March 12, 2021 7:00 AM
By Zachary Sherwood and Brandon Lee
President Joe Biden offered a Fourth of July goal for the U.S. to begin returning to normal as âlight in the darknessâ to a weary nation last night, counting on a rapidly expanding supply of coronavirus vaccine to raise American hopes.
In his first prime-time address as president, Biden told states he wants all adults in the U.S. made eligible for vaccines by May 1. That vision was already within reach before his announcement, on the first anniversary of lockdowns that paralyzed the worldâs largest economy.
The new goal carried echoes of the last time Biden made a promise he was already on track to meet — his declaration before taking office that his administration would preside over 100 million doses of vaccine jabbed into American arms in his first 100 days. By the time he was inaugurated, the U.S. was already nearing a pace of 1 million shots a day, virtually assuring the goal would be achieved. Biden said yesterday that the nation would hit the threshold next week, just 60 days into his presidency.