I remember you and I talking during the campaign, and you had the former guy saying that, well,

you know, the former guy. The former guy. Okay. The former guy, President Biden's way of referring to

former President Trump in a town hall last night, kind of has a good ring to it. Good morning and

welcome to morning, Joe.

It's Wednesday.

February 17th.

With us, we have.

She's White House correspondent for the New York Times, Peter Baker.

And member of the New York Times editorial board, Mara Gay, joins us this morning.

And we begin with the latest developments with the COVID vaccines as the

Biden administration announced a sharp increase in the amount of vaccine doses is sending out to the

states. We're increasing the vaccine supply to 13.5 million doses per week that will go out to states.

This is a 57% increase from the amount states received when the president was inaugurated.

The administration is also upping the number of COVID vaccines being sent to pharmacies.

The White House says it is looking to have vaccine doses available at 40,000

local pharmacies nationwide. White House chief of staff Ron Clayne tweeted, quote, vaccine supplies

from the states up from 8.6 million doses per week when we arrived to 13.5 million per week now, up almost 60% in just four weeks.

This vaccine success could be one of the reasons.

Biden is enjoying high approval numbers, 62% in the latest political morning consult poll.

Critics pointing out that's those actually

it's very high Willie those are are high numbers really high those are up there the other guy

close to the top uh the last guy of what however he referred to the other guy uh never got close to

...