Through tears, outgoing leading White House aide says goodbye

WASHINGTON (AP) — Outgoing White House main of staff Ron Klain burst into tears Wednesday as he talked about his boss, President Joe Biden, and his many years of function with him.

“This is the very best position I’ve ever experienced,” reported Klain, instantly crying right after he mentioned he couldn’t guarantee a tear-free speech. Biden carefully patted him on the back again.

The East Room was packed with White Property workers, aides and Cupboard users there to deliver Klain off, a Biden loyalist who has worked for the president off and on for 36 several years. Klain claimed that through it all, Biden has been a leader, a teacher and a mentor. And his admiration would not quit at governing.

“I learned all the things I know about how to be a great father from Joe Biden,” mentioned Klain, the father of three, choking up.

Klain led the White Residence by its highs — passage of consequential legislation like the massive infrastructure invoice and the Democrats’ local climate, health treatment and tax legislation, as nicely as dozens of judges confirmed in the very first two yrs and the to start with Black woman named to the U.S. Supreme Court docket — as well as its lows, this kind of as the rocky withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

“Ron has been at my side in just one capability or an additional, and there is been some pretty rough and true battles we’ve been in with each other,” Biden said. “This is a man who’s normally been there.”

The transition is the to start with main staff alter for an administration that has had nominal turnover at its best ranks and throughout the Cupboard.

Klain is succeeded by Jeff Zients, who led the administration’s COVID-19 reaction. The 56-calendar year-old Zients is tasked with main operations as the Democratic administration shifts from formidable legislating to implementing those people procedures and fending off Republican attempts to defang the achievements. Zients will also now manage the fallout from discoveries of categorised documents at Biden’s residence in Wilmington, Delaware, and at his former institute in Washington, which has activated a special counsel investigation.