United States: Joe Biden and possible candidates for his cabinet

The tasks are numerous, the challenges great: Joe Biden and his team have already begun their work in the fight against the corona virus, almost as if the president-elect is already in the White House.

The pandemic would be his top priority, the Democrat had announced before the elections. This is also reflected in his personnel decisions: First, he assembled a team of experts to coordinate the containment of the virus.

The next step is to fill key positions in the White House. Here, too, fighting the pandemic should be a guiding thought: as a frontrunner for the important post of Chiefs of Staff applies to Biden’s advisor for a long time Ron klainwho coordinated the response to the Ebola outbreak in the Barack Obama White House.

Only in the next step does Biden want to decide who should be at the helm of which ministries. When assembling his cabinet, the future president will have to take into account the wishes of a large part of his party. They want a cabinet whose representatives defend progressive politics and at the same time reflect the diversity of America. It is important that the cabinet “look like the country,” Biden said in the spring: men and women, straight and gay, black, white and Asian.

On the other hand, there is another fact that Biden will not be able to ignore: the ministers are confirmed by the Senate. And in this, Republicans are expected to have a majority, unless Democrats win both elections for Senate seats in Georgia in early January.

It is possible, if not likely, that Republicans will adopt a blocking and sabotage stance no matter who Biden nominates. According to a Washington Post report, Biden could use a tactic that Donald Trump used during his presidency: the appointment of executive ministers and other top officials by Congress.

But regardless of the composition of the Senate, Biden will not be able to be guided solely by the democratic base. Your efforts to reunite the country will also affect job assignments. Therefore, it would not be surprising to find at least one prominent Republican among your cabinet members.

As a promising candidate for the position of Foreign minister Golden Susan rice. Hardly anyone has as much experience in the field as the former UN ambassador and national security adviser. Biden and Rice worked together under Obama, their personal relationship is considered good. The diplomat knows the processes and does not have to get used to it. This is an advantage, especially at a time when the crisis in the crown will absorb many of the capabilities of the new Biden government.

The fierce resistance expected from Republicans in the Senate could speak out against Rice. This was one of the reasons he withdrew his candidacy for the post during Obama’s second term.

Together with Rice he William Burns negotiated for the job, career diplomat and deputy secretary of state under Obama. Even the Democratic senators Chris Coons Y Chris murphy are attributed to opportunities. The same goes for Antony blink, Biden’s foreign policy advisor.

On top of the Ministry of Defence There was never a woman or a member of a minority. This is expected to change with Biden: Michele Flournoy is considered one of the favorites for work.

The co-founder of the Center for a New American Security, a think tank based at the political center, held a senior position in the ministry under Obama. In the summer, he drafted a plan on how the Pentagon could more effectively counter China when it comes to technology.

In addition to Fournoy, the Democratic senator could also be Tammy duckworth Have possibilities to assume the position. The veteran, who lost both legs as a result of an attack in the Iraq war, has already been shortlisted for Vice President Biden.

Next to the Ministry of Defense is Ministry of Finance the second major house that has been run exclusively by white men in its history thus far. That is also likely to change. The favorite in the post is considered Lael Brainard, governor of the central bank.

A Republican majority in the Senate would favor a more progressive candidate like the senator Elizabeth warren it is very likely to get in the way. Meanwhile, the influential body of black congressmen is campaigning for black candidates like the former vice president of the central bank. Roger ferguson or the investor Mellody hobson rigid.

The new head of the Ministry of Finance will have one of the most difficult tasks of all: to face the crisis of the crown economically.

Several applicants await opportunities to be on top of the job Ministry of Justice outside. One of them is that Doug jones from Alabama, who lost to Republican Tommy Tuberville in the race for his Senate seat in the House of Lords of Congress.

Jones is white, masculine and southern; It would not make the cabinet more diverse. During his time as a federal prosecutor, however, he made a name for himself because decades after the attack on a black church in Birmingham in 1963 he convicted two members of the Ku Klux Klan.

Jones should have a lot of competition: the head of the Democratic National Committee, Tom perez, it also pays opportunities. too Sally yates, a former top ministry official, is being acted out. She became a star among progressives early in the Trump presidency when she refused to defend Trump’s entry ban for citizens of various Muslim states and was subsequently fired from him.