Ask McCarthy: How Scared Are You of Talking About the American Rescue Plan?

One day after House passage of President Biden's bipartisan American Rescue Plan, Minority Leader McCarthy is desperate to talk about anything but unanimous House Republican opposition to getting vaccines in arms, money in pockets, children back in school safely, and people back in jobs.

McCarthy resorted to reading Dr. Suess books while the Senate debated the American Rescue Plan and even labeled today's House Republican press conference as "border" focused to avoid questions about Republican opposition to COVID relief demanded by 75 percent of the American people – including 59 percent of Republicans.

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McCarthy and every single House Republican voted against putting vaccines in arms, money in people's pockets, children back in school, and people back in jobs.

Now he's joined a growing list of Washington Republicans struggling to defend their vote against desperately needed COVID relief.

A Republican senator claimed credit for a bill he voted against: "...Senator Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi, tweeted approvingly just hours after the bill passed about the $28.6 billion included for "targeted relief" for restaurants. His post did not mention that he had voted no."

A Former Trump Administration Official told the Washington Post: "We've lost the narrative on this COVID package. It's overwhelmingly supported, and we haven't done a good job to message why Americans should oppose it."

An NRSC Spokesperson told NBC News: : "Nobody denies that there's some stuff in the bill that's popular..."

Anonymous Republican Lawmakers told the New York Times: "Some Republican lawmakers and aides acknowledge the challenge they face in trying to explain to voters why they object to the package, particularly after reaching agreement with Democrats on several rounds of aid earlier in the crisis."