Ron Klain, Joe Biden’s departing chief of staff, was so closely identified with the Administration that an assessment of his tenure is inseparable from an evaluation of the Biden Presidency—its culture, its maneuvers, its achievements and defeats.
—was so extensive that Republicans referred to him as the Prime Minister. Last Friday, the Administration confirmed reports that Klain is preparing to leave the job on February 8th.
At sixty-one, Klain has a thick brush of dark hair, the physique of a tenured professor, and a sense of humor about Washington’s absurdities. Indicating the unlit fireplace in his office, he said, “That’s where Mark Meadows burned documents.” Klain added, “I have not lit it once.” In some Administrations, the backbiting can be brutal, so it was notable that news of Klain’s departure elicited effusions.
Americans are fond of the mythology of the outsider who sweeps into town and immediately takes on the higher echelons of government —“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” even if, in practice, Mr. Smith usually comes not from the hinterlands but from Goldman Sachs. Klain, by contrast, is a case study in the slow accumulation of expertise. Raised in Indianapolis, he was drawn to politics by a childhood encounter with Bobby Kennedy, who visited the Klain family’s plumbing-supply business, in early 1968.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Did Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Issue Statewide Ban on Pink Floyd?The band had recently changed its social media logo to include a rainbow.
Read more »
Philly Democrats have ample time to protest Ron DeSantis but none for their cityFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) was honored last week at the historic Union League of Philadelphia, receiving the organization's gold medal of honor, an award first given to President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. The distinction is 'conferred on men who were regarded as deserving well of their country.'…
Read more »
Ron DeSantis Is “Actively Preparing” for Presidential Run and Donald Trump Is Having a MeltdownRon DeSantis is reportedly laying the groundwork for a 2024 presidential run and Donald Trump is, unsurprisingly, not taking it well. Read the latest from besslevin:
Read more »
Opinion | Polls reveal the real reason Ron DeSantis is fighting the teaching of Black historyOver the last two decades, Republican voters have become increasingly convinced that too much Black history is being taught in public schools.
Read more »
Lakeland mass shooting shines spotlight on Ron DeSantis' gun viewsFlorida's legislature introduced a bill that would allow carrying a concealed gun without a permit the same day 10 people were injured in a drive-by shooting.
Read more »
Ron Howard Mourns 'American Graffiti' Co-Star Cindy Williams' DeathRon Howard is in shock over the death of his longtime co-star and friend, Cindy Williams.
Read more »