Job-seekers busy in case Biden wins
Joe Biden remains locked in a bitterly fought race for the presidency, but the Congressional Black Caucus is nonetheless already gathering résumés for jobs in his would- be administration. Pete Buttigieg’s fans are pitching him as ambassador to the United Nations. And Republicans who backed Biden are being eyed for their own possible roles.
As Biden hopscotches around the country in the campaign’s final weekend, his allies are jockeying over Cabinet appointments, ambassadorships and other plum positions, while Biden’s advisers have quietly begun mapping out an administration, according to people familiar with the activities.
That’s igniting tensions among various factions, tensions that are poised to erupt into ferocious fights should Biden win, since the appointments would dictate the direction and shape of a Biden presidency. Liberals, who are demanding rewards after muting their criticism of Biden’s centrism during the campaign, are scrutinizing the records of more-moderate potential picks in hopes of derailing them, while longtime Biden allies are looking for work.
“There are a lot of mouths to feed,” said one person familiar with the dynamic, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to comment frankly. “Finding space for them will be a challenge.”
The stakes are higher than usual. Biden’s appointees, if he wins, will determine the United States’ response to the Trump era — whether it is a return to traditional centrism or a plunge into liberal activism. And they will be tasked with repairing what Democrats see as the severe damage of the Trump era, as many federal agencies have departed from long-held practices and norms.
Biden is also eager to break barriers by appointing African Americans, Latinos and women to high- level posts, according to people familiar with his thinking. Those groups have been instrumental in Biden’s political successes this year or are seen as key to his path to the White House.
“In their early announcements, they’re going to set tones and demonstrate the commitment to the diversity that he cares about — and the priorities that he cares about,” said Hilary Rosen, a Democratic consultant and a close ally of the Biden team. Rosen said Biden’s aides have “cast a very wide net.”
But don’t expect bomb-throwers, she said. “He is not somebody who is coming in to disrupt Washington. He’s coming in to heal Washington,” Rosen added.
The stakes are higher than usual. Biden’s appointees, if he wins, will determine the United States’ response to the Trump era — whether it is a return to traditional centrism or a plunge into liberal activism.