Biden names team to steer U.S. foreign policy in post-Trump era

[webfact]

Biden names team to steer U.S. foreign policy in post-Trump era

By Trevor Hunnicutt

 

FILE PHOTO: (L-R) U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, Deputy National Security Advisor Tony Blinken, National Security Advisor Susan Rice and Secretary of State John Kerry listen as President Barack Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki address reporters in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, November 1, 2013. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo

 

WILMINGTON, Del. (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Joe Biden on Monday named the key members of his foreign policy team, tapping trusted aide Antony Blinken to head the State Department and take the lead in rebuilding Washington's relationships in Europe and the rest of the world.

 

Biden, who has said he would undo Republican President Donald Trump's "America First" policies, also named Jake Sullivan as his national security adviser and Linda Thomas-Greenfield as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations - both with high-level government experience.

 

The 78-year-old Democrat is assembling an administration from his home in Delaware as he prepares to be sworn in on Jan. 20 to lead a country facing its greatest public health crisis in living memory, even as Trump refuses to concede defeat in the Nov. 3 election and blocks the government from providing the support normally given a president-elect.

 

Biden named former U.S. Senator and 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry to serve as his special climate envoy. He also is likely to tap former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen to become the next treasury secretary, said two Biden allies, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a personnel decision that was not yet public.

 

While Blinken, 58, is not a household name for the secretary of state job, he has held important foreign policy positions in the last two Democratic administrations, including a spell as a deputy secretary of state under President Barack Obama.

 

Along with Sullivan, who was a deputy assistant to Obama and senior policy adviser to Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, Blinken has helped Biden formulate a strategy that will include quick outreach to allies who have often been antagonized by Trump, and to demonstrate a willingness to work together on big global problems like the coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout.

 

Biden, who was a longtime member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has pledged to rejoin a nuclear deal with Iran if Tehran restores its compliance, return to the Paris climate accord, abandon plans to leave the World Health Organization and end a U.S. rule that bans funding of aid groups that discuss abortion. Each move would reverse Trump's policies and some could take place quickly after the inauguration.

 

The prospect of an American U-turn from Trump's foreign policy is music to the ears of many allies, especially in Europe where there has been unhappiness over Washington's approach toward NATO, trade and relations with Russia.

 

The head of NATO and a top European Union official, in phone calls with Biden on Monday, invited him to rebuild transatlantic ties and meet with Washington's European allies next year.

 

Biden took a step toward reversing Trump's hard-line immigration policies by naming Cuban-born lawyer Alejandro Mayorkas to head the Department of Homeland Security.

 

If confirmed by the Senate, Mayorkas would become the first foreign-born leader of the sprawling department that was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. Mayorkas served as its deputy secretary in the Obama administration.

 

CRACKS IN REPUBLICAN SUPPORT

Trump, meanwhile, has been defeated repeatedly in his persistent legal battle to overturn the election results in a string of battleground states and prevent Biden from being sworn in. Trump and his campaign have made unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud.

 

Trump's hopes hung by a thread on Monday as Michigan and Pennsylvania looked to push ahead with certifying that Biden was the winner of both states.

 

The former vice president beat Trump in Michigan by more than 150,000 votes, or almost 3 percentage points, and the election canvassing board is required to validate the count.

 

Norman Shinkle, one of the two Republicans on the four-member Michigan board, has suggested he favors delaying certification because of technical irregularities that may have affected a few hundred votes in one county.

 

The board's other Republican, Aaron Van Langevelde, said repeatedly during a meeting on Monday he saw no indication in the law that the board has an option other than to certify the results submitted to it. "Our duty is very simple, and it's our duty," Van Langevelde said. That could clear the way for the board to move ahead with the certification on a vote of at least 3-1.

 

Monday is also the deadline in Pennsylvania for counties to report their certified tallies to Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar, a Democrat. Boockvar likely would then certify the results on behalf of the state in a matter of days. Biden won Pennsylvania by more than 80,000 votes, or just over 1 percentage point.

 

Electors in each state will convene as the Electoral College on Dec. 14 to formally select the next president. Biden won 306 electoral votes, 36 over the 270 threshold needed to win.

 

While most Republicans are either publicly backing Trump's efforts or remaining silent, a growing number are imploring him to concede and assist with the transition to Biden's administration.

 

The U.S. General Services Administration, a federal agency that must sign off on the presidential transition, said it had still not approved hand-off activities to Biden but would brief Congress next week.

 

In an opinion piece on Cincinnati.com on Monday, Republican Senator Rob Portman of Ohio urged the GSA to provide resources for the Biden transition team. Portman also said there was no evidence now of widespread fraud or irregularities that would change the election results in any state.

 

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt, James Oliphant, Julia Harte, Patricia Zengerle, Susan Heavey and David Morgan; additional reporting by Michael Martina; Writing by Paul Simao; Editing by Scott Malone and Grant McCool)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-11-24

 

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[khwaibah]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Trump's hopes hung by a thread on Monday as Michigan and Pennsylvania looked to push ahead with certifying that Biden was the winner of both states.

SNOOZE YOU LOSE.  

Quote

Michigan certifies Biden's win as Trump challenges in other key states fizzle

 

https://www.cbs58.com/news/michigans-state-board-certifies-bidens-win

 

[Chomper Higgot]

Hey look, Biden picked somebody who is both qualified and has the right experience for the job.

 

What a difference a competent President makes.

[Thailand]

All over bar Trump shouting!

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/11/23/politics/transition-biden-gsa-begin/index.html

 

GSA confirmed the transition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ballpoint]

And so the draining of the Trump swamp begins.

[webfact]

10 minutes ago, Thailand said:

All over bar Trump shouting!

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/11/23/politics/transition-biden-gsa-begin/index.html

 

GSA confirmed the transition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a topic is running here:

 

[mfd101]

Sanity begins to return to at least parts of Usofa. I expect it will return to the rest of the Western World and even beyond at high speed, with sighs of relief all round.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

With hope, I'm reminded of the words of former President Gerald Ford, as he closed out a past era of criminality and constitutional crisis in U.S. politics after Nixon's resignation and the Watergate era.

 

Quote

My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.
 

Our Constitution works; our great Republic is a government of laws and not of men. Here the people rule. But there is a higher Power, by whatever name we honor Him, who ordains not only righteousness but love, not only justice but mercy.
 

As we bind up the internal wounds of Watergate, more painful and more poisonous than those of foreign wars, let us restore the golden rule to our political process, and let brotherly love purge our hearts of suspicion and of hate.

 

 

https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/speeches/740001.asp

 

Unfortunately, I suspect Trump's hard core delusionists, conspiracy theory believers, and COVID deniers will be on an entirely different wavelength for the next four years.

 

[Baerboxer]

5 hours ago, ballpoint said:

And so the draining of the Trump swamp begins.

 

That's right, no swamp before or after Trump. Just good honest politicians 555!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

That's right, no swamp before or after Trump. Just good honest politicians 555!

 

Whatever swamp existed 4 years ago before Trump, he indisputably made it deeper, more toxic and more contrary to the rule of law than anyone who preceded him in modern times.

 

Biden and Co. are going to need a HUGE pump... Hopefully they're up to the odious job.

 

[Baerboxer]

1 minute ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

With hope, I'm reminded of the words of former President Gerald Ford, as he closed out a past era of criminality and constitutional crisis in U.S. politics after Nixon's resignation and the Watergate era.

 

 

https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/speeches/740001.asp

 

Unfortunately, I suspect Trump's hard core delusionists, conspiracy theory believers, and COVID deniers will be on an entirely different wavelength for the next four years.

 

 

I suspect you're right. After 4 years of hard core conspiracy theories and trumped up charges (pun intended!), it seems likely that many Trump supporters out of the 70m+ that voted for him won't want to shake hands and make up. 

 

Biden has 47 years experience to call on - and he's gonna need every second of it if he's to stand any chance. Especially given the more radical nature of some of those in the Congress and Senate who will be expecting more radical policy implementation. He's got one hell of a challenge to juggle that lot!

 

And, other countries with "interests" in the US not being stable aren't going to suddenly stop their interference just because a new POTUS is in place.

[Baerboxer]

2 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Whatever swamp existed 4 years ago before Trump, he indisputably made it deeper, more toxic and more contrary to the rule of law than anyone who preceded him in modern times.

 

Biden and Co. are going to need a HUGE pump... Hopefully they're up to the odious job.

 

 

You have more faith in politicians than me if you believe they're all pristine and squeaky clean!

 

Just look at how many flaunt the rules they impose on others regarding Covid!

[Tug]

Sanity returns at last competent professional people in the appropriate places we will get the ship of state back on course shortly hey world we are back!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

6 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

You have more faith in politicians than me if you believe they're all pristine and squeaky clean!

 

Just look at how many flaunt the rules they impose on others regarding Covid!

 

I never said or suggested anything of the kind. Of course there is, and has been, corruption and self-interest and self-enrichment on both sides of the U.S. political aisle...

 

I merely said, Trump took it to new heights during his term, where he was chiefly focused on his own enrichment and his own personal and political interests vs. those of the nation, where he appointed legions of corrupt and conflict of interest plagued lackeys often with little experience for their jobs, where the primary qualification for serving was personal and political loyalty to him, etc etc.

 

All of the above, a really bad way to run a country, but a really good way to plunge it into despair and crisis.

 

[Jingthing]

Brilliant picks so far.

One advantage President Biden will have is that the expectations for him other than "not trump" are quite low. I think its fair to say he will be able to beat that.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

10 minutes ago, Tug said:

Sanity returns at last competent professional people in the appropriate places we will get the ship of state back on course shortly hey world we are back!

 

Sad to say, it only has ultimate meaning and significance if it's NOT merely a four-year CV induced diversion from extremism and reactionary policies and instead, the beginning of a new start for the U.S. that can build sustained momentum toward a better, more tolerant and more inclusive country that plays a positive, steady role on the world stage.

 

Most of the middle of the country still went red in the recent election, the Republicans gained seats in the House including some QAnon believers, and Democrats didn't gain as much in the Senate as expected (pending the outcome of the Georgia Senate runoffs).

 

If Biden's election is going to have long-term meaning, he and his administration are going to have to work to convince literally middle America that they and their policies are a better choice for Americans than Trump's legacy of self-interest, division and autocracy.

 

[placeholder]

23 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

That's right, no swamp before or after Trump. Just good honest politicians 555!

Do you understand that in his first 3 years in office Donald Trump appointed more lobbyists to government positions than Obama or Bush did in 8? And God knows what the total of corporate flunkies is up to now.

[onthedarkside]

A conspiracy theory post and reply have been removed.

 

[NanLaew]

40 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

With hope, I'm reminded of the words of former President Gerald Ford, as he closed out a past era of criminality and constitutional crisis in U.S. politics after Nixon's resignation and the Watergate era.

 

 

https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/speeches/740001.asp

 

Unfortunately, I suspect Trump's hard core delusionists, conspiracy theory believers, and COVID deniers will be on an entirely different wavelength for the next four years.

 

 

I give them two years whereupon the mid-term results will kick them well into touch.

[Surelynot]

Starting to look professional at last.............. after four years of the most bizarre appointments and policies.

 

The set up won't be perfect I'm sure, but OMG, what were people thinking voting in a lunatic like Trump?.....AND THEN voting in their droves to almost keep him in office.........W.T.F.

[Chomper Higgot]

55 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

I suspect you're right. After 4 years of hard core conspiracy theories and trumped up charges (pun intended!), it seems likely that many Trump supporters out of the 70m+ that voted for him won't want to shake hands and make up. 

 

Biden has 47 years experience to call on - and he's gonna need every second of it if he's to stand any chance. Especially given the more radical nature of some of those in the Congress and Senate who will be expecting more radical policy implementation. He's got one hell of a challenge to juggle that lot!

 

And, other countries with "interests" in the US not being stable aren't going to suddenly stop their interference just because a new POTUS is in place.

I’ll remind you, it was Trump and the GOP Senators, lead by Mitch McConnell that blocked funding to protect this election from foreign interference.

 

It was Trump spoke in favor of Putin and against US Intelligence Services wrt to Russian meddling in US elections.

 

As for 70 million Trump supporters, let’s ratio that against the number of Trump supporters on this forum who have ‘faded away’ since Trump was routed.

 

I hope his supporters get they help they need on their difficult journey back to reality.

[placeholder]

38 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I’ll remind you, it was Trump and the GOP Senators, lead by Mitch McConnell that blocked funding to protect this election from foreign interference.

 

It was Trump spoke in favor of Putin and against US Intelligence Services wrt to Russian meddling in US elections.

 

As for 70 million Trump supporters, let’s ratio that against the number of Trump supporters on this forum who have ‘faded away’ since Trump was routed.

 

I hope his supporters get they help they need on their difficult journey back to reality.

Given the crazy conspiracy theories they subscribe to, I don't think this forum was exactly congenial to their arguments. Far from journeying back to reality, most likely they've journeyed on to join the online madhouses where such bizarre notions are articles of faith.

[Thingamabob]

8 hours ago, ballpoint said:

And so the draining of the Trump swamp begins.

Back to the old swamp where officials can quietly make a bundle of money under the table. All very polite though.

[Slain]

Trump on the way out and world wide coronavirus vaccines on the way.  What a great ending to 2020.

Good luck to the new government on clearing up the mess and rebuilding new relationships with the world.

[Sujo]

39 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

Back to the old swamp where officials can quietly make a bundle of money under the table. All very polite though.

Like trump putting all his business in a blind trust?

 

Like charging over rates for secret service at trump properties and golf clubs?

 

Like ivanka getting sweet deals in china?

 

And thats only his family, and no, not even polite.

[placeholder]

40 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

Back to the old swamp where officials can quietly make a bundle of money under the table. All very polite though.

I guess the difference being that under Trump it was done openly, starting with Trump himself. Didn't you pass yourself off as someone who didn't like Trump? But you actually believe that the President who promised to go hard on Wall St and instead actually eased up on the same people who brought about the 2008 crash was somehow draining the swamp? What was that huge influx of lobbyists in his administration about? Was that the swamp drainage flowing into his adminstration?

[Eric Loh]

4 minutes ago, Slain said:

Trump on the way out and world wide coronavirus vaccines on the way.  What a great ending to 2020.

Good luck to the new government on clearing up the mess and rebuilding new relationships with the world.

It is always the Republicans who leave behind a mess for the Democrats to clean up. Obama inherited a deeply distressed economy from George Bush and now Biden will have to clean up Trump's mess which is even bigger. A divided nation, emboldened white supremacists, crippled economy, raging pandemic, mistrust of allies, endangering global warming etc. It will be a tall order for Biden and Harris to untie all the bad policies of Trump and get USA to be respected globally. 

[RocketDog]

The key appointment to watch is DHS. 

it has gone way off the reservation under Bush, Trump, and even Obama. 

 

It was formed from an alphabet soup of agencies and should now be disintegrated and rebuilt with substantial curbs on its autonomy. Some strong oversight and accountability is in order. 

 

Trump himself might be a good choice for the first director if every aspect he wants to strengthen is weakened and every aspect he wants to weaken is strengthened. Just don't allow him to make any staff appointments himself. Don't worry about him catching onto the game for years. 

[Eric Loh]

7 minutes ago, RocketDog said:

The key appointment to watch is DHS. 

it has gone way off the reservation under Bush, Trump, and even Obama. 

 

It was formed from an alphabet soup of agencies and should now be disintegrated and rebuilt with substantial curbs on its autonomy. Some strong oversight and accountability is in order. 

 

Trump himself might be a good choice for the first director if every aspect he wants to strengthen is weakened and every aspect he wants to weaken is strengthened. Just don't allow him to make any staff appointments himself. Don't worry about him catching onto the game for years. 

The choice of a Latino to head DHS is interesting. Alesandro Mayorkas will expectedly overhaul Trump's hard-line immigration policies. Next will be whether he gets senate confirmation. 

[Jingthing]

9 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

The choice of a Latino to head DHS is interesting. Alesandro Mayorkas will expectedly overhaul Trump's hard-line immigration policies. Next will be whether he gets senate confirmation. 

Perhaps it's time for the DACA people to uncork the champagne.