The United States of America has a new czar.
President Barack Obama named Ron Klain, a man who served as chief of staff for Vice Presidents Al Gore and Joe Biden, as “Ebola czar,” CNN’s Jake Tapper reported Friday morning. While not an official government position, Klain will be responsible for the “whole of government Ebola response,” Politico reports, and report to Obama homeland security adviser Lisa Monaco and National Security Adviser Susan Rice.
An official told Politico that Klain’s mission will be “to protect the American people by detecting, isolating and treating Ebola patients in this country are properly integrated but don’t distract from the aggressive commitment to stopping Ebola at the source in West Africa.”
BREAKING — #Ebola czar Ron Klain will report to both WH adviser Lisa Monaco and NSA Dr Susan Rice, WH official tells CNN
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) October 17, 2014
Obama previously told reporters on Thursday that at some point it “may be appropriate for me to appoint an additional person” to track the Ebola response. That person, Obama said, would “make sure we’re crossing all the t’s and dotting all the i’s.”
Since leaving the administration in January 2011, Klain has crossed t’s and dotted i’s as President of Case Holdings, former AOL chairman Steve Case’s holding firm. The company has holdings in LivingSocial, Sweetgreen and Zipcar, according to its website.
New Ebola Czar Ron Klain is a former chief of staff to two Democratic vice presidents: http://t.co/coay0IWuWZ pic.twitter.com/bKZ88Njl61
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) October 17, 2014
Klain served as a debate preparation advisor to Obama, Clinton, Gore and John Kerry, according to a bio on Case Holdings’s website.
Ron Klain is seen talking with President Obama during debate preparations in Henderson, Nevada on Oct. 2, 2012.
Image: UPPA/Zuma Press
“He gained national notice as General Counsel for the Gore Recount Committee in 2000, in recognition of which he was selected as one of National Law Journal’s ‘Lawyers of the Year,'” it says.
He was also portrayed by Kevin Spacey in the HBO film Recount.
Ron Klain and actor Kevin Spacey attends the HBO Films premiere of “Recount” after party at The Four Seasons on May 13, 2008 in New York City.
Image: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images
Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd says Klain is seen inside the White House as a pro at “organizing bureaucracies.”
Ron Klain is viewed inside the WH has one of the more knowledgeable former aides who understands wrestling and organizing bureaucracies.
— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) October 17, 2014
But others criticized the pick, citing Klain’s lack of public health experience as a sign that the Obama administration sees the Ebola crisis as a political one.
Ron Klain Ron Klain — the partisan glad-hander & political operative with zero experience involving a health crisis?
Why not Giuliani?
— John Nolte (@NolteNC) October 17, 2014
With the appointment of Ron Klain as Ebola Czar Obama admits that for him Ebola is a political problem, not a public health problem.
— Rick Moore (@RickMoore) October 17, 2014
Ron Klain is no doubt a capable man, but at the same time, I would have preferred an MD to be named #Ebola czar.
— Russell Schaffer (@RussOnPolitics) October 17, 2014
This story is developing…