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Joe Biden won’t be sworn in for 64 days, but the president-elect is already under pressure from militant groups to bring progressive leaders into his administration – and shut his doors to establishment figures with warm connections to Wall Street, defense contractors and the fossil fuel industry.
The lobbying campaign was carried out in public, with the publication of open letters and lists of acceptable candidates for high-level Cabinet positions, through private calls with potential candidates and on social media, where progressive groups have warned the incoming administration against reneging on Biden’s pledge to chart an aggressive new course in the fight against climate change.
The top progressives for the most part sounded a cautiously optimistic tone after the release of Biden’s “agency review teams” and his swift decision to appoint longtime adviser Ron Klain, who forged ties across ideological lines , like his chief of staff at the White House.
But the backlash in response to the appointment of Louisiana Representative Cedric Richmond to a high-level post in the West Wing on Tuesday underscored the strained nature of the relationship.
Potential battles are also looming on the horizon, and the uncertainty surrounding Senate control could further complicate a largely postponed detente of the campaign.
If Democrats fail to win both polls in Georgia early next year, the body will remain under the control of Republican Majority Leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell – and everything from Biden’s legislative agenda to his Cabinet appointments, would likely face partisan blockades.
Richmond’s installation as senior advisor and director of the Office of Public Engagement drew a harsh rebuke from climate groups, led by the Sunrise movement.
Some progressives are also concerned about whether the coalition has the ability to speak with one voice on a wide range of issues, including arenas where it is less organized and engaged, such as national security.
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