President-elect Joe Biden is getting the band back together.
According to people with knowledge of these kinds of things, Susan Rice, the former national security adviser under Barack Obama and Biden’s reign, has been tapped to run the White House Domestic Policy Council.
According to Politico, Rice also served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and at one point, was vetted as Biden’s possible vice president. Rice was believed to be a shoo-in for the secretary of state position but that went to Antony Blinken.
This might be the most important part of this rumored appointment, the director of the Domestic Policy Council is not a Senate-confirmed position, which means that Rice won’t be subjected to Republicans’ crazy conspiracy theories around her email and Benghazi.
From USA Today:
Biden’s campaign said the president-elect chose Rice for the role because she “knows government inside and out” and will “turbocharge the effort to build back better.”
Rice’s appointment is also a signal Biden wants his domestic and foreign policy advisers to work hand-in-hand. Biden has touted the idea of creating a “foreign policy for the middle class” that takes into account the domestic impact of international trade, globalization and other international issues. Biden’s announcement specifically said Rice would be working directly with his National Security Council team.
“Rice is among our nation’s most senior and experienced government leaders with the skills to harness the power of the federal government to serve the American people,” Biden’s announcement said. “As a former member of the Cabinet, she also understands the challenges and opportunities of running an agency and has extensive experience working with other key members of the Biden-Harris White House team.”
I can’t say that I’m not surprised since Susan Rice was once considered for high-level positions and has essentially fallen into a “top domestic policy job” despite “her expertise and experience in foreign policy.”
I guess it will all make sense considering my expertise lies in sleeping and buying sneakers I don’t need during a pandemic that doesn’t allow us to leave the house and yet, here I am, covering politics.