WASHINGTON — Outgoing White House chief of staff Ron Klain broke down in tears over and once again Wednesday while handing over power to his successor Jeff Zients — going thus far as to praise President Biden as a task model for parenting and Vice President Kamala Harris as an important officemate.
“That is the perfect job I ever had,” the 61-year-old Klain blubbered as he began his remarks at an East Room transition celebration, forcing his 80-year-old boss to supportively rub his shoulder as he regained his composure.
Within the moments when he wasn’t crying, Klain looked as if it would confirm that Biden is running for reelection in 2024 and acknowledge PR woes for Vice President Kamala Harris, who has received bad press as staff flee what’s been described as a “toxic” vice presidential office.
“It’s been an honor to be [Harris’] next-door neighbor within the West Wing these two years,” Klain said in a dry-eyed moment.
“I wish every American could get to know Vice President Harris as I even have. I’d say she’s been the perfect vice chairman in history, but, eh, you understand,” Klain said, jokingly referring to the undeniable fact that Biden also was a vice chairman.
Klain, a wealthy lawyer and former lobbyist, survived two years within the grueling top job — and the emotional toll looked as if it would show.
“It isn’t bet to bet against Joe Biden and this team — never, ever bet,” Klain howled through tears at his goodbye party.
Klain listed various pieces of laws and executive actions, sniveling it was “not bad” for “a president and a team that was written off for dead within the winter of 2019 and for dead again within the winter of 2020 and for dead again within the winter of 2021 and for dead again the primary week of November 2022.”
The outgoing chief of staff’s praise of his boss seemingly knew no bounds.
At one point, Klain bawled, “I just need to say this one thing today: I learned all the pieces I learn about tips on how to be father from Joe Biden. He’s the perfect father I do know and the perfect role model I do know and along the best way he’s taught me a thing or two about politics and policy as well.”
“Dr. Biden, you welcomed me into the Biden family 4 a long time ago, and there’s no higher honor I could have” growing emotional,” he whimpered.
Biden’s parenting has come under fire from critics partially because he often interacted together with his son Hunter’s overseas business associates — while in line with Hunter making him hand over as much as “half” of his income. A diary formerly belonging to first daughter Ashley Biden, who like Hunter has abused cocaine, described inappropriate childhood showers along with her dad.
Klain tearfully told his audience that his favorite White House memento was a “plain and straightforward rock” that “symbolizes to me that this team has been rock solid.”
In a remark that seemingly confirms Biden’s plan to hunt reelection — despite the undeniable fact that he can be 86 years old if he completes a second term — Klain told Biden, “I look ahead to being in your side whenever you run for president in 2024,” hailing him as a “”smart, passionate, determined and fearless president” who was “determination to save lots of our democracy and the soul of this nation.”
“We passed the biggest economic plan — probably the most significant one — since FDR while managing the biggest land war in Europe since Truman. We passed the largest infrastructure bill since Ike, passed more judges than any first yr president since JFK and the second biggest healthcare bill since LBJ, probably the most significant gun control bill since Bill Clinton was president and the biggest climate bill passed by any country at any time.,” Klain said. “all while managing the worst public health crisis any president has faced since Woodrow Wilson with the narrowest majority in Congress of any recent Democratic president in 100 years.”
Klain, a father of three, showed emotion at other points that’s more expected in parts of his speech.
“To my family and my kids, whose support and patience and love and understanding has kept me going these two years — for the engagement celebrations I missed, the birthdays I missed and the time I used to be not there to do various things, thanks. And I like you guys and for the following two years, every single day it’s my turn to walk the dog,” Klain said.
Klain, who previously worked for Biden when he was a senator and vice chairman, received a much snazzier sendoff than former President Donald Trump’s first chief of staff, Reince Priebus, whose abrupt firing was announced by Trump on Twitter after six months.
Incoming chief of staff Jeff Zients, 56, is a former Obama White House budget director and previously worked as Biden’s White House coronavirus coordinator and before that was on Facebook’s board of directors from 2018 to 2020.
Zients is believed to be Biden’s wealthiest aide with a private fortune of between $89.3 million and $442.8 million, in line with disclosure forms. His riches are available part from healthcare firms accused of defrauding Medicare and Medicaid, in line with a profile last yr within the progressive American Prospect magazine.
Zients also co-owns the favored Call Your Mother bagel chain in DC.
“Jeff has pledged to purchase everyone within the White House a free bagel each day. So I’ll soon be forgotten,” Klain said, in a possible joke.
