Joe Biden ran on competence and experience, and he chose a chief of staff known for both, Ron Klain.
“We’re seeing a functioning White House. Go figure,” says Chris Whipple, who wrote The Gatekeepers, a book about White House chiefs of staff. “That’s a tribute to Klain.”
In the first 49 days of the administration, Klain has had a big win and also a notable loss, but he entered the role with broad experience and a good relationship with the president.
Taking the win
The coronavirus relief bill passed on a party-line vote — not exactly what Biden wanted — but the Democrats’ tiny majority stayed remarkably intact.
Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins was part of the brief and ultimately fruitless negotiations with Biden and Klain. But Collins is not criticizing the president. She told reporters last month, “He was very attentive, gracious, into the details. There was a great discussion.”
In those bipartisan discussions, Klain played a silent but useful role — although not one that made Collins very happy. “Ron was shaking his head in the back of the room the whole time, which is not exactly an encouraging sign,” she said.
In this case, Klain absorbed the criticism that senators like Collins are not willing to give a president they know and like — and whose approval ratings are in the high 50s.
