Biden has no official power until 1/20 -- but the most immediately effective plank of his COVID plan is upping mask usage, and that's almost entirely about messaging.

So, notable he spent so much time making the case for masks today.

Biden wants to require masks on federal property and interstate travel. He's talked before about urging more state and local-level mandates. But in the end it's persuasion that will matter the most.

Biden talked so much about FDR.

One parallel: the crisis FDR won an election in got catastrophically worse between election & inauguration. That will likely happen w/ COVID too.

FDR opted to NOT weigh in much during that window, instead waiting for when he was on the clock.