Inauguration Special
Welcome to the “1 to…” Inauguration Special: This special issue will recap the early days of the Biden Administration. This letter will be all news and politics. Subsequent daily letters beginning this Tuesday will include News (Domestic and International) and Lifestyle entries including COVID19 news, business, finance, technology, health, arts/culture, music, movies, television, food, personal development, spirituality, and so much more more. On a personal note: This issue is dedicated to my Uncle Jonas Chaves who passed away last Spring of COVID19 at the North Shore Medical Center, a day after he was taken there from his rehabilitation facility. The veteran and former FAA employee loved his politics and has been featured on MSNBC, CNN and in the Boston Globe.
Let’s get to it…
My post Inauguration take: The Biden Administration has clearly brought a day-today calmness (some reporters say mundane) atmosphere to Washington, DC despite the flurry of actions and the raging Pandemic. These are technocrats. No matter which side of the aisle you are on, you will no longer wake up and wonder what the President will do or say. For those on both sides, that atmosphere brought a four-year sugar high. Now both sides need to figure out how to react to the new normal. The right needs to find a new way to execute politics as sport and the left and much of the media have to discover how to prosper without “him” in their lives. Both sides also have to decide if they want to be practical and cooperate and make government work. Impeachment will give both sides an opportunity to once again experience the sugar high but from there I expect you will see a broken and disorganized Republican Party and a Democratic Party searching for a Progressive or Moderate identity. The President campaigned as a moderate who would have to toil with the far left. Instead he is governing as a Progressive who is battling the moderates. (Early Reminder: I am not a partisan.)
Now lets get to the significant “1 to…” Transition/Inauguration/First 10 days look.
My Sunday ritual: CBS Sunday Morning today (a mix of news, culture and more) never once mentioned the name Trump. After 4 years of Donald Trump highjacking this last vestige of journalism, poof. Face the Nation which followed, mentioned Trump in passing.
The Speech: With the help of Presidential Historian Jon Meacham, Biden’s speech was not Obama’s overwhelming oratory or Donald Trump’s dark carnage warning that George W. Bush described as “that was some crazy shit.” It was instead, a call to action during multiple crises that some may describe as staid.
America’s New Sweetheart: Amanda Gorman was the star of the day for most watching. Now up next for her, preforming at the Super Bowl. Penguin Publishing, who had a book in the works with her prior to the Inauguration, upped their print run this weekend to 1 million copies.
The Kingmaker: Speaking of George W. Bush, he stopped Congressman James Clyburn at the Inauguration according to the South Carolina Rep and called him a “saviour” for endorsing the former Vice President and turning Biden’s fortunes around after losing primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire. Bush reportedly stated: Biden was the only one who could have defeated” Trump. In the end, Clyburn was the kingmaker.
Blast from the past: President Bush was at it again this weekend reportedly calling Dick Cheney to commend his daughter Liz Cheney for her impeachment vote. Jeb Bush once said that Donald Trump would be the chaos President. I will leave that evaluation to you and historians.
Thought my watch was wrong: The President was inaugurated an estimated 15 minutes before 12. The “high noon” transfer of power happen as it should. There were two sets of “Gold Codes” aka nuclear codes on a card carried by the President and two “footballs” which can launch a nuclear strike. Trump’s military aide more than likely returned to Washington on a very empty Air Force 1.
Forgiven: Trump left office with a slew of Pardons that as of now have pretty much been forgotten. Steve Bannon was the “Mark Rich” of this group, a reference to the controversial pardon given by President Clinton on his last day. Bannon was pardoned before a conviction which ironically was done after he was accused of stealing from Trump donors on a wall fundraising scheme. This pardon was completed against the advise of his daughter and son-in-law who despise Bannon. Trump executed this as Bannon has become a strong supporter of the former President on his Podcast.
He will need it all: Donald Trump raised over $200 million to fight the election through year’s’ end. That was reported in a Federal Election Commission filing. That money can basically be used for whatever he wants tied to “politics.” If he is not convicted at his Senate trial (which I doubt he will be), he is entitled to an annual pension of $221,400 to use as he wishes. He also will receive funds to set up a post-presidency office and a Presidential library. And his political action committee can still raise additional funds. The former President more than likely will command a huge book advance. Both the former President and the First Lady are out searching for office space in the Palm Beach County area.
What could they be thinking?: One week after the jaw dropping Washington Post story about the Secret Service needing to rent an apartment near Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner’s home to have a bathroom, President Trump extended Secret Service protection for all members of his immediate family.
Nobody home: Washington was a buzz about who actually fired the head White House usher Timothy Harleth thereby prompting the uncomfortable 10 second who is going to open the door for President Biden at the White House North Portico. In the end, I think with the non transition/transition, President Biden stated he would replace the usher, a former Trump Hotel General Manager. And the Trump’s decided it was time at 11:40 am on Inauguration Day to tell him he was terminated.
The Office: Andrew Jackson and Winston Churchill are gone. Cesar Chavez, FDR, RFK, MLK, Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, Hamilton, Daniel Webster and more now surround the 46th President. CNN outlines all that is in the new President’s office.
Generous: The word used for former President Trump’s letter to President Biden that he left in the Oval Office. The contents will not be released for now.
Saturday Night Massacre: Meanwhile down in Florida, Trump parted ways with 5 of his impeachment attorneys including South Carolina lead attorney Butch Bowers. By Sunday evening, David Schoen and Bruce L. Castor, Jr. had taken the reigns.
I gave up Erotica for a life as a spy: Avril Haines has a wonderful background. Most importantly she is highly qualified. Her life has seen tragedy and she comes to the Director of National Intelligence position with a background in intelligence far greater than many who have been in this position and that will serve this country well. Her bookstore in Baltimore was run like everything else she does — with efficiency and class. Read the Baltimore Sun piece linked here.
They are back: Daily White House briefings with White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki. The Connecticut native has gotten off to a good start with most of the press. While not piling up the mistruths yet (all Administrations have been accused of that), Psaki has her own style if she does not want to answer something. She began taking citizen questions on the White House Facebook Page.
I thought I got a job working at the White House: Here are the rules. Only 6 in the Oval Office at once and for no more than 15 minutes. Only 10 in the Roosevelt Room for meetings. Zoom meetings mostly between offices. If you are eating your lunch you must close your door. 70 percent of the WH staff are working from home.
And you thought this was only an Obama redux: Avril Haines has tapped Morgan Muir, a brilliant CIA Intelligence officer and former George W. Bush briefer to return for a second stint. Muir is a no nonsense professional and will conduct a daily briefing for the President. He is known to be tough on colleagues with the desire to get to the facts. Beth Sanner, another brilliant CIA officer, had conducted three-day a week briefings for Donald Trump. Muir also will assume the role of director of mission integration, coordinating work from all 18 intelligence agencies. Haines should be commended for bringing the best to Biden despite his past assignment with Bush43.
Social Media and the world of Spying: Haines made news this week by saying her office would add an Instagram account.
Too much to worry about to do that: Despite his calls for bipartisan cooperation, there is no Republican in the Biden Cabinet as has been the tradition with past Democratic Administrations. President Biden had significant pressure from those within his party to meet their demands for Cabinet diversity. Obama had Republican Ray Lahood, a Republican at Transportation. Clinton had former Maine Republican Senator William Cohen at Defense.
Welcome: Lloyd J. Austin III, a retired General was confirmed as Secretary of Defense after he was given a waiver for his uniform service. He arrived at the Pentagon and was met by Acting Secretary of Defense David Norquist, the former Deputy Defense Secretary and Joint Chiefs of Staff Head Mark Milley. As the new Defense Secretary exited his vehicle he gave Norquist and Milley a COVID arm welcome. Norquist is the brother of Grover Norquist, the founder of American’s for Tax Reform and unarguably one of the most powerful Republicans in Washington, DC for over three decades. Norquist remains Deputy Secretary until Kathleen Hicks is confirmed as the first woman Deputy Defense Secretary. Women’s advocates and many military experts wanted Michele Flournoy to be named Defense Secretary. Secretary Austin will also have to deal with Lt. General Charles Flynn, the brother of former Trump National Security Advisor Michael Flynn who has been accused of not reacting to a call he received on January 6 asking for Pentagon help at the Capitol.
Rally the National Guard Troops: After some bad PR for having National Guard Troops in a parking garage, the new Secretary of Defense visited those protecting the Capitol. Here is some YouTube footage.
Confirmation Master Class: Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg deserves an Emmy and Oscar in one for his performance at his confirmation hearing. Congressman on both sides of the aisle were eating out of his hand and begging him to join them in their districts where transportation projects await approval.
The $500,000 cleaning did not include doggie proofing: The White House was cleaned Inauguration morning to the tune of $500,000. But the Biden’s two dogs Champ and Major could not move in for a couple of days as the White House needed doggie proofing. Now the White House will add a Cat. Remember the Clinton’s moved in with Socks the Cat until Buddy the dog arrived. Socks had a tough later life as Buddy drove him out of the Cinton’s home and to that of former Clinton Secretary Bettie Currie. So who will take care of the dogs? George W. Bush actually did the kibble feedings for his in the White House. The Kennedys were known to take walks with theirs on Pennsylvania Avenue after dark.
Joe vs. Joe and they are eating their own: Joe Biden may not be the most powerful Joe in Washington. With the Senate being at a 50-50 split enabling Vice President Harris to break a tie, West Virginia Conservative Democrat Joe Manchin is a needed voted. I first met Joe Manchin 36 years ago in Charleston, WV. He will not be an easy vote and the Vice President may have complicated that last week appearing on West Virginia local TV (WSAZ-TV) in Huntington in what some say was stocking the Senator. Manchin was not at all happy and Vice President Harris was caught mistakenly on the show talking about “abandoned land mines” vs. “abandoned mine lands.” Harris’s next stop was on TV Arizona where the other “moderate” Democrat Kyrsten Sinema is the Senator. Both appearances were meant to place pressure on their own party members (Manchin and Sinema to vote for the 1.9 trillion package.
Second Gentleman: The other occupant at The Naval Observatory where the Vice President lives was minted when Miriam Webster added to the dictionary “Second Gentleman.” Doug Emhoff also began his duties by visiting a DC urban farm.
Political Divorce: Mike Pence has moved in his life from President Trump after being proclaimed a statesman for attending the Inauguration and ensuring that the votes were certified on January 6.
No Sick List: Washington had a heart stopping moment last week when Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy was sent to the hospital. Leahy appears on what I have deemed the “no sick list.” This is the list of Democrat Senators in states with Republican Governors. For most they are surprised that Vermont has a Republican (non supporting Trump) Governor Phil Scott. If a Democratic Senator in one of these states has to leave office, the Senate will change hands back to the Republicans and Mitch McConnell.
FDR as role model: The Biden team has spent months studying how FDR got off to a great start after taking the Presidency during a crisis.
New Relationship Energy: The first week of the Biden Administration has included 45 Executive orders/actions, proclamations, and memorandums. These include: rejoining the Paris climate accord, a moratorium on new oil and natural gas leases on public lands and offshore waters, canceling the Keystone XL Pipeline project, prohibiting federal workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, ending the Trump ban on transgender Americans serving in the military, banning the renewal of federal contracts with private prisons, halting the construction of the border wall, implanting Pandemic Student Loan relief, and limits on evictions and foreclosures.
Ping Pong Abortion Rules: From Republican to Democrats, the new President shifted the International rule back to Obama Administration days.
Singular Focus: The Biden White House has one focus. The $1.9 trillion package of COVID Relief. On all the Sunday Morning News shows the Administration spokespeople answered any and all questions with advocacy for this bill. The House and the Senate can either pass the bill with a 2/3 vote or opt for the Reconciliation (killing the filibuster) which requires a majority. But without Manchin and Sinema that won’t be possible.
Now it’s our responsibility and the best line of the week!: "Mike Tyson said it best: “It’s great to have a plan until you get punched in the face.” That was the line from one Biden official. With 4,000 deaths a day and states having trouble with vaccine distribution, Joe goes to sleep thinking about CV19 and he wakes up thinking about CV19. New variants from the UK, Brazil and South Africa are making for sleepless nights. B117 that is the UK variant. B1351 is South African variant. P1 is the Brazil variant. L452R seems to be a variant found in California. More from CNN.
Tough Questions from a Friend: MSNBC Lawrence O’Donnell is a friend of the White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain. But on the night of Inauguration he pulled no punches telling the Chief he had read the 194 page COVID Plan and wondered where the most important page was — what website do I go to or what 800# can I call to sign up for a vaccine. Klain had no answer aside from acknowledging that it did not exist and must be set up.
Republicans have an idea for Joe: Ten Senate Republicans sent the President a letter this weekend. Biden, who has spent the weekend calling Republican Senators, does not see this proposal as an option as of today. One of the main sticking points for Republicans and some Democrats is the $15.00 an hour mandatory Federal minimum wage which will significantly impact the service industry including restaurants who by some estimates have lost 30 percent of their industry in the last year. Here are the Biden jobs proposals summarized by Forbes.
Mask Mandate on Public Transportation. The CDC order is self explanatory.
Do I need the vaccine if I have had COVID19?: The CDC has come under pressure for its flip flopping on this question from Congressman Thomas Massie.
Poll ping pong: If you can believe polls President Biden has a popularity rating somewhere between 50 and 60 percent. But some see this as worrisome. The downside of new relationship energy is (as we all know) that it is not steady and it is difficult to maintain this type of energy.
Kerry and Rice: A former Secretary of State (John Kerry) now a global ambassador for Climate Change and a former National Security Advisor (Susan Rice) now the Domestic Policy Advisor. Can the Democrat A-Team and Obama officials stay in their lanes?
Boston Your Own Town: International Climate Advisor John Kerry, Domestic Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, nominated Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, nominated Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco are only the beginning of the Red Sox fans working for the new President.
Wildfires and Space lasers: With work to be done, the Biden White House has stayed clear of the Marjorie Taylor Green controversy. The QAnon supporting Georgia Congresswoman made headlines this weekend stating that she got a call from former President Trump, being named to the Education Committee, and a battle with with Congresswoman Cori Bush. Isn’t it strange that this country has gone from the AOC craze to the MTG craze. I am relating the two on one level: this country likes to prop up the latest and greatest (both positively and negatively). Both also are known in DC as mischievous makers for the leaders of their respective parties.
January 6 protest arrests: one consistency has come up. State courts are letting each of the Capitol protestors arrested go ROR (released on their own recognizance). A that point they go to Washington, DC to face federal charges and Judges (who live in town) are lowering the hammer and execute remand.
Round em up: 5,000 anti-Putin protestors in Russia were arrested today. The Biden Administration complained about the treatment of pro-Navalny protestors. The opposition leader was arrested upon his return to Russia after recovering from a poisoning more than likely driven out of the Kremlin.
Will Trump’s Russian Ambassador Stay On?: Ambassador John Sullivan (a Trump political appointee) worked under George W. Bush and then was Deputy Secretary of State under Rex Tilleson, before he became the Acting Secretary prior to Secretary Pompeo’s confirmation. Sullivan has not been kind to the Russian leader, condemning his actions quite often. And Sullivan can be seen online making supporting LBGTQ rights with the Rainbow flag flying over the Embassy in Moscow. President Biden is considering keeping him on for some time. He was not asked to resign as most political ambassadors are.
Talking to Vlad: The President mentioned Russian Hacking (SolarWinds), election interference, the February 5 expiration of the START treaty all in a call with the Russian Leader, Taliban bounties on US heads and Navalny. No Hillary reset here. Don’t be surprised if there are new sanctions on Russia and Russian individuals soon.
Rallying the troops: The new President will give a foreign policy address on Monday at the State Department.
Biden’s International Quarantine: The new President would like to get on his horse and travel to see other world leaders but travel restrictions make a round of visits difficult. In the meantime, he has lit up the phones prior to Inauguration and since taking the oath speaking to Putin, France’s Macron, Canada’s Trudeau, Germany’s Merkel, and others.
China Conflict: China has warned the Biden Administration not to get involved or recognize Taiwan.
DC still has traditions: National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and his predecessor Robert O’Brien attend the Atlantic Council’s event of passing the baton. Sullivan was complimentary of the Trump Administration’s Abraham Accords and their dealings in part with China.
If he won’t come to us, we will come to him: Israel’s Mossad security chief will be visiting the United States to get the post-Trump lay of the land.
This is No Trump Iran Policy: While the former President has been knocked off Twitter with the Pillow guy and “maybe” one day the Congresswoman from Georgia, Jack Dorsey still has posts from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Expect despite the talking points the US back in the JPOA fast. Look whose back.
The Commander in Chief Strikes: In the dark of night, Joe Biden gave his first order as the Commander in Chief to kill an ISIS leader. Mission accomplished.
Hunting down all the Trumpers. Michael Ellis is only one of many Trump political appointees installed in Civil service jobs who are being placed on leave.
No more Fact Checkers: Many media are eliminating the Fact Checkers hired during the Trump Administration. The unemployment rate may skyrocket.
Obama Visit: I predict the first visit of the ex-President to the White House will be a Portrait ceremony that the Trump Administration put the X on.
Immigration Task Force Delay: The White House has delayed the announcement of the task force to reunite families. White House spokespeople have given no reason for the delay aside from the fact that the Secretary of Homeland Security nominee vote has been delayed. Expect these announcements this week. Dr. Jill Biden is expected also to play a role here.
$20 Change: Harriet Tubman will appear on the $20 after a delay from the Trump Treasury Department.
GameStop Police: When Gary Gensler becomes the chair of the SEC, another former client of mine, I expect him to play tough cop on last week’s “games.” But the confirmation hearing for the former head of the Commodities Exchange under Obama and Treasury Department official under Clinton has yet to be announced.
Have a great Monday.