President Biden goes on the record, acknowledging his buildback better plan won't pass before the start of the new year.

With a push now towards voting rights, the question is, do Democrats have a plan to change the filibuster rule?

Plus, the latest on the COVID-19 pandemic, the president warning of a winter of, quote, severe illness and death for the

unvaccinated. When it comes to specific vaccines, the question is, does the CDC now have preferences?

And all 17 missionaries held captive in Haiti are now free. The question is, what role

do the U.S. government play in securing their release?

It's way too early for this.

Good morning and welcome to way too early,

the show that's keeping a close eye on the fast-moving develops involving COVID.

Please, everyone, stay safe this weekend. I'm Jonathan Lemire on this Friday, December 17th. We'll start with the news. President Biden says it could take weeks to finalize his $2 trillion

dollar social spending package, conceding that Democrats will not pass the Build Back Better Plan

this year.

According to a statement from the president,

talks between the White House and Senator Joe Manchin will continue next week.

The statement reads in part this,

we will, we must get Build Back Better passed,

even in the face of Republican opposition.

At the same time, we must also press forward

on voting rights legislation

and make progress on this as quickly as possible. Democrats also lost their fight to have

work permits for undocumented immigrants included in the bill. This is the third time the

provision was rejected. Senator Dick Durbin said the Senate parliamentarian offered the same

...