good day, this is "andrea mitchell reports" continuing in washington today. now the highly transmissble omicron variant is in all 50

states. some positive nice is hospitalizations have remained steady this month. omicron is brings serious diseases. the fda has given emergency use approval to a new covid bill. in russia today president vladimir putin blaming the u.s. and nato for escalating tensions with ukraine. president biden confirming he is running for reelection in 2024. and coming up, joining us now, nbc white house correspondent monica alba. joining us now is our guest

panel. . first to you, testing, testing, testing continuing to be top of mind for americans. the president says there is room for improvement but we're in a much better place. >> all of the tools in the tool kit are available right now to fight severe illness, hospitalization, and death. that's how this white house is framing the current moment. it is a time to be vijay land, but not a time to panic. the president said there is room for improvement when it comes to tested. he said overnight that he wishes he thought of purchaing all of those tests two months ago. and in recent days, he said he didn't see omicron coming, they

didn't see the surge and how transmissible it would be. it could be very problematic. and acknowledged and not ruling out where this fight may be going. he was asked if a second boother should could be considered. that is still a possibility, but he is trying to talk to americans that have been vaccinated. if you're vaccinated and boosted you're facing a very difficult couple of months here, andrea. >> speaking of a couple months, it is a difficult week here in new york city. you have been talking to new yorker who is have been waiting hours and hours to get tested. >> andrea, they're waiting hours in line in the cold so not a good combination all around, but

for several days we have been following this headline, long lines and urgent centers across the city and new yorkers seem to be a little scarred because they live through the height of the pandemic and they don't want to take any chances. a lot of folks that we were speaking with who have been in line for an extended period of time, they have taken more than one test just to be on the safe side. >> i did one yesterday where i waited for two hours, and i'm here for a pcr just to make sure, it's crazy everywhere. >> why the double test? >> just to make sure to confirm. i have to go back to work and people are getting positive tests everywhere. christmas is around the corner and we want to be with family. >> and andrea, yesterday we

heard from a city health official, and they're processing 170,000 tests each day now which is a record in itself. the past record was 120,000 tests, but the good news is that help has arrived in the city across all of the bureaus. the mayor pledged that expanding testing locations across the city, hoping to have 112 covid testing sites. the federal government is stepping up. there are sites available to the public as well and starting next week the governor said there will be testing options as well at subway stations. so testing is expanding but obviously the help needs to come as soon as possible. the line is pretty long behind me.

>> and we could look to europe for where we might be a few weeks from now. neighboring countries are considering new measures as cases are surging in europe. >> italy has some of the harsh measures in place, you can barely get into any public place unless you're fully vaccinated or you recovered recently from covid. you cannot get, at least for now, into these public places if you only test negative and you're not vaccinated because of omicron and the upcoming christmas holidays. right now they're meeting to decide if they should does further measures. we do think there should be mand story use of face masks outdoors. we already have that in rome, it

is effective today. the government right now, and later on today, are expected to expand to the whole of italy, andrea. >> thank you, so much. how are the new covid pills from pfizer and merck, just approved by the fda, how will they impact the surge and how accessible will they be? >> in the early day it's will be a really constrained supply of them. the pfizer has the real knockout drug. they be available only in small quantities to high risk individuals if will be challenging before the supply it robust enough in will be part of the tool box that we use, and it will be a symbol that this is becoming a more manageable

infection. >> i want to ask you also about the data that we're seeing that omicron might be less severe than the delta variant. we see a declining number of cases in south africa and in south africa and the u.k. fewer hospitalizations from omicron. >> absolutely. i think both experts would agree it is certainly encouraging to see that with cautious optimism, because we can't directly compare, it's not apples to apples, in south africa they have about 70% population for prior infection, so you know a direct comparison is not possible, but certainly i think most of us are hoping for a similarly steep slope up, we have significant pockets of unvaccinated individuals that

will be very vulnerable to infection and potentially severe disease. part of that mitigation disparity is immunity from vaccination. that doesn't mean that we're out of the woods. we have a large population, but for most of us following this and had to curtail our activities and change our behaviors in response to the surge, it is a hopeful piece of data. >> hospitalizations are up in some parts of the country. but there is not the biggest change in places like new york city especially come peared to what it was like in 2020. >> places with high levels of vaccination will not see the same translation of cases. that is not uniform because we have pockets of the country that have low levels of vaccination. and that's what we have to worry

about increasingly. and covid is more of a regional problem now. vaccination rates vary from place to place. they tend to overlap with rural areas where they have less capacity and less staffing. so we have to be judicious about how we use our resources. not every hospital needs those rouses. >> and monmonica, senator kunesw saying that he is testing positive. the vice president's staff, a staff member was positive, vice president harris testing negative, but is already continuing to test for the holiday, they are home. it is hitting close to home

among the vaccinated, and jim clyburn was with the president last thursday in south carolina and decided not to go to a family wedding, his granddaughter's wedding on saturday after they insisted everyone get vaccinated and he tested positive. but thankfully he and senator coones are having mild symptoms. >> yeah, he waited 56 hours, the white house is bracing for more cases. they believe that we'll see a uptick. the vice president workforce that staffer for most of tuesday, so she has tested negative since then, but she will continue to be tested through a pcr tomorrow, on friday, and again on monday following the cdc

recommendations. we're told by the white house that congressman clyburn and president biden shared a stage during that address, but they're not considered close contact because they weren't in such close proximity for an extended amount of time. they later tested positive, but the president also tested negative three times since then. he will continue to be assessed regularly and i think everywhere you look it is the same story, breakthrough infections and hopefully continued mild symptoms, and it is something that people are feeling is inevitable. >> the white house has not had their traditional christmas receptions, but they didn't do the parties and things they

usually go -- do festively this time of year? >> yes, i'm vaccinated, the people i'm around are vaccinated. and it gives me reainsurance. everybody would only get mild illness, and that's why the president emphasized it is a two-track pandemic. there it is very different if you're vaccinated and if you're not vaccinated. you might get a breakthrough, that is not something you can avoid. but you know that it will be mild, and this is not a virus that is going area, so i think you can risk calculate very well. if you're unvaccinated you have a very different fate.

>> all good advice. thank you to all of you. to our doctors and our correspondents. very merry christmas and happy new year. vladimir putin says he is not responsible for the rise in tensions with ukraine. this is "andrea mitchell reports" on msnbc. h ukraine. this is "andrea mitchell reports" on msnbc. like the splash they create the way they exaggerate the surprises they initiate. otezla. it's a choice you can make. otezla is not an injection or a cream it's a pill that treats differently. for psoriasis, 75% clearer skin is achievable, with reduced redness, thickness, and scaliness of plaques. for psoriatic arthritis, otezla is proven to reduce joint swelling, tenderness, and pain. and the otezla prescribing information has no requirement for routine lab monitoring.

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. vladimir putin for four hours at his end of the year press conference. he says that russia doesn't want war and is blaming the west for escalating it. >> we are seeing positive traction at this opponent.

>> they have amassed a military along the boarder with ukraine. joining me now is kier simmons and former ambassador michael mcfall. kier, you interviewed putin this past summer, a remarkable interview. putin spoke for four hours today, tell me about who his audience is and what message you think he was trying to get across. >> it sounded very much like it did. he has a russian audience who he is trying to make it seem like he is open to questions even though he put a number of independent journalists in jail. and he wants to look tough, able to deal with any question that anyone throws at him. and in terms of the messaging to

washington and western european capitals, i think it is prepared to compromise and extremely belligerent. he says talking to you and the u.s. it is you that u.s. give us guarantees and give them immediately, now. they understand that the proposal they put forward that nato should not expand to the east, and not have any military ties, cannot be agreed upon by the west and by washington, by president biden. i think the million dollar question, or the million ruble question, is the kremlin trying to put president biden into a corner where he gets into negotiations and then they are

impossible and then say see, there the west goes again, or are they the opening gambit. some say getting into talks about this president bu tin is already winning, if you like. i will say this, too, andrea. all of those troops on the border doesn't fleen will be an invasion. i think it is less likely right now. russia needs to look to see if they're prepared and able to invade, it doesn't mean it will necessarily do it. >> thank you very much, kier, you're the last person who has spoken with him that we know. is this an opening gmbit or a hard line? >> i don't know, you don't know, president biden doesn't know, i think even putin's inner circle

doesn't know. that's what he wants. he wants ambiguity because he thinks that is an advantage to him in any negotiation, but it is still an option for military force. i think kier is right. today and yesterday were incredibly provocative black and white speeches. the one to the ministry of defense was more revealing in my review. he says the west caused caused all of this. annexed crimea. money of that was part of his speech. so he put out some extremist views. maybe it is a gambit, but it will be hard for him to come back to some of the very outrageously false things he has said in the last few days. >> but what about the talks, and

would this become a trap? also, jen psaki has been asked if there could be a meeting, and they didn't rule out a meeting, but the third, one of two, and they say that slaush is still escalating. they would have to take some of the troops back and so far they have not. first, i think that is the right view. enough meetings, okay? i think that is the wrong dynamic that we're in. i think secretary blinken was right to say that. of course it is better to talk than to go to war, right? and it sounds like there will be talks in january.

they will talk in geneva. i don't think the united states and russia should get together to decide european security. i'm not against that vanl, but they have ukrainians there. but i toopt be clear, we don't know if it will lead to a outcome. many of the things that they have outlined in the draft crea treaties, and usually in negotiations you don't publish the final document until the end of the process, not at the beginning, but let's say for the moment of argument that he wants to have a negotiated solution. there is many things in there that are not acceptable, and will he back off to take something lesser and we just don't know until they sit down to talk. >> the u.s. is prepared to meet with them, of course, but that

does not mean at the presidential level unless there is a deescalation. that is the line, we were told. i also want to ask you about possible signer, i have been told you know that and the new york times has great details on this, that signer is one of the options vladimir putin and he could do it with no fingerprints, no decertain able fingerprints. >> first when russia attacked with cyber weapons, nato did not respond. second if you listen to putin and his military quotes, they are looking for provocations. some of them i think are invented.

hyper sonic missiles. but that reminds me of georgia, and in between doing nothing and full-scale military interif he thinks is a lot of steps. cyberer is one. and i think that could be very probable, then the west and nato in particular will face a very hard question of whether or not they try to respond or if they go back to the negotiating table. >> is there something significant about the fact that we are not rearming lithuania, and the new analysis that lithuania is spending a billion nine on their defense, more than any of other soviet blocked countries. >> tragically i think is the

right thing do. >> mike mcfall, kier simmons, thank you so much. taking it to the top court. breaking news on former president trump, taking up his challenge against a record's request from the january 6th investigators. this is "andrea mitchell reports" on msnbc. this is "andrea mitchell reports" on msnbc. to protect people. to help them save. with a home and auto bundle from progressive. ahh. i was born for this. and now it's prime time. cut. jamie, what are you doing? you're not even in this one. i thought it was thursday. sorry. -it is. -i thought -- i thought it was last thursday. ♪♪ thousands of women with metastatic breast cancer

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we have breaking news in the house investigation into the january 6th incident. after an appeals court had rejected this appeal. joining me now is sahil kapur and paul butler. paul, first to you. we expected the former president to appeal to the supreme court. now he has, what do we expect next? or too hard to predict? >> so trump wants the supreme court to keep 700 pages of his

records secret. three pages of handwritten notes from mark meadows. as a former president he has special rights. he is saying he has executive privilege and that the committee exceeded it's authority. but in a unanimous decision, the u.s. court of appeals for dc rejected it's claim. they say it exposed the fragility of our democracy and that court accepted the judgment of congress and president biden that trump's records are necessary to address this great constitutional moment. but the court delayed implementation so they could go to the supreme court. so here we are. >> and sahil, how important would trump's records be? >> it is very significant, they

want to investigate everything here, and there is a trove of communications in the white house to other individuals that they describe as a fire that was being kindled for months, months, and months. and someone threw a match on it and lit it up. so these records and everything that lead up to it, it is very significant for the committee how they see it. >> what about trying to get confirmation from congress nan jim jordan of ohio? >> that is still tbd as to whether or not he will cooperate. he alleges he had at least one, maybe more communications with president trump, and they also

say that he has information about meetings and strategies to overturn the result of the 2020 election. this is the second sitting member of congress that the committee is investigating for the plot. and scott perry made clear that he will not cooperate. they're going to wait and see if jim jordan will cooperate and then they will have a big decision to make about whether or not they will push the issue subpoenas and try tone force them. that has never happened before. >> paul what is the legal basis that the committee would have to try to get them to cooperate by forcing them through a subpoena. >> there is no historical or legal precedent about whether or not congress has the power to subpoena up with of their own

measures. they says that members of congress should not be question std about their speech or debate in any other place. it doesn't provide immunity from prosecution for principal conduct. so to keep saying he has nothing to hide, the january ofth committee wants him to prove it. >> sahil, we're only two weeks away, what are nancy pelosi's plans. we know how seriously she takes the grievance of this attack. she says she will never forgive president trump for what he did to her staff members that hid under the table for hours in fear. many of the leaders were taken,

and were affected by what happened, what is she planning? >> she says the house will not be in session that week, but they are planning what she calls commemoration activities. she says preparations are under cay for a full program of events including a discussion among historians about the narrative of that day and an opportunity to share experiences and reflections from that day, and she say there's will be a prayerful individual that evening. all members can watch and participate from their district. >> and perhaps not surprisingly, donald trump is planning counter programming with a speech at mar-a-lago on that day of all days. thank you to both of you. happy holidays. and holiday cheer, how one community is happy to make this holiday season so special for afghan refugees, that is next.

this is "andrea mitchell reports" on msnbc. this is "andrea mitchell reports" on msnbc. ♪ red roses too ♪ ♪ i see them bloom ♪ ♪ for me and you ♪ ♪ and i think to myself ♪ ♪ what a wonderful world ♪ a rich life is about more than just money. that's why at vanguard, you're more than just an investor, you're an owner so you can build a future for those you love. vanguard. become an owner. with downy infusions, let the scent set the mood. feel the difference with downy. ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪

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and we have breaking news, an extraordinary voice, writer joan didion has died. she passed away at home after battling parkinson's disease. covering topics like absoluting towards bethlehem. she published run river in 1963, and turned to the civil war in el salvador in miami. she co-wrote successful screen plays including "a star is

born." "up close and personal," and "true confessions." in 2005 she wrote an acclaimed memoir about grief "a year of magical thinking" after the loss of her husband and her daughter. it is a terrible loss what a legacy of literature. and, as the taliban seizes control of investigation, for now calling america a home, there is big challenges for language barriers. one community is coming together in make the first american christmas special for theme families. easing control of afghanistan.

they are december prate to leave their country fearing exportation and worse. >> an interpreter left his country with his pregnant wife and five children just 20 days before the taliban attackover. >> you must have had to leave everything behind. >> yes, i left all of it behind just some cloths and some important things, and i left it all in afghanistan. >> social services in jacksonville, florida, is one of the organizations helping abdul and other refugee families. >> our goal is self sufficient

in 90 days. but abdul is forging ahead. stocking shelves at a warehouse for $14 an hour, barely enough money to cover the rent as the welcome money dries up. >> they just need the basics for themselves and their families. >> that's where one local school steps in. for 15 years presbyterian has donated things like toys. >> to accept everyone. we're all technically the same. there is nothing really different except for our looks and stuff. >> i hope they feel happy and like realize that people care for them. >> what do you want to do when you grow up? is. >> a doctor. >> and they do feel happy in their new home with the opportunity for a fresh start.

but not without fear for what they left behind. >> all of my family members that are back in afghanistan, i'm worried about them. some nights, i could not sleep because of my brothers. what will happen to them? what about their future? >> nbc news. >> our thanks to my colleague and friend yasmine for that lovely story. defining a challenge president biden's domestic plans survive? plans survive? you can always spot a first time gain flings user. ♪

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and 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. that would increase the prospect of running. >> scoop is our chief correspondent for "pbs news hour," politico's house bureau chief, and former maryland democratic congresswoman donna edwards. thanks to all for being here. your reaction to that comment. presidents say they're not running. seemed definitive last night. >> he's been asked this a number of times. vice president harris has been asked if she's talked to him about his plans. the line has been consistent. he is running. he has no plans to announce anything otherwise. of course as you mentioned that's what presidents always say. it is a valid question,

especially for the oldest sitting president. looking ahead, we don't know what the next month or year will bring, much less the next two or three. it's interesting to hear him say that, framing it that way, knowing before donald trump frames it as saying if he runs i would be more tempted to run. >> jonathan, he's facing a consequential test. is he going to pass the build back better bill? voting rights? what are your sources telling you about the top priority? >> well, they're going to try to do both, andrea, and that will be a tall order with significant blocks for either path. the build back better act was dealt a huge blow last week when joe manchin came out and posted, actually broke the news later that sunday night that the senator and the president spoke on the phone and they had cordial conversation. there's been some staff-level talks since. there's been some, i caution,

some optimism that into early next year there will be renewed talks and the build back better act could still happen in some form, probably smaller, maybe in pieces rather than a big swooping bill, but that could happen. voting rights is a priority and the white house is feeling pressure from civil rights groups that want progress by january, martin luther king day. but last night the president said he'd be up to some sort of change to filibuster but didn't specify what. >> last night, congresswoman pramila jayapal, chair of the progressive caucus, spoke to lawrence o'donnell about joe manchin and the path forward. >> you know, i mean, look, he wants the president to be successful and he wants democrats to be successful and he is a democrat, but he's chosen to be in the democratic party. that i hope is what is going to get us across the finish line with build back better. >> does this give you hope, donna edwards, that something

can pass? >> well, you know, i've been hopeful all along even though i was really discouraged over the weekend. but i think that a good sign is that everybody is continuing to talk, and i think, you know, it's been -- it's really good sometimes when you get that break and they've got this holiday break now, cooler heads can prevail when they come back in january. but it has been a hopeful sign that there has been dialogue both on the senate side and also among house members that, you know, people think that there still is a path forward. frankly, for democrats, there's not a choice but to have a path forward. >> jonathan, what is the white house strategy if they don't get it? >> be very unhappy. they recognize how much rides on this. in fact, i spoke to jen psaki this week. she was a guest and said that's not an option but they have to find a way to get this done in some form, that they recognize,

some severe breaches of trust to get the progressives to get out there to believe anything joe manchin has to say again. going to be a hard deal. some of the progressives including congresswoman jayapal, said they trusted gibe to deliver joe manchin's volt and that hasn't happened. the white house put out a scathing statement suggesting in very personal ternls that manchin looked the t in the eye and went back on what he vowed to do. but the president is a longtime senator. he knows how this process sometimes plays out. they're trying to send signals to take the temperature down, try to get to a place where manchin can say yes. but there are thorny issues ahead. it won't be easy. >> something the president did do and there are a lot of implication politically to this and financial implication, the student loan moratorium extended to april. student loans, second most debt in the country, the debt from

student loans. i think it's $36 million or something like that. so let's talk about the importance of this. >> it's incredibly important. it's something progressives have been asking for and pushing for and it's a recognition, really, by the president and the white house that the worst of the recession, the works of the hit the economy has taken in the midst of this pandemic is not behind us by any means, specifically and particularly with this new variant, omicron, surging across the nation now. we've seen this with the president and with this administration taking those kinds of steps as they can to alleviate that. but again, they argue more long-term fixes are needed. that's why they're committed to those key elements in build back better. we'll see what happens monopoly. >> that is it for today. the last time i'll be together with you for this year. thanks to all of you for being with us in this difficult year,

many highs and loos. i've traveled a lot of miles. ukraine, geneva, latvia, sweden, but nothing can compare to what's happened at home. to co-anchoring our live coverage as i watched the rye yoltders climbing the west steps of the capitol on gymnastics. this is a hallowed place. i'd covered that building for years, walked those steps knowing there are only a few panes of fragile glass as i walked glass windows away from those rioters violating the halls of congress. along the way, we've also seen signs of hope. hundreds of millions of americans have gotten vaccinated. the passage of bipartisan infrastructure bill despite the stalemated negotiations for now on the other legislation. as we go into the holidays, i hope we've given you enough reason for hope and optimism and faith as we head into 2022 and that you'll join me and all of us as we continue our journey together on msnbc.

happy holidays, everyone. wishing you all a happy and a safe new year. my friend chuck todd with "meet the press daily" starts after these messages. vicks sinex. instantly clear everyday congestion. and try vicks sinex children's saline. safe and gentle relief for children's noses.

there won't be enough tests for the holidays with millions of americans potentially exposed to the virus. in an urgent scramble to understand omicron, new studies show it is less severe than delta. what does that mean and the fda green lights a new covid antiviral treatment? and decoding what we heard from russian president vladimir putin at his marathon year-end annual press conference. he claims he does not want any military action, but blames the west for growing