Ron Klain is a great choice for Ebola czar

[Ykcutnek]

"Something I learned during the first two years of the Obama administration, when the staff infighting was at its worst: if you wanted to get somebody to say something nice, ask them about Ron Klain.

Klain entered the administration as Vice President Joe Biden's chief of staff. This was, itself, notable: Klain has been chief of staff to Vice President Al Gore, too, making him the only person to serve in that position for two different vice presidents.

But the esteem for Klain wasn't based on his resume. Rather, he had a mix of policy, political and bureaucratic chops that everyone agreed was rare. The policy people spoke admiringly of his policy savvy, and they all agreed he lapped them in political instincts. The political people admired his political instincts, but recognized he was better at policy. And everyone agreed Klain knew how to run an interagency process."

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"It would have been tempting for the Obama administration to nominate an Ebola czar who sounded good: someone with a long list of medical credentials to her name, or someone with a reassuring public profile. But the federal government has plenty of skilled epidemiologists, and this position needs to do more than the Sunday talk shows."

http://www.vox.com/2014/10/17/6994041/ron-klain-is-a-great-choice-for-ebola-czar

[hugo_from_TN]

1. Exactly, who needs medical or health care experience when the #1 concern is politics.

I'm willing to give him a chance, but it seems the focus is on the wrong part of the crisis.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

2. I would feel a lot better

if his "right hand person" was a doctor who specialized in infectious disease. Heck, I'd feel better of one of the highly trained nurses from one of the 4 bio level units in the country was his top aid on this.

[frazzled]

3. Wrong: it's about interagency management

That's something the best doctor or epidemiologist may not have the skills to implement. The medical people are there: we're talking about the need to coordinate, manage, and implement.

[Laurian]

4. Disagree. Over the past two weeks, various health care organizations

have been stepping all over each other. A strong coordinator and manager who can also speak with authority about the coordinated/managed national response is sorely needed.

[sharp_stick]

5. What I see this guy needing to do

is get the State Government agencies like the Texas Department of State Health Services to work constructively with the Federal CDC.

If he can get them together to function like they are supposed to it will nip this a lot more quickly.

Just adding another Dr. or scientist to the mix isn't going to do that, in fact I'll bet just on principle the Texas State Government would tell the new Fed to fuck off. In fact if they thought they could get away with it they'll probably try that on Klain as well.

[Octafish]

6. Lot of experience working with ImClone

That's the company that selectively handed out drugs to the few, the proud, the connected.

Then there's the Coalition for Asbestos Resolution, astroturf for GAF.

So, yeah. Totally qualified. And amply quantified.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15632.html

[GeorgeGist]

7. Why be tempted to do the smart thing ...

when politics is available.

[font color = white] Stupid shit. Done [/font color]

[DustyJoe]

8. Oh Well

When the country needs medical expertise it gets a lawyer instead.
Maybe he can sue Africa or something like that.