Joe Biden picks longtime aide Ron Klain as chief of staff
November 12, 2020
US President-elect Joe Biden has named his longtime advisor Ron Klain as his new chief of staff as the Biden administration prepares to take office early next year.
"Ron Klain’s deep, varied experience and capacity to work with people all across the political spectrum is precisely what I need in a White House chief of staff as we confront this moment of crisis and bring our country together again," said Biden on Twitter.
Klain, who has worked with Biden since his 1987 presidential campaign, brings decades of experience to the table at a time when the president-elect faces an uphill task of combating the coronavirus as well as economic distress.
Often dubbed the Ebola czar, Klain served as the coordinator for President Barack Obama’s Ebola response during the 2014 outbreak. He also played an important role in putting together the Obama administration's economic recovery plan in 2009.
Coronavirus as a priority
Klain’s appointment outlines the incoming president’s commitment to tackle the pandemic, which has ravaged the US this year. Over 240,000 people have died and more than 10 million coronavirus infections have been reported in the country.
Read more: Joe Biden's biggest task: Fighting COVID-19
Earlier this week, Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris held consultations with scientists and health care experts, who will lead the next administration's charge on the coronavirus pandemic.
The 13-member task force will be co-chaired by former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. David Kessler, former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, and Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, an associate professor at Yale University, whose research focuses on health care equity for marginalized communities.
The task force’s main agenda is to help Biden put together a blueprint to combat the pandemic.
Appeasing the progressive wing?
Biden's decision has been welcomed by the more progressive wing of the Democratic Party, as he is seen to be open to some of their priorities — climate change and health care. Senator Elizabeth Warren reacted to the news by calling Klain a "superb choice."
Many progressives had been apprehensive about Biden’s other possible picks and former chiefs of staff — Steve Richetti and Bruce Reed. Richetti has faced criticism for his work as a lobbyist, while Reed was seen as too moderate to bring about crucial reforms.
see/rc (AP, dpa, Reuters)