An attorney is another one of many going elsewhere with their White House credentials. Dana Remus served under Biden, Obama and clerked for Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. She’s the latest to abandon the sinking ship. She helped to confirm the first black woman to the US Supreme Court and appointed dozens of lower court judges and officials in record time. It’s not the best time for turnover.
The head of the ship praised her
Biden said, “I am immensely grateful for the service of Dana Remus, who has been an invaluable member of my senior staff for the past 3 years and helped reinstate a culture of adherence to the rule of law. I wish her the best as she moves forward.” Among the shuffle is her replacement Deputy counsel Stuart Delery. Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms becomes senior advisor for public engagement and Julie Chavez Rodriguez continues her duties as both Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and her new promotion to senior advisor.
Lance Bottoms led a major city through COVID and racial justice protests after George Floyd was killed. Biden spoke well of her,
“Mayor Bottoms understands that democracy is about making government work for working families, for the people who are the backbone of this country. She led the city of Atlanta with strength through the pandemic, through a summer of protests and pain, and through the mass shooting that left Atlanta’s Asian American community in fear. Keisha is bright, honorable, tough, and has the integrity required to represent our Administration to the American public. Jill and I have known Keisha for a long time and look forward to working with her more closely.”
Nice words on that sinking ship
You can put pleasantries on something that stinks but it still stinks. There’s a lot of burnout in the White House.
The Daily Mail noted, “It’s been a long few years. The burnout is real. It might not be the ideal time to leave with everything going on, but it’s the right time.” Democrat strategist Joel Payne admitted, “Given the complex challenges that the administration is facing, these departures are coming at an inopportune time. But at this point in an administration, it is not abnormal to experience attrition.”
Most Democrat Senators leaving the ship
Our of 50 Democrat Senators, only five said they’d support Biden in a second term. Spokespeople for three officials just gave a one word answer: yes.
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wouldn’t commit to a solid answer. She was asked on the CNN show “State of the Union” if she’d support Biden.
“You know, if the president chooses to run again in 2024 — I mean, first of all, I’m focused on winning this majority right now and preserving a majority this year in 2022. So we will cross that bridge when we get to it. But I think, if the president has a vision, then that’s something certainly we’re all willing to entertain and examine when the time comes.”
Host Dana Bash pressed further, “That’s not a yes.” Ocasio-Cortez held her ground, “Yes, I think we should endorse when we get to it. But I believe that the president has been doing a very good job so far. And should he run again, I think that — I think it’s — we will take a look at it. But, right now, we need to focus on winning a majority, instead of a presidential election.”
