Biden forms transition team
Vice President Joe Biden officially formed a transition team last week which will be led by former Delaware Sen. Ted Kaufman, a longtime Biden adviser. Kaufman also led Biden’s transition to vice president in 2008.
The team is an initial group that will focus on building the infrastructure of the transition effort. Kaufman said the full rollout of the team is expected later this fall.
The group includes Yohannes Abraham, a longtime Obama White House staffer who will handle the day-to-day operations.
In a statement, Kaufman called the team’s formations a very early stage of pre-transition planning.
“Vice President Biden’s transition, like his Administration to follow, will prioritize the following core values: diversity of ideology and background; talent to address society’s most complex challenges; integrity and the highest ethical standards to serve the American people and not special interests; and transparency to enable trust and visibility at every stage,” Kaufman said.
In addition to Abraham, Avril Haines, former principal deputy national security adviser and deputy director of the CIA, will oversee the team’s national security and foreign policy efforts.
The transition team also includes Gautam Raghavan who currently serves as chief of staff to Washington Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D) and Angela Ramiez the former executive director of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Ben LaBolt, a former Obama communications strategist praised the initial members of the transition team.
“Smart, intergenerational, experienced team. Looks like the transition is in good hands. Godspeed @YohannesAbraham et al,” LaBolt tweeted.
Longtime Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett also weighed in on Biden’s picks.
“Delighted that @JoeBiden and Ted Kaufman have selected the brilliant
@YohannesAbraham to manage the day to day operations of the Biden transition. The perfect choice! And Yo will be joined by three superstars: Avril Haines, @EvanMRyan and @gauragDC,” tweeted Jarrett.
Biden has said then he hopes President Donald Trump’s team will be as cooperative in managing a possible transition as President George W. Bush was for President Obama.
“I doubt it, but I hope so,” Biden said.
The Trump administration has its own transition team which is being led by chief of staff Mark Meadows.
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