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President-elect Joe Biden has made his choice for Secretary of State, three people familiar with the subject tell Axios, moving quickly to assemble a Senate confirmable Cabinet even as President Trump refuses to concede. election.
The big picture: Biden has already said he made his choice for the Treasury, and both choices could be aimed at defusing confirmation fights with Senate Republicans and internal battles with Progressive Democrats.
- Biden is expected to deploy several top Cabinet picks next week, well before two second-round elections in Georgia on Jan.5 will determine which party will control the Senate.
- Teasing his upcoming Treasury announcement yesterday in Delaware, he said his selection “will be accepted by all elements of the Democratic Party, from progressive coalitions to moderate coalitions.”
Between the lines: So far, Biden’s inner circle have remained tight on the names of his final selections. But sources tell Axios the country’s first diplomatic post won’t go to Susan Rice, an indication Biden doesn’t want to start his presidency with a dead end.
- Some Senate Republicans sought to demonize her for the Obama administration’s initial response to the Benghazi attacks in 2012.
- Rice, who was a finalist to be Biden’s vice president, could still be asked to take on another role in the Biden administration.
Be smart: Many Democrats close to Biden expect him to appoint his longtime adviser Tony Blinken to State. Biden’s aides declined to confirm Blinken was the choice.
- If so, it could create more openings within senior White House officials – in roles such as national security adviser. Avril Haines, who served as deputy national security adviser under Obama, is considered a prime candidate for the post.
- Amid earlier predictions of a ‘blue wave’ sweeping Democrats towards a Senate majority, which did not materialize, insiders expected Rice to be asked to become the state and Blinken as adviser. to national security.
- A spokesperson for the transition declined to comment on this story.
What we are looking at: Biden’s previous remarks about his thinking about a Treasury pick sparked speculation on Wall Street that he would announce former Fed Chairman Janet Yellen. But some Democrats close to Biden aren’t convinced current Fed governor Lael Brainard is out of the race.
- Biden today announced senior White House executives, including Ambassador Cathy Russell, to lead the White House presidential staff office.
- Her husband, Tom Donilon, served as Obama’s national security adviser before Rice and is being considered for a high-level national security post, including that of director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
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