President Joe Biden’s press secretary described a tearful meeting at the White House as chief of staff Ron Klain and senior staff reminisced on his tenure as he prepares to depart after two years.
“Ron started off by tearfully telling the team how proud he was to serve with them and how he was even prouder of what we accomplished together over the last two years. And then each person went around telling their own favorite Ron story,” Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Friday, calling herself “a proud Klain-iac.”
BIDEN’S INCOMING CHIEF OF STAFF REIGNITES WHITE HOUSE FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY CONCERNS
“There were a lot of tears but even more love on the call,” she added. “He sees you when no one else sees you, and when he does see you, he lifts you up. That is the definition of a leader.”
Soon to replace Klain as Biden’s top aide is Jeff Zients, the president’s former COVID-19 czar and a seasoned business executive. Jean-Pierre praised Zients as someone who “understands how to get big things done.” He is known for his turnaround of the foundering Obama healthcare exchange.
Biden announced the transition in a statement Friday after Klain sent an email to White House officials saying he planned to depart shortly after the State of the Union on Feb. 7.
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Zients returned to the White House in a temporary capacity last fall to help scout candidates for top administration roles before Democrats saw better-than-expected midterm results upending those plans.
