News Information and Media Site: 100 million dose pledge not Biden's "final goal" ... and thank you, Tom Brokaw

From NBC's Ben Kamisar

If it's Sunday, is 100 million vaccinations in 100 days enough?

Some key infectious disease experts say no, and America had already hit the 1 million vaccinations-per-day pace in the final days of the Trump administration.

That's why White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, in his first Sunday show interview of the Biden administration, said the "bold" goal is "not the endpoint."

Klain doubled down on the administration's criticism of its predecessors (criticism Dr. Anthony Fauci tried to blunt by disputing the idea Biden is starting from scratch), saying that the Trump administration lacked a wider vaccine distribution plan.

"We need more vaccine, we need more vaccinators, we need more vaccination sites. And in the Biden administration, we are tackling all three."

—White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain on "Meet the Press."

As Klain said, it's a complex problem that requires a whole-of-government approach.

And as we've said: considering the perilous place America is at right now related to the virus — with more than 3,000 people dying each day (sometimes 4,000) and rising worries about mutant strains — if and how Biden tackles the virus may be the result that shades virtually every piece of his presidency.

Click on the photo below to watch the full interview with Klain.

A divided Senate in divided times

While the Senate is making progress on confirming Biden's Cabinet (something Klain specifically praised during his interview), the Senate is still mired in a debate over the rules that will govern the 50/50 body.

The main issue is the filibuster — the rule that makes it harder to pass legislation without a significant majority (which, in a split Senate, means bipartisan).

As progressives push Democrats to do away with the filibuster to press forward with their agenda, Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, a member of Senate leadership, confirmed that move is still on the table.

"If this filibuster has now become so common in the Senate that we can't act, that we just sit there helpless, shame on us. Of course we should consider a change in rule under those circumstances, but let's see."

—Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin on "Meet the Press."

Providing the GOP Senate perspective, South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds didn't focus on the filibuster itself as much as he did on Republican criticism that forthcoming coronavirus relief needs to be tightly targeted.

And he brushed aside questions about the forthcoming impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump by arguing the trial would distract from work on confirmations and the virus, and questioning its constitutionality all together.

Click on the photos below to watch the full interviews with both senators.

TWEETS OF THE DAY: The final count

DATA DOWNLOAD: What would four American political parties look like?

America is still a country of two political parties. But as Republicans (and to a lesser extent, Democrats) deal with division within their parties, the binary misses some important nuance in 20201's politics.

New data from the latest NBC News poll found that the electorate can be split up across four "parties" — Trump Republicans, party Republicans, Biden Democrats, and Democrats who back more left-leaning candidates like Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren or Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Interestingly enough, each group made up 17 percent of our poll.

Click on the graphic below to see how that identification colors those voters' perspective on some key issues.

ICYMI: "Thank you, Tom. We love you."

The legendary Tom Brokaw is hanging up his tie after an incredible 55 years to enjoy a much-deserved retirement.

Brokaw wasn't just only one of the most recognizable voices in television news over the last half-century — he was an anchor (in all senses of the word) of all things NBC, hosting Today, Nightly News and Meet the Press among a litany of accomplishments.

Today, Chuck said it best: "Thank you, Tom. We love you."

Click on the photo below to watch more from today's show.