Republicans attack the White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain
Democrats struggle to save minimum wage hike Biden ‘disappointed’ in Senate parliamentary ruling, but ‘respects’ decision The memo: Biden faces first major setback as Teeth totter MORE as ‘the man behind the curtain’ and ‘Prime Minister Klain’ as they try to push back someone they see as a formidable opponent in the battle for President Biden
Joe BidenBiden Supports Organizing Union Efforts Senate Democrats Ignore ‘Plan B’ On Minimum Wage Hike Kavanaugh Appalles Conservatives By Dodging Pro-Trump Election Procedures MORE‘s agenda.
The GOP blames Klain for Biden’s refusal to lower the price for his $ 1.9 trillion COVID-19 aid package, an approach they believe goes against Biden’s campaign promises.
“We have gotten the impression from our members who have attended meetings there that he is kind of the man behind the curtain,” said Senate Republican Whip John Thune
John Randolph ThuneRick Scott Acknowledges Biden Won ‘Absolutely’ Fair Elections After Voting Against Aid Package, Golden Calls For More Duality Graham: Trump Will Be ‘Helpful’ To All Incumbent GOP Senators MORE (RS.D.).
Assistants to the Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell Trump shows he is holding the GOP, media in CPAC barnburner Trump rules out starting new party: ‘Fake News’ Sunday shows – Trump’s resurgence, COVID-19 vaccines and variants dominate MORE (R-Ky.) Have described the White House Chief of Staff as “Prime Minister Klain,” an attempt to hurt Biden.
A Republican aide said the point of focus on Klain is to undermine the public perception of Biden as a leader who is totally committed to it.
“It plays into the theme that Biden isn’t really running the show here,” said the assistant. “It responds to the theme: he is the figurehead and jovial and needs permission from this unelected man to make a decision.”
The assistant acknowledged that Biden has a high endorsement score and that the public has embraced the president’s personality, but said there is an opportunity for Republicans to claim that “he’s not actually running the show there, be it Ron Klain or [Speaker Nancy] Pelosi [D-Calif.] and [Senate Majority Leader Charles] Schumer [D-N.Y.]Who is really in charge.
The other point of the GOP strategy is to put pressure on Klain to back down and perhaps give Biden more incentive to negotiate with Republicans in Congress and show what they would characterize as greater independence.
Her. Susan Collins
Susan Margaret Collins Senate considers changes to .9 trillion coronavirus law Sasse reprimands Nebraska Republican Party for impeachment vote Collins urges Biden to rethink US-Canada border limit order (R-Maine), who led a group of 10 GOP senators that Biden met at the White House earlier this month, says Biden is being enrolled by Schumer and Klain. Republicans also say Pelosi is pushing Biden to the left.
“The problem is that what appear to be productive talks are being countered by the Democratic leader in the Senate,” Collins told reporters.
She said Klain tried to undermine any progress Biden and GOP senators might have made at a White House meeting with GOP senators on Feb. 1.
“Ron was shaking his head in the back of the room all the time, which isn’t exactly an encouraging sign,” she said.
McConnell himself on Thursday highlighted Klain’s characterization of the Democrats’ COVID aid package as the most progressive legislation in a generation to suggest the president’s move to the left.
“The president has opted for a very progressive start. His chief of staff, on MSNBC yesterday, said regarding the COVID package the most progressive legislation in a generation, ”said the GOP leader. “The president has decided not to be a centrist.”
Biden allies call the attacks on Klain stupid, specifically the suggestion that it is he and not Biden in charge. They say the Republicans are covering up their own reluctance to meet with Biden halfway through COVID assistance and other democratic priorities with broad popular support.
“God loves Ron Klain, but Joe Biden is doing what Joe Biden wants to do,” said an adviser. “He certainly takes over the advice and processes it. Ron is one of the best advisers the president has, but he knows what to do. ”
Recognized as one of the most powerful White House Chiefs of Staff in recent memory, Klain has a close relationship with Biden thanks to their long history together.
He served as chief counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee from 1989 to 1992, when Biden chaired the committee, and later served as Biden’s vice presidential chief of staff from 2009 to 2011. Klain assisted Biden’s speechwriters during his 1988 presidential campaign.
Thune said Republicans who met Biden “ believe the president really wants to work with Republicans and tends to want to rule a little more advisory or cooperative in the middle, but his staff is pushing him hard to the left. “
“I hope they correct that and that the president asserts his authority in the situation, otherwise it will be difficult to get any kind of legislative achievement that requires cooperation with the Republicans,” he said.
Klain has come to the attention of the media for playing a large role in the appointment of Neeera Tanden as budget chief.
The Washington Post reported Thursday, citing four senior Democratic officials, that Klain was “an ally” of Tanden and “a major advocate who recommended her” nomination despite a history of sharp tweets targeting not only Republicans but some progressives in the Senate.
It is unclear whether Tanden has 50 votes in the Senate with centrist Sen. Joe Manchin
Joseph (Joe) Manchin Senate Democrats Ignore ‘Plan B’ On Minimum Wage Hike Senate Considers Changes To 9 Trillion Coronavirus Bill Brown Vows Democrats Will Find ‘A Way’ To Raise Minimum Wage MORE (DW.Va.) was against her nomination.
Klain told MSNBC’s Joy Reid on Wednesday that “we’re fighting our courage” to get her confirmed.
A Democratic strategist close to the White House told The Hill that in Tanden’s case, it is clear that Ron is “doing what he can to make this happen.”
“I think he’s Neera’s biggest fan in the building, there’s no question about it,” said the strategist. “The fact that she’s still in conflict is 100 percent due to Ron.”
Klain said on Wednesday that he would find another place for Teeth to serve in the administration if she can’t get through the Senate, yet he stated: Neera Teeth
Neera TandenBiden Brings Back Bipartite Meetings in White House Politics, Not Racism or Sexism, Declare Opposition to Biden Cabinet Nominees. On The Money: Democrats Struggle To Save Minimum Wage Hike | Personal incomes rise, inflation remains low after stimulus MORE erupts confirmed. “
Her. Chris Coons
Chris Andrew Coons Pompeo: Release of Khashoggi report by Biden admin ‘reckless’ Senate Democrat: Saudi relationship is ‘recalibrated’ Democrats don’t trust GOP 1/6 committee: ‘These people are dangerous’ MORE (D-Del.), One of Biden’s closest Senate allies, said Biden made it clear at this month’s meeting with GOP lawmakers that he is the ultimate decision-maker.
“Joe Biden is President of the United States and Ron is a very capable, highly skilled Chief of Staff who has known President Biden for decades and works closely with them,” he said. “It’s important to respect the fact that it was President Biden who immediately said, ‘I want to personally meet ten Republican senators.’
“What was scheduled for an hour went for two, and several of my Republican colleagues said [Biden] knew their numbers better than they did, ”he said. “I disagree and keep coming back to this story that Joe Biden is somehow not really the president, not really in charge and other people are.”