Thursday, November 12, 2020
PMT: Ron Klain
Yesterday, President-elect Biden chose Ron Klain to be his chief of staff. It may not seem significant in the way that a cabinet position might be viewed, but to those who know the White House, it is seen as a key role-- at least in the right hands. Though it is not defined by law, the position has developed into a particular kind of power center over the past 40 years.
The chief of staff basically runs air traffic control, deciding who gets access to the president and what roles senior officials take on. Though there are ministerial tasks, the job also involves protecting the president.
Most two-term presidents end up having several chiefs of staff (George W. Bush was unusual in having just two), since the average tenure is just 18 months. It is a high-burnout position, as you might imagine. Obama had five, and in just one term Donald Trump has run through four (Reince Priebus, John Kelly, Mick Mulvaney, and Mark Meadows).
Klain seems well-positioned for the job. He's a lawyer, and a graduate of Harvard Law School who clerked for one of the more interesting Supreme Court Justices, Byron "Whizzer" White. He first worked for Biden when the President-Elect was a senator, in 1989. He has already done two stints as chief of staff to two vice-presidents, Al Gore and Biden.
He has also been in the middle of two prior crises that seem to give him some very relevant experience. First, he headed up the Gore campaign's efforts in the Florida recount in 2000. Second, under Obama he was the "Ebola Czar" in what was an effective effort to prevent a pandemic.
This should be a hopeful time. And competence in key positions should be part of what gives us hope.
