Joe Biden is rewarding Cindy McCain for her support during the 2020 election with a new position. The widow of Senator John McCain was a very vocal supporter of Biden, continuing the opposition of her late husband to President Trump. McCain is now waiting to be confirmed as the US ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture, which is headquartered in Rome and concerned primarily with global hunger issues.
Cindy McCain given UN position
While Biden attempted to position himself as the candidate of bipartisan cooperation during the campaign, success has generally eluded him in that regard as president.
Cindy McCain, a longtime friend of Biden, was one of the most prominent Republicans to openly endorse Biden and offer anything more than lukewarm support.
Few Republican voters were ultimately tempted to vote for Biden by his efforts to become a bipartisan anti-Trump candidate.
While Biden has continued to claim an interest in bipartisan cooperation, he has not nominated Republicans for any significant roles.
As a friend and enthusiastic supporter Cindy McCain was expected to be the first Republican to receive a nomination. McCain stated several months ago that she would gladly accept any nomination from the Biden Administration.
The McCain nomination accompanies a large series of Democrats being nominated for lesser posts under the Biden Administration.
Democrats pleased with “bipartisan” display
Given that her status as a Republican is questionable at best, nominating Cindy McCain for a minor position in the administration is unlikely to do much to create a bipartisan spirit.
The Biden Administration knows that it must reward supporters, including defectors from the GOP. The cross-party appointments are unlikely to extent much further than this.
After the failure of the McCain family, the Lincoln Project, and others to win over any significant numbers of Republicans, Biden may feel that offering anything substantial to the other party is unlikely to accomplish anything.
The nomination of Cindy McCain primarily appeals to Democrats, who have expressed widespread support for the choice.
While the reality of bipartisan politics evaporates, many liberals remain attached to the idea for sentimental purposes. The existence of Republicans like the McCain’s and Liz Cheney can still serve a purpose for the White House in this regard.
Party identification is a convenient formality in these situations which offers a feeling of moral victory for Biden and his supporters. While Republican voters are unlikely to have any interest, many Democrats will enjoy having a Republican token in the administration.
