family to say this is not going to end well. >> so prince harry talking about his own understanding of racism changed through his racism with meghan. back with me actress and activist,, so, harry had to see the racism close up to believe it. do you expect to see more realization like this two or three white britains? >> i hope so because that was a glorious moment. moment in history that i hope will shift us in the direction of talking about these very uncomfortable thing. >> i want to ask you about cnn reporting that meghan markle complained about piers morgan's comments denying her mental health claims and she his claim costs down play the seriousness of mental health issues. what's it like for women over there to use their power. to call it like it is. >> i think it is very difficult. i think ever since the black lives matter movement, it's pen easier to express how we feel as mixed race women, brown women, especially, there's been this constant denial to the point we are very much behind america. it is quite ridiculous. >> we want to thank you so much. i appreciate you joining us. be well. >> thank you very much. thank you. >> absolutely. president biden getting ready to take a victory lamb over his coronavirus relief bill and that's not all his administration was able to push through today. president biden set to sign the landmark covid-19 relief bill on friday after it was voted with no gop support. biden calling the legislation a historic victory for the american people. he's going to talk it up in a prime time address. that's tomorrow night. millions of americans will soon receive a $1,400 stimulus check, an increase in weekly unemployment benefits, and expanded child tax credits. and the president is directing the federal government to buy an additional 100 million doses of the johnson & johnson vaccine. let's discuss now. joining me, john harwood and cnn political analyst, john avalon. i have to say last names now, since you gents have the same first. mr. avalon, this is a new cnn poll that shows this bill increasingly incredibly popular with the american people but zero republicans, not one voted for it. we had jen psaki on a short time ago. she said they're going to keep pushing for bipartisanship. do you think they know the score? >> the mere fact no republicans voted for a bill in which some of the contentious items were taken out says it will be a tough road. i don't think it is impossible and i don't think biden should simply couldn't seed it is impossible. it is critically important. can something be done on immigration? on infrastructure? should not give up the ghost on that just yet. the republicans have a problem which is that very often, their fetally is to the far right. not only what their voters believe. that's a disconnect with democracy that they'll have to deal with. >> we're learning about another call where the former president tried to pressure a georgia official in the election. this is part of the interview. >> i won georgia by a lot and the people know it. and something happened. i mean, something bad happened. you go back two years, if you can get to fulton, you're going to find things that will be unbelievable, the dishonesty. it never made sense. and, you know, they dropped ballots. they dropped all those ballots. stacey abrams, really, really terrible, a terrible thing. and i will say this. hopefully, you know, when the right answer comes out, i don't know why, they make it so hard. they will be praised. people will say, great, because that's what it is about. the ability to check into it and to make it right. everyone knows it's wrong. there is just no way. >> can you imagine? listen, with the time that we've had, it gives us some perspective. can you imagine living in that misery, the toxicity and the desperation in that phone call? of course, all of that is a lie but this is similar to the call that we heard between trump and the georgia republican secretary of state brad raffensperger. he was so desperate to stay in power, and the republicans in power. and now they're desperate to restrict voting. this is the next big battle. >> it definitely is the next big battle and it goes to the point that you were just discussing with mr. avalon which is that if the republicans are pressing these aggressive attempts to suppress the vote in states around the country, and if republicans are not willing to cooperate with democrats in governing the country, that could have the effect of driving democrats together. they were already extraordinarily united with very small majorities behind this covid relief bill, may create sufficient unity that you could get joe manchin and kristen cinema to scrap, alter, adjust filibuster so they could pass voting rights legislation for registration and voting procedures that would prevent republicans from suppressing the vote. that would enable them on pass large infrastructure climate, health care legislation. we don't know if it will go there. we don't know if the unity they displayed was a one-shot feel can only happen in the first 50 days of your party and you're trying to support him and get his program through, or is this a moment where democrats realized that governing the country is up to us and we're going to have to both protect democracy and govern the country and solve national problems. we don't know which way it will go. >> we certainly don't. i do appreciate having both of you johns, both of you gentlemen this evening. thank you, i'll see you soon. now i bring in collin allred of texas. i appreciate you joining us. i know it is a very busy time for you. let's talk about what's happening. president biden will sign this $1.9 trillion relief bill on friday. what is this, i don't know, what's the big deal part of this for your state? >> well, thank you for having me on. this is one time where i can come on your show and smile about something. because the american rescue plan is to, quote, president biden, a big freaking deal. it will put shots in arms. money in people's pockets. it will put airline workers back to work. keep restaurants open. it will help strengthen the aca, it support small businesses. texas has been extremely hard hit both by covid-19 and by the storm that hit us a few weeks ago, and the neglect of our statewide leaders. this will allow to us recover and get through this crisis. >> i want you, your response to this, congressman. this is a republican congressman glen grothman, what he said about the bill and then stacey plastickin's response. >> the increase in income tax credit for single people has a marriage penalty in it. i bring it up because i know the strength that black lives matter had in this last election. i know it is a group that it doesn't like the old-fashioned family. >> we've been able to keep our families alive for over 400 years, and the assault on our families to not have black lives or not even have black families. how dare you say that we are not interested in families, in the black community. >> what is your response here? >> well, i think congresswoman plaskett did a great job pushing back on that. what my republican colleague said is unacceptable. it doesn't make any sense because in this bill, we have the biggest expansion of the child income tax credit in our country's history. this is going to have a guaranteed income program for families with kids. i've got a young son, another one on the way very soon here. for middle class, lower income families in the united states, they're going to get $3,000 per child. if you have a kid under 6, it will be $3,600. it will be made in payments. we're already taking care of you in a way that none of our republican colleagues are doing because they didn't vote for it. so the black lives matter movement is making sure we keep brac folks alive. to say that's not an american val, that we don't believe in family in the african-american community. it has no place in the congress. i'm glad she spoke up against it. >> neurodallas now and this mask mandate was lifted in texas today. are you worried this could lead to another big spike? already the rangers are planning to open the stadium at full capacity. that mean more than 40,000 seats. >> i am worried. i'm very worried. i'm worried because the experts are worried. the cdc has told states that we're not there yet. we are a couple months away from being able to get vaccines to every single adult who want one. we are 48 out of 50 states in terms of vaccine distribution here in texas. and the one thing we know that protects folks during this is wearing a mask. to say you're going to open up all the businesses to 100% capacity and not require masks, means we will have increased transmission of covid-19 in texas. what does that mean? it means essential workers are out there trying to work and serve and make sure they can take care of their families will be exposed to covid. our front line health care workers who have had the worst year of their lives, who have been making the most enormous sacrifices to get through this, will be put under increased strain and it is unnecessary. we're almost there. with these covid variants that we know we have in texas, because we've identified them. they're more transmissible so it makes no sense. i love the rangers. i grew up wanting to play center field for the rangers. to everyone, to every texan watching, whatever the governor says, continue to wear your mask and protect yourself and your family. >> what is that number? 56 over your right shoulder there? >> i think i'm the only linebacker, former linebacker in the congress right now. so i had to put that up. >> i like it. i want everybody to give him a ten for having his linebacker jersey in his shot at home. thank you. always pleasure. i'm glad, it is good to see you smiling. hopefully we'll see americans smiling more after they start getting these checks. thank you. so. >> thanks. meghan and harry shocking the world by talking honestly about race right out loud. harry's racial awakening since he met meghan and what it means for the royal family. is now a good time for a flare-up? enough, crohn's! for adults with moderate to severe crohn's or ulcerative colitis... stelara® can provide relief and is the only approved medication to reduce inflammation on and below the surface of the intestine in uc. you, getting on that flight? back off, uc! stelara® may increase your risk of infections, some serious, and cancer. before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you have an infection... flu-like symptoms, sores, new skin growths, have had cancer, or if you need a vaccine. pres, a rare, potentially fatal brain condition, may be possible. some serious allergic reactions and lung inflammation can occur. lasting remission can start with stelara®. if you've been financially impacted by covid-19, janssen may be able to help. for skin that never holds you back don't settle for silver #1 for diabetic dry skin* #1 for psoriasis symptom relief* and #1 for eczema symptom relief* gold bond champion your skin - grammarly business helps my company build higher performing sales teams. since simon's team started using grammarly business to sharpen their writing, we've closed more deals. learn more at grammarly.com/business. so harry and meghan's bombshell allegations in the royal family sparking massive family debate in britain. their explosive interview with oprah winfrey sending shock waves through the royal family which is working to contain the fallout, so far without success. i want to bring in a critic for the "new york times" and a professor at rutgers university in newark, new jersey. thank you. i appreciate you coming on this evening. do you know what? >> thank you for having me. >> it is rare to see such brutal raw honesty about racism discussed so publicly. how damaging do you believe meghan and harry's comments were to the royal family? >> well, we're seeing the fallout, as you pointed out earlier, continuing. we have journalists in brit an writing letters, saying racism is endemmic to the media's coverage, not just the royal family and meghan markle but the way black british people are portrayed in the press. and then you have the ongoing relevancy of the monarchy. what does it mean to be a monarchy in the 21st century? part of what harry saw and what he believed was that his relationship with meghan, his marriage to meghan, reinvigorated the monarchy for a new generation, and for many years to come. so the fact that they experienced racism so quickly and it wasn't in any way contained just shows that the monarchy hasn't modernized. it is not bridgerton. it is not created for a modern people but steeped in old and retro grade ways. >> you wrote a piece for the "new york times." it is called prince harry finally takes on white privilege, his own. and you talk about harry's racial awakening. the second hour of the interview was a culmination of a process harry had been undergoing since the first date in 2016 when he was becoming more cheer eyed, confrontational and emboldened to take on the monarchy into which he was born. and the white privilege that has held it up and benefited him his entire life. how do you think harry did in addressing the issue of white privilege, both his own and that of the entire royal family? >> what i was struck by in that interview, is that for african-american woman like me, i rarely have the experience of seeing someone go through the entire arc of 15 years ago, harry was infamously known for wearing a nazi costume to a party, to someone now who leaves his family because of racism. that is a tremendous evolution of character and of political commitment. so what was interesting about that, that interview, what was compelling to me, stood out to me, he really showed how on the one hand, i don't think he ever thought he would experience racism. then when he married meghan and they were about to have a baby, i think he still thought he was fully protected from the racism that even she was experiencing. that their child would not experience it. even if they experienced it in the media, it wouldn't happen in their family. so when this happened in england when so many white family members are having these debates this their home across generations, young people are questioning their black parents' votes, this was on television, kind of a show case and a spotlight on the intimate conversations that people are often having behind closed doors. he put 30th for all of us to see. and i think it is important when white people expose their privilege and they try to telling a it. it is a very vulnerable thing to do. we should of course not just applaud them, that's what you should do, but it important to note it, to continue to have allies. when someone comes forth as an ally, that's a good thing. i think harry felt he sacrificed a lot and he was losing a lot if his wife and son were treated the way they were. >> we really appreciate having you on. we hope you'll come back. thank you so much. >> thank you so much. >> so i wrote something something that i think could help a lot of people. i wrote this book. this is fire, what i say to my friends about racism. it is coming out next week. you can pre order it now. next, around one in ten americans vaccinated so far. my next guest got vaccinated today and he's hoping influential people like lebron james will speak out more about it. >> things like that, when you decide to have that conversation between you and your family, not for everybody. so i'll keep it that way. lebron james is an outspoken leader in the black community on so many issues, but his reason comments about whether he'll get the covid-19 vaccine have people talking. listen to this. >> it's a conversation, you know, that my family and i will have, you know, and pretty much, keep to it a private thing. you know, the conversation about the vaccine and what not. things like that, when you decide to do something, that's a conversation between and you your family and not for everybody. so i will keep it that way. >> my next guest hopes the influential super star will change his mind. >> if you look at the hospitals, you look at people with pre-existing conditions, high blood pressure, diabetes, things of that nature, clearly when you look at that, you see that the african-american community is disproportionately affected and something needs to be done. if you're lebron and you've been outspent on on so many issues and you've talked about yourself being a leader, you've talked about how you're proud to have this mantle, you've talked about your pro found ability to influence so many lives and all the things to get done, this is not the time to get silent. this is not the time to be private. not that. >> steven a. smith, espn, joins me now. also the author of two new documentaries called black excellence and why not us? stephen, let me start by saying, thank you for appearing on the show. what you're saying is so very, very important. and you're right. lebron is so influential. we know people lm listen to what he says. why do you think he's drawing the line, specially with communities of color that have been hit so hard. >> i think he's drawn the line in the sand, thank you for having me on the show, i think he's drawn a line in the sand because him like so many of us in the african-american community, we have our reservations about health care. considering history, some of the things that have transpired, some of the unethical and insidious behavior that has been exercised against the african-american community for so many years. it gives you a cause to pause. makes you am rehencive and highly skeptical about the advice emanating from the medical community. so i definitely understand where lebron james is coming from and i in no way want to castigate him in any way. i'm just pointing out, when you look at the data, the statistics, when you hear the information out there, that black folks are dying, like two and a half more black folks are dying than white folks and other ethnic groups in this country pause of covid-19, and you take into consideration, the pre-existing conditions like die beat, obesity and other things, we're definitely disproportionately affected. so because that's the reality, that same hesitation that lebron expressed that i know that i've had for various months, for many months. i just reached a conclusion that it was time to step up and stand up and not just take vaccine. but to make sure i acknowledged publicly even despite those reservations, it was the right thing to do because black folks are dying over this. and we're disproportionately affected by it. >> and let's put it out there. you just mentioned, you got vaccinated today. before you tell us about that, it was yesterday. before you tell us about that, i think it is important, what you're saying. many times, people think that it is a criticism. what you're saying is a call to action. it's not a criticism of lebron. it is a call to action from someone who is powerful, for someone who is powerful who can have a huge influence and save lives. there's a big difference there. >> well, absolutely. it needs to be said. in no way am i trying to be critical of him. he has stood front and central and taken on issues on behalf of black people across the nation. i applaud him form... i'm saying as dire as those circumstances were, this is certainly not less important when you consider the number of lives that have been lost and the number of lives in danger. being lost. former president barack obama took vaccine and he did it in a public fashion. tyler perry and a plethora of others. and i've seen do you so along with various others. we feel an obligation to step up and say despite the recommendations, it is not something we can run from. even though it took me a little while to get tom point, i have to fess up