Inside Bidens Struggle to Manage Factions in the Democratic Party – The New York Times

I was surprised, especially given the statements of some of my colleagues who may have supported the waiver in the past but said it was the last time well do it, said Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, a member of the Armed Services Committee. And I was not consulted, no reason I should be, but I was surprised.

Mr. Bidens choices stem from his determination to fulfill his promise of appointing a cabinet that reflects the diversity of the country. Mr. Austin would be the first Black defense secretary, and without him much of the national security apparatus Mr. Biden has put into place would be white. But Mr. Bidens team did little to prepare Black lawmakers and leaders to advocate on behalf of Mr. Austin before announcing his selection, leaving them scrambling to catch up once the appointment was reported in the news media.

In perhaps the most awkward negotiation of the cabinet process so far, Mr. Becerra, who is Hispanic, was nominated for health and human services secretary after it became clear that, much to the dismay of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico would not receive the appointment.

A second candidate for the health position, Ms. Raimondo, faced resistance from labor leaders in her home state. At least two major unions, the public-sector giant Afscme and the American Federation of Teachers, expressed forceful opposition to Ms. Raimondo with the Biden transition team.

Mr. Biden turned to Mr. Becerra almost immediately after members of the Hispanic caucus upbraided top transition aides during a meeting this month about their treatment of Ms. Lujan Grisham, according to Democrats familiar with the timing, even though his public-health experience is more limited than that of the two governors.

Mr. Bidens aides have privately been working to salve wounds by telling them there will be turnover in the top jobs soon enough.

I keep saying: The second wave will be earlier than you think, said one senior Biden official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity about private conversations with cabinet hopefuls. Go deal with your city, your state for now.

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Inside Bidens Struggle to Manage Factions in the Democratic Party - The New York Times