In choosing Ebola czar, President Obama picks a Beltway operative instead of a medical expert

In choosing Ebola czar, President Obama picks a Beltway operative instead of a medical expert

Ron Klain is "very tough, smart and respected by the White House," says one insider, but another Democrat says Klain's selection shows a "frightening level of insularity" by the President and his aides


Ron Klain, President Obama's new Ebola czar, is a skilled political operative and longtime government insider but he's not a medical expert.
WASHINGTON — In choosing his new Ebola "czar" on Friday, President Obama opted for a classic Beltway operative far more at ease in the corridors of the Capitol than in a hospital surgical unit.

The selection of Ron Klain, 53, suggests the severity of the political challenges the White House believes it faces.

Obama chose not to simply elevate a renowned healthcare or corporate official, or even a cabinet officer already immersed in the issue, such as the heads of the departments of Homeland Security or Health and Human Services.

Instead, he went with an Ivy League-trained lawyer with ample West Wing and congressional experience but mostly as a political tactician rather than a big-time manager.

"He's very tough, smart and respected by the White House, which is vital," said former White House chief of staff Bill Daley.

Daley worked closely with Klain during the 2000 Florida presidential recount. Daley was chairman of Vice President Al Gore's campaign and Klain was dispatched to Florida initially to coordinate the many lawyers involved on Gore's behalf against George W. Bush.

It was that initial role that grew to greater oversight of the ultimately failed recount. It also inspired "Recount," an HBO movie in which the portrayal of Klain - by actor Kevin Spacey — was exceedingly positive.

Another Democrat who has worked with Klain closely voiced respect for him ("bright and lively") but argued that Klain had no real substantive managerial experience, as the White House intimated.

He has "no independent stature," the former colleague said.

This person also suggested that Klain’s appointment indicated a "frightening level of insularity" on the part of Obama and aides in thinking "a 'D.C. insider' is the way to go with something like this."

Klain is a Harvard Law School graduate who clerked on the U.S. Supreme Court and went on to be counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee during the tumultuous Supreme Court confirmation hearing of Clarence Thomas.

He moved on to become chief of staff for Gore and, years later, Vice President Joe Biden. Of late, he's served as president of Case Holdings and general counsel to an investment firm, Revolution.

Klain has proven himself generally adept at dealing with media. It's that talent, some skeptics suggested, that partly explains the very upbeat portrait of him in the HBO movie.

At minimum, he and Obama will need to turn around current public perceptions of government fumbling in responding to the Ebola scare.

I had to post the whole article

1)not a doctor
2)a lawyer
3)political insider
4) no experience in management


The article is correct in that it shows no leadership
This is stupid beyond what Einstein defined it as


there is no other way to articulate the matter.. A pure political choice.. Pure political

Definitely a Bundler for Obama.

It payback time and our collective health is for sale.

They have fumbled this entire mess.

Ron Klain named as U.S. ‘Ebola czar’ by President Obama, comes under fire for lack of medical background

Is there a doctor in the house?

The newly named White House “Ebola czar” came under fire shortly after his Friday appointment for a lack of medical credentials as the largest outbreak of the deadly virus raged on in West Africa.

Attorney Ron Klain, former chief of staff to Vice Presidents Joe Biden and Al Gore, was appointed as the Ebola response coordinator to quell concerns over the lethal virus’ arrival in the United States.

Klain, 53, will report directly to Homeland Security Adviser Lisa Monaco and National Security Adviser Suzanne Rice in his new position.

The Democratic Party insider’s duties include overseeing the detection, isolation and treatment of Ebola patients. He will also be involved in trying to halt the deadly epidemic at its epicenter in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

Obongo's stupidity strikes yet again. I'm starting to think he's a worse president than Bush was.

a reply to: ripcontrol

(By Odin's Great Beard!)

I hate defending Obama.

But if this appointment actually spurs a growing awareness and action for those who DO know medicine, and the threat of Ebola is stopped, then wouldn't this be a good thing?

Personally, Obama could hire Mylee Cyrus to run it. I don't care.

If the actual teams are effective in stopping the spread of this disease, then it should be encouraged.

Ron Klain

Ronald A. "Ron" Klain is an American lawyer and political operative who served as Chief of Staff to two Vice presidents – Al Gore (1995–1999) and Joseph Biden (2009–2011).[1][2]

He was a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Byron "Whizzer" White during the 1987 and 1988 terms, and worked on Capitol Hill, where he was Chief Counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee during the 1991 Clarence Thomas Supreme Court nomination. He was portrayed by Kevin Spacey in the HBO film Recount depicting the tumult of the 2000 presidential election. On October 17, 2014, President Obama named Klain the newly created "Ebola response coordinator" or, less officially, Ebola "czar".[3][4][5]

what was interesting..
This is what you can expect from him as a lawyer

Klain apparently signed off on President Obama's support of a $535 million loan guarantee for now-defunct solar-panel company Solyndra. Despite concerns about whether the company was viable, Klain approved an Obama visit, stating, "The reality is that if POTUS visited 10 such places over the next 10 months, probably a few will be belly-up by election day 2012."[12]

It matches the rest of his entire presidency.... a f'n joke.



If anybody doubted whether he gave a shat before?? Here's your answer. Not a medical professional? Not someone who is well versed in medicine or coordinating medical aid to many? Nope. A lawyer.

Maybe he stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night???

They have people that study for years preparing for something like this, they spend years mapping out the what if's, the where's, the what next's, and the why's. They eat, sleep, and breath these kinds of scenarios... Why would you not pick one of those people?

a reply to: whyamIhere

Fumbled I think implies they had the ball in the first place..

I thinnk they are trying to figure who is on first

a reply to: DestroyDestroyDestroy

It is this white houses way of doing business

It is all politics and no skilled workers in the required areas..

a reply to: beezzer

the problem is this..

The man has no skills in the area this covers

He paid his political dues and now is being paid.. Look at what he signed off on..

originally posted by: ripcontrol
a reply to: beezzer

the problem is this..

The man has no skills in the area this covers

He paid his political dues and now is being paid.. Look at what he signed off on..

You're describing Obama, but those (like the military) still do their job.

Lets trust the people that don't make face-time with cameras.

Lets trust the people on the ground that are actually doing the dirty work.

a reply to: ripcontrol

Klain apparently signed off on President Obama's support of a $535 million loan guarantee for now-defunct solar-panel company Solyndra. Despite concerns about whether the company was viable, Klain approved an Obama visit, stating, "The reality is that if POTUS visited 10 such places over the next 10 months, probably a few will be belly-up by election day 2012."

Well that explains the confusion.

Sounds like this guy has a knack for predicting disaster.

a reply to: ripcontrol

Klain, 53, will report directly to Homeland Security Adviser Lisa Monaco and National Security Adviser Suzanne Rice in his new position.

What could possibly go wrong?

Susan Rice especially has excellent communication skills and abilities.



Should anything at all go wrong, She can blame it on a video.

Presently, it is a logistics problem more than a medical one.
Perhaps he was chosen for his clarity of mission over reaction.

Just like Vegas was not built on winners, the U.S. was not built on losers.
Most of us would not be here if it were not for some correct decisions based on good logic. Long term credit is due.
As for the short term, well hopefully we get a chance to vote.

a reply to: ripcontrol

Obama picked the best lire he had at his disposal.

Nothing that comes out of this person's mouth will be the truth unless its " well look at that, we have another case of Ebola " .

a reply to: ripcontrol

When will people realize this is just one big orchestrated event?

1) The National Guard is being sent to West Africa. That should have red flags going off for people.
Why is the National Guard going to West Africa? To secure the oil wells and take some from the Chinese.

2) A guy checks into the Dallas Hospital but gets "released" back into the public. Hospital was unable to tell he had Ebola. He never should have been released in the first place.

3) Two nurses treating the guy get Ebola. Hospital apologizes saying they don't know how it happened yet a nurse working there said that the procedures were "so lax". Instead of keeping the sick nurses in one hospital, they are sending them to different hospitals. Which face it, hospitals aren't that great at quarantine.

4) A timeline was created to see how the spread of Ebola happened, once created it was supposed to be shown to the public. After it was created, they are not going to be showing it to the public and refuse to comment on it.

5) CDC rep says that you can't get Ebola riding on a bus with someone who has it yet if you have Ebola, don't ride on the bus because you will infect others.

6) Guy dies from mass vomiting on a plane ride from Nigeria to JFK. The CDC goes onto the plane and after a quick examination, declares the guy didn't have Ebola.

7) CDC told nurse who had called them to say she had a fever, that she was safe to fly with other people.

Now I know a lot of you believe that it isn't airborne but it seems to be that way. This is an Ebola unlike any other Ebola before it and doesn't act like any other Ebola before it. Yes I understand things mutate but it has been known since a bit before the Cold War, that several countries were trying to weaponize Ebola.

There are several reasons "positive" outcomes for TPTB for having this Ebola "pandemic"
1) Securing oil wells in West Africa
2) Decrease in population, 9,000+
3) Getting people to want vaccinations when they are becoming every commonly rejected. Especially with Bill Gates being sued by the Supreme Court of India.
4) If there is a big pandemic in the States, they won't be able to have the presidential election

There probably are other "benefits"' to this "outbreak" but we may never know what those are.

If you are thinking "The Government wouldn't do that to it's own people!" Think again, look at the Tuskegee Experiment, MK Ultra and how they wanted to put poison into alcohol during the prohibition.

a reply to: ripcontrol

Ron Klain is "very tough, smart and respected by the White House," says one insider

In other words, another scumbag criminal friend of the Criminal In Chief put in a position of power...

a reply to: ripcontrol

wow i am really surprised that people believe Obama actually makes these decisions....it is not like he has a board of advisers monitoring and informing him what to say and do....

a reply to: charlyv

I tend to agree...and so far the so-called medical "experts" don't have a good track record fighting this disease. A good logical thinker and ability to forsee circumstances and halt # before it happens, maybe?? is what we need rather than The Three Stooges or Abott and Costello. I say give him some wiggle room but not much!

a reply to: hopenotfeariswhatweneed

Yeah, and that "board of advisors" thought the scumbag involved in the Solyndra scandal would do nicely to lie to the public about Ebola...great...