Biden's Centrist New Chief Of Staff Divides Progressives

SUBJECT:

PRI: NORMAL

FROM:

E

eschwerin@rosemontseneca.com

DATE:

2011-01-15 01:13:27

MSG_ID:

<FCA09BE0-0559-48DE-BF59-5069D4D9E60D@rosemontseneca.com>

RECIPIENTS:

TO:

H

Hunter Biden <hbiden@rosemontseneca.com>

CONTENT: TEXT: YES | HTML: YES

PROCESSED

Polish off your crystal ball. Play HuffPost's Predict the News.
Loading...

LOG IN | SIGN UP

The Huffington Post
JANUARY 14, 2011

REPORTERS 2012 ELECTIONS POLLSTER FUNDRACE HUFFPOST HILL EYES & EARS
FRONT PAGEPOLITICSMEDIAENTERTAINMENTSPORTSCOMEDYBUSINESSTECHN.Y.LIVINGGREENTRAVELMORE

Reince Priebus Elected RNC Chairman

More in Politics: Michael Steele Defeated... Polling Lessons For Obama... 'Offend' Constitution Vow...

New Tea Party-Backed Gov: NAACP Can 'Kiss My Butt'

Texas Lawmaker Seeks To Ban 'Religious Or Cultural Law'

Photos Surface Of Arizona Suspect With Gun, Naked, In 'Red G-String'

Move Toward Cooler Political Rhetoric May Not Last Long

Dead Woman Donated Thousands To Tea Party Group

T-Paw To The Rescue Amid 'Blood Libel' Controversy

Sam Stein
stein@huffingtonpost.com | HuffPost Reporting Become a Fan Get Email Alerts from this Reporter
Biden's Centrist New Chief Of Staff Divides Progressives
First Posted: 01/14/11 04:15 PM Updated: 01/14/11 04:15 PM
WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?
Important
Funny
Typical
Scary
Outrageous
Amazing
Innovative
Finally
Read More: Andy Stern Bruce Reed, Biden Chief Of Staff, Bruce Reed, Bruce Reed Centrist, Deficit Commission Reed Deficit Commission, Reed White House, Politics News
SHARE THIS STORY

3
57
views
0
10

Get Politics Alerts

Email Comments 6
WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration's appointment of yet another veteran of the Clinton White House, and a centrist Democrat, to boot, has produced a bit of friction within a progressive community already wary of this White House's trajectory.

The White House announced on Friday that Bruce Reed would be joining the administration as Vice President Joe Biden's chief of staff. A veteran of President Barack Obama's deficit commission, Reed has served since 2001 as CEO of the centrist Democratic Leadership Council. Prior to that, he served in the Clinton White House, where he helped steer that administration's philosophy of triangulation.

None of those details particularly endear Reed to progressives. And in the wake of his appointment, some expressed concern that Reed would serve as a powerful conduit for the deficit commission's more draconian entitlement reforms.

A senior administration official scoffed at the notion, noting that the staff structure really wouldn't permit a development like that to take place. For starters, Reed was going to Biden's office, not Obama's. And even then, the chief "advisor on these matters remains Jared Bernstein," the official said, referencing the vice president's top economist.

Reed has his backers, as well. Andy Stern, a fellow deficit commission member and the former head of the Service Employees International Union, said of the incoming chief of staff: "He's very capable, an incredible hard worker and innovative thinker."

If nothing else, Reed and other incoming administration officials understand how to handle Republican critics, said Neera Tanden, the chief operating officer of the administration-linked Center for American Progress, who worked alongside Reed in the Clinton White House.

"I think we as progressives should be prepared for having to deal with large-scale pitchfork battles over the next two years," Tanden told The Huffington Post. "And what a lot of these people have in common is their ability to deal with Republicans and outmaneuver Republicans. So having people with a lot of that experience is an asset for the progressive."

Some prominent progressives, however, remain skeptical that Reed doesn't have a soft spot for the Republicans he is ostensibly being asked to outmaneuver.

Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, said he wasn't particularly concerned about the role Reed would have on Social Security or Medicare policy since, after all, "this is not a top level position." But the effect that Reed would have on the overall ethos inside the White House, Baker said, had him worried. By way of explanation, he related the following story:

I was at a Brookings event last month on the deficit and Bruce Reed was honored as the leadoff speaker based on his role as lead staffer for the Bowles-Simpson commission.
Anyhow, during his talk, Reed said that the commission saw itself as paving the path for divided government. This was striking because at the time the commission was established, there was not divided government, the Democrats controlled the presidency and both houses of Congress by large margins.
Perhaps by the summer, with the polls looking bad for the Dems, divided government seemed a more likely prospect, but it still seems rather presumptuous for a commission of this sort to be planning its actions based on its electoral predictions.
Anyhow, I think this says something about Reed's thinking. Clearly he is not a highly partisan Democrat, which some people might think is good and some might think is bad.
Reed declined to comment.

Get HuffPost Politics On Twitter and Facebook!
Subscribe to the HuffPost Hill newsletter!
Know something we don't? E-mail us at huffpolitics@huffingtonpost.com

Videos Web Images
There is no result...

There is no info on Twitter for this entry for that keyword
Report Corrections
WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?
Important
Funny
Typical
Scary
Outrageous
Amazing
Innovative
Finally
More in Politics...

House Members Continue Meet-And-Greets In Wake Of...

Jared Lee Loughner Pictures Surface Showing Suspect...

Paul LePage: NAACP Can 'Kiss My Butt'...

Michael Steele Defeated In RNC Election For...

Comments 10 Pending Comments 1 View FAQ

Login or connect with:
More Login Options

Post CommentPreview Comment
To reply to a Comment: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to.
Share your Comment:
Post to Facebook.Post to Blogger.Post to Twitter.Post to WordPress.Post to TypePad.Post to Tumblr.
View All Favorites
Recency |
Popularity
namewithheld 2 minutes ago (8:08 PM)
318 Fans
Yay, Centrists! Let's bail out the banks and invade Iraq and extend the Bush Economic Inequality Plan!
Permalink | Share it
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
samtee 6 minutes ago (8:03 PM)
188 Fans
Obama's new chief of staff is going to change the way liberals work
Permalink | Share it
namewithheld 0 minute ago (8:09 PM)
318 Fans
How so? What does his new Chief of Banks, uhm, I mean Staff have to do with liberals?
Permalink | Share it
rocrame 12 minutes ago (7:58 PM)
77 Fans
It is estimated that Obama will spend 1 bil. on 2012 campaign. Can we all just agree that politics is out of control. Is Prez. of US really worth 1 bil. What a shame
Permalink | Share it
namewithheld 0 minute ago (8:10 PM)
318 Fans
Campaign Finance Reform - The Elephant in the Room
Permalink | Share it
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
earwicker7 13 minutes ago (7:56 PM)
24 Fans
HP headline: BIDEN TAPS NEW CHIEF OF STAFF

I sure hope the chief of staff enjoyed it. Giggity.
Permalink | Share it
rocrame 6 minutes ago (8:04 PM)
77 Fans
that was funny Quagmire
Permalink | Share it
rocrame 13 minutes ago (7:56 PM)
77 Fans
who cares.
Permalink | Share it

Carole Williams 18 minutes ago (7:51 PM)
3 Fans
"Progressi ves" were NEVER promised they get to pick the WH staff. A lot of liberals think you're sticking your nose into things just to be difficult at this point.
Permalink | Share it

HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Jason Quackenbush 3 hours ago (5:21 PM)
16 Fans
DLC members might as well be Republican s.
Permalink | Share it

MOST POPULAR ON HUFFPOST
1 of 2
New Zodiac Sign Dates: Ophiuchus The 13th Sign?
Like
250K
PHOTO: Natalie Portman's Topless New Dior Ad
Like
609
Palin Blasts 'Blood Libel' In Statement On Arizona Shooting
Recommend
11K
WATCH: Sarah Palin's Top 10 FAILS
Like
5K
Bob Cesca Sarah Palin Fumbles and Flails Into an Otherwise Solemn Day
Like
3K
Roy Sekoff On GOP Dilemma: Tea Party Delivers Both 'The Energy And The Crazy'
Like
67
Obama Arizona Speech: 'I Want America To Be As Good As She Imagined It'
Like
7K
JOE VS. GLENN: Scarborough, Beck Trash Each Other
Like
1K
Millionaire Heartbreaker? Patti Stanger's Clients Complain (UPDATE: Patti Responds!)
Like
379
HUFFPOST REPORTERS
1 of 2
Elise Foley: Virginia Tech Families Call On Congress To...
Comments (4)
Jason Linkins: It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To...
Comments (15)
Mark Blumenthal: Polling Lessons For Obama From Oklahoma City
Comments (68)
DON'T MISS HUFFPOST BLOGGERS
1 of 5

Sen. Barbara Boxer
Repealing Health Care Reform Will Hurt Our Country

Carl Lewis
Dr. King’s Dinner Conversations
HOT TRENDS
arizona shooting jared lee loughner jared loughner reince priebus sarah palin
Our Favorite Ophiuchus Celebs: Ozzy Osbourne, Woody Allen, Ted Nugent
Friday Cuteness: Children's Adorable Letters to Hogwarts
Shocking NYC Subway Rat Video: Some Say It's Staged, But New Yorkers Know Better
Time - Politics
TOP VIDEO PICKS1 of 8
GOP Rep. Proposes Bill Allowing Members to Carry Guns on Capitol Hill

Gates opens door for N.Korea talks

Republican Congressman: Lawmakers Should Be Able to Carry Guns in DC

FOLLOW HUFFINGTON POST

MOST DISCUSSED RIGHT NOW
High-Level Military Panel: Ban On Women In Combat Is Discriminatory
2,257 Comments
Republicans Elect New Leader
1,310 Comments
HOT ON FACEBOOK
Jared Lee Loughner Pictures Surface Showing Suspect With Gun, Naked, In 'Bright Red G-String'
459 Comments
Paul LePage: NAACP Can 'Kiss My Butt' (VIDEO)
314 Comments
HOT ON TWITTER
House Members Continue Public Appearances After Shooting
377 Comments
Huckabee Praises Obama For 'Easily His Best Speech,' Slams 'Sleazy Opportunists'
139 Comments

Enter Keyword(s):

Enter a City:

Select a State:

Select a Category:

HUFFPOST'S BIG NEWS PAGES

American Idol

LA Around Town

Video

Barack Obama

Arizona Shooting

Environment

Climate Change

Gun Control

Eat The Press
MORE BIG NEWS PAGES »

METADATA:

THREAD:

INDEX: AdhhodZkrsyRWBJDSNGzWmTScMTqZg==

EMAIL DETAILS