Incoming White House chief of staff Ron Klain said Sunday the Biden administration will ”have to find ways” for a divided Congress “to get things done.”
In an interview on CNN’s State of the Union," Klain said he believes “there are people in both parties who we can work with to move [the Biden administration] agenda forward.”
“[Sen.] Mitch McConnell [R-Ky.] is going to disagree with us on a lot of things, on tax policy, health care, whatever,” Klain said. “But we are going to try to work hard with people in both parties that the American people voted on in November and voted overwhelmingly for Joe Biden.”
“But they elected an evenly divided Senate. They elected a closely divided Congress,” Klain said. “We have to find ways for Democrats and Republicans to get things done.”
Klain suggested, for example, the incoming administration’s coronavirus relief plan, $1400 checks and 100 million vaccinations in 100 days, will have a tough go in Congress.
“The president proposes, the Congress disposes,” he said. “We'll engage the Congress, members of both parties in a debate about the president's proposal. “
Klain also lamented the nation is at its most divided in a century.
“We've seen the most divisive four years in a century for President [Donald] Trump,” he said. “It's one reason Joe Biden ran. Joe Biden when he announced for president back in April of 2019 said that what got him into the race where the president's remarks after the incidents at Charlottesville, after the murder of a protester there trying to confront these white supremacists…to restore the soul of America. I remember people in 2019 saying that's exaggerated.”
“I think the events of the past few weeks have proven out how damaged the soul of America has been and how important it is to restore it,” he said.
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