrade your existing phone. learn more at your local xfinity store today.

age is just a number. and mine's unlisted. try boost® high protein with 20 grams of protein for muscle health. versus 16 grams in ensure high protein. boost® high protein also has key nutrients for immune support. boost® high protein. oh! are you using liberty mutual's coverage customizer tool? boost® high protein also has key nutrients so you only pay for what you need. sorry? limu, you're an animal! only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪

♪♪ ♪♪ good day, everyone. this is andrea mitchell reports in washington where president biden is ready to roll out his latest plan to combat the coronavirus as cases among schoolchildren surge across the country and the delta variant continues to take its toll. the plan, which the president will outline in a speech at 5:00 eastern requiring all schools to set up regular testing. a new executive order mandating vaccinations for all federal workers and a renewed push to get shots to the unvaccinated, and there's breaking news overseas today. the first flight since the u.s. left the kabul airport has taken off for doha with americans onboard among with 200 passengers. the airport re-opened today for limited international flights after extensive repairs by teams from qatar and turkey, but those u.s. private charters are still

wait