Regardless of the current president Trump
Whether to accept the election results
US "election as president" Biden
has started the pace of organizing a new government
Wednesday
Biden announced the appointment of its long-term assistant
Ron Klein
as chief of staff
This is the first important appointment
Who serves as chief of staff
Who is elected to be the chief of staff
The most important personnel decision
The president's governing style may be affected
Why did Biden choose Klein to take on important positions?
reveals what considerations it is?
After all, there is a saying in Washington:
Personnel is policy
Key positions
White House Chief of Staff (Chief of the General Office) is one of the most important tasks of Washington, DC . As the "gatekeeper" and "steward" of the US president, the chief of staff should act as a military advisor and give advice to the president; on the other hand, they should run around and coordinate relations with political parties, congresses, bureaucrats and other aspects for the president.
CNN pointed out that the chief of staff is not included in the cabinet (vice president and 15 ministers), but this key position enjoys the cabinet level. Whoever serves as chief of staff is also regarded as the most important personnel decision for the president-elect.
This choice not only shows how the elected president thinks of himself—his strengths and weaknesses, what he thinks he needs most (and least needs), but also sends a signal to Washington officials—what they will deal with in the White House .
Historically, the candidates for chief of staff who are elected as president often send a signal that the new government is given priority.
For example, Obama chose Washington "fighter" Ram Emanuel as chief of staff after winning the election in 2008 to assist the new president with low political experience in Washington quickly opened up the situation in Washington.
Trump chose then Republican chairman Reince Pribers four years ago, and was seen as intending to repair his relationship with the establishment faction within the Republican Party.
At present, Biden has chosen Klein, who is highly praised. He praised Klein as a "rare adviser" on Twitter and highly praised the latter's performance in dealing with the 2008 financial crisis and the Ebola epidemic.
"Klein is experienced and able to work with people from different political factions, which is exactly what we need to face a crisis and bring the country together again," Biden said.
Klein said he looks forward to assisting Biden in forming a talented and diverse team, while working to promote the reform agenda and seeking a path to bridge national differences.
"New York Times " said that Biden took the first step to appoint senior officials in the new administration.
Loyalty and Trust
Klein, 59, was born in Indiana and graduated from Harvard Law School. He began working for the Democratic Party in 1989. Since then, Klein has served as Biden's assistant for a long time and is regarded as his confidant.
And in Biden's political career, there has been almost always the same group of people in his core circle, including Klein. His relationship with Biden can be traced back to the late 1980s, when he was general counsel to the Senate Judicial Committee, which Biden was chaired at the time.
In 2008, Vice President-elect Biden chose Klein as his chief of staff. During this year's election, Klein also served as a senior adviser to Biden's campaign.
rich experience
Klein also has rich political experience. He has served as chief of staff to two vice presidents, Gore and Biden, and enjoys a certain reputation in assisting the Democratic camp in dealing with complex affairs. In 2010, Klein also joined the list of chief of staff who Obama considered.
CNN said that Klein's resume was completely "the Washington establishment", which is why Biden chose him. By appointing Clay as chief of staff, Biden reiterated that experienced veterans are better than newbies. "He knows Washington, and Washington knows him too."
The New York Times described him as "calm and calm" while full of wisdom. “As a political strategist, Klein is well aware of the power leverage of the administration and legislative departments of the government.”
The Washington Post commented that Klein is a strategist with both legal and political acumen. Over the past few decades, he has often become the driving force behind Washington’s policies. “From responding to the Ebola epidemic to candidate debates to personnel appointments at the White House, his work is all-inclusive. "
At the moment, the Biden team will advance the transition from old and new governments without the help of the Trump administration, and Klein's experience will be very necessary.
Return to tradition
Biden is expected to restore the historical responsibilities of chief of staff "gatekeepers", executives and chief advisers. Preliminary signs indicate that his presidency will follow tradition to a greater extent.
The Associated Press said that Biden is seeking to strengthen the new administration with more traditional "insiders" and this is an amazing transformation compared to Trump's selection of a large number of "outsiders". The Biden administration will stop and reverse Trump administration policies, restore and expand Obama administration policies.
Selection More experienced professionals also show that Biden is working to lift Washington out of the chaos of the Trump administration. Some Democrats hope that more traditional candidates will help rebuild the morale of thousands of civil servants who have suffered frequent setbacks under Trump.
"You're talking not just those who are proficient in government functions, you're talking about people who respect government functions very much," Ed Espinosa, former political director of Western states in the Democratic National Committee (Ed "This is a key difference between the Trump administration and the Biden administration," Espinoza said. "
layout to fight the epidemic
It can also be seen from Klein's appointment that Biden will regard fighting the new crown epidemic as the top priority after taking office, which is also in line with his previous commitment.
In 2014, Obama decided to appoint Clay as the "Ebola response coordinator". As the "spokesperson" of the federal government's response to Ebola affairs, Klein comprehensively coordinated the domestic epidemic response in the United States, as well as the military deployment of the United States to help West African countries curb the spread of the Ebola epidemic. At that time, Klein's anti-epidemic form Now he has also won the title of "Ebola Master".
Since this year, Klein has repeatedly criticized the Trump administration for its ineffective fight against the epidemic and has received a lot of attention. At a time when the number of confirmed cases of the new crown in the United States exceeds 10.53 million and the number of deaths exceeds 240,000, Klein's experience in the field of public health is crucial.
In addition, Klein has also assisted Biden in dealing with economic recovery. In 2009, he assisted Biden in drafting a $800 billion rescue bill. At present, the two parties in the US Congress are focusing on The introduction of a new round of relief bills has reached a stalemate.
More than 100 Cabinet
In the past four years, Trump's cabinet has been dominated by whites and men, and there are even many cross-border people. Biden has promised to form a government that reflects the diversification of the United States. His cabinet shortlist also shows the emergence of women, young people and minorities.
This can be found from Treasury Secretary candidate Lair Brainard (female), Defense Secretary candidate Michel Fronoi (female), and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development candidate Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bartoms (female, African-American ancestry) and others have seen it.
Biden is expected to announce some candidates for key positions in the next few days or weeks, but his cabinet formation process still faces many major unknowns. Cabinet nominations need to be approved by the Senate, which is currently controlled by the Republican Party. On January 5 next year, Georgia will hold a runoff election, which may decide which party controls the Senate and affects the cabinet nomination confirmation process.
Source: Shangguan News
