WASHINGTON (TIP): The bureaucratic transition from Mr. Trump’s government to Mr. Biden’s actually began weeks ago, despite the President’s legal challenges. Still, the suddenly conciliatory stance from many Republicans could thaw the political deep freeze that has gripped Washington lately.
Mr. Biden has been trying to build momentum as he prepares to assume the presidency while facing the historic challenge of vaccinating hundreds of millions of Americans against the coronavirus. In some of his most forceful remarks since the election, Mr. Biden is calling for unity but also calling Mr. Trump’s attacks on the voting process “unconscionable” and insisting it is time to “turn the page.’ “We need to work together, give each other a chance, and lower the temperature,” Mr. Biden said in a speech on Monday., December 14.
Still, the shift coming so late in the tone from Republicans has left the President-elect with barely a month to finish building out key parts his new government. Some say the GOP about-face won’t mean much at this point.
“Even them doing this now, the damage has been done because they’ve blocked, they’ve interrupted,” said Anthony Robinson, a former Obama administration appointee who served several national security policy roles, including during the transition to the Trump administration in 2016.
“I don’t want to say, ‘Who cares?,’ but it definitely doesn’t symbolize a smooth transition,” said Mr. Robinson, who is now political director of the National Democratic Training Committee, which trains candidates and campaign staffers all over the country.
Mr. Biden’s first priority will be the fair and efficient distribution of vaccines against the virus. The President-elect said on Tuesday that he would follow the advice of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, who says that getting the President-elect himself vaccinated as soon as possible is a matter of national security.
Trust in the vaccine
“Dr. Fauci recommends I get the vaccine sooner than later. I want to make sure we do it by the numbers,” Mr. Biden said, adding that he’d be immunized publicly, which could help build public trust in the vaccine.
Mr. Trump’s continued opposition to Mr. Biden, meanwhile, may still present roadblocks, especially in the U.S. House where Republicans as recently as last week were introducing legislation to punish members of their party who might be seen as urging Mr. Trump to “concede prematurely.” Other top Trump administration Cabinet officials haven’t yet followed the lead of Mr. Pompeo, who plans to meet on Thursday with Mr. Blinken, Mr. Biden’s Secretary of State nominee.
“The President is still involved in ongoing litigation related to the election,” said White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, calling the Electoral College vote “one step in the constitutional process.”