President Joe Biden’s transition team is majority women & 46% people of color

Biden Addresses the Nation

If Donald Trump had admitted defeat a week ago and conceded the election, I think the decisions Joe Biden has been making during his transition would be making a much bigger impact. There has yet to be a larger conversation about just how f–king cool it was that then-candidate Biden was like “I’m going to choose a Black woman as VP” and then HE DID IT. And now we have an incoming Black-Indian vice president and that’s absolutely amazing. Candidate Biden also said that he would want his administration to be more reflective of America too and look, he’s already doing that too. His transition team is the most inclusive team in history.

As President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office in January, nearly half of the transition team laying the groundwork for his administration is made up of people of color, and women are in the majority. Forty-six percent of the transition staff are people of color, according to new diversity data of the transition team provided to CNN, and 41% of the senior staff are people of color. The majority of transition staff — 52% — are women, and 53% of the senior staff are women.

The new diversity figures come as Biden is set to announce his Cabinet picks and senior staff for the White House in the coming weeks — one of the first tests of his campaign pledge to build an administration that will “look like America.”

Biden’s first major step toward diversity in his administration came when he selected Kamala Harris, a Black and South Asian woman, as his vice president. In his first staffing announcement, Biden chose a White man and longtime adviser — Ron Klain — as his chief of staff for the White House.

The transition team’s diversity also extends to its advisory board — where 43% are people of color and 52% are women. Nine of the 13 members of Biden’s Covid-19 advisory board are people of color and five of the members are women, according to the data.

[From CNN]

When he announced Ron Klain as his chief of staff, I was actually slightly disappointed, because that’s one of the most powerful positions inside the White House and Klain is just some boringly competent white dude. That being said, Biden trusts Klain and Klain is very good and very… like, Obama-era wonky. But I have faith that President Biden will have a mega-diverse and inclusive White House. I bet Vice President Harris will have a very diverse staff too.

Also: this got buried a bit as well, but Jen O’Malley Dillon was the first female campaign manager of a winning presidential campaign. That got buried throughout the campaign too, the fact that Biden had a woman campaign manager.

Last thing: Barack Obama will not be joining the Biden administration in any capacity. Barry said that Michelle would leave him if he tried to go back into politics.

Biden Addresses the Nation

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

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34 Responses to “President Joe Biden’s transition team is majority women & 46% people of color”

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  1. bettyrose says:

    President Joe Biden. Ahh, that headline is a breath of fresh air. Never in my life did I think I’d be brought to tears by that phrase, but I have more and more admiration for Biden. He really sees himself as the conduit to usher our nation into a new era. He’s not making this about himself *at all*.

    • Astrid says:

      I think you hit the nail on the head with “conduit”

    • LahdidahBaby says:

      So well said Bettyrose! I feel that way, too. Exactly.

      And any possibility that Trump would find a way to leave the White House with dignity…well, I was going to say that’s gone…but there never was that possibility. He simply isn’t capable of dignity, any more than he is capable of honesty, decency, or concern for our democracy.

      The Biden Administration…that is such a welcome thought.

    • I hope he appoints a Native American Indian (man or woman) somewhere in there. They really came through for him in Arizona. Truly, a NAI deserves a high profile spot and they are ALWAYS overlooked.

  2. ThatsNotOkay says:

    Michelle and Melania were both reluctant First Ladies. Yet one stepped up to the plate and the other was like, F*ck Christmas !

    • Eleonora says:

      Lots of us would love thr platform of a First Lady to help vulnerable people, work to promote education and many other causes

      Melania did what exactly?

  3. Cate says:

    I have been noticing for months that his campaign manager is female. She gives great, no-nonsense quotes. Such an awesome contrast to Kellyanne Conway, Kayleigh McEnany, and all the faux barbies

    • Athyrmose says:

      Her name is Symone Sanders, and she’s amazing. She’s published a book, too, if you’re interested. 🙂

      • Mac says:

        Conway was actually the first female campaign manager but since they stole the election, I don’t think it counts. Symone Sanders was an advisor to the Biden campaign. I would love to see her as the White House comms director.

      • Eleonora says:

        Thanks for the name

      • Kate says:

        Mac, yeah I thought Keyllanne was the first female campaign manager too?

      • Courtney B says:

        Check her awesome move, along with Dr Jill, when the dairy activists rushed the stage when Biden was speaking. Basically Jill blocked and Symone tackled. Ive always liked Symone since seeing her on Bill Maher years ago.

      • Agirlandherdog says:

        Technically, Conway was one of many of Trump’s campaign managers…

  4. Mignionette says:

    YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS !!!

    Lol hoes gonna be mad. Same energy as the Sainsbury’s Xmas ad.

  5. The Other Sarah says:

    I hope the public face of the administration is just as diverse and it’s not just women and POC working behind the scenes to prop up a cabinet of white dudes.

    • LightPurple says:

      Rumors are that Symone Sanders is in consideration for Press Secretary.

    • windyriver says:

      Women aren’t just on the transition teams for individual departments, many of the designated team leaders are women. (Don’t know enough about the individuals to know who may be a POC).

      We’ll see how that translates to appointments for major positions.

  6. ce says:

    It’s almost like… reflective of… the United States of America?? Craziness. I’m so glad to start celebrating this sh*thole country again

  7. ME says:

    About time.

    Anyone else getting ready for 4 years of Trump tweets trying to bash the Biden/Harris administration and spreading lies about how they “ruined” America? Should be interesting. I hope they ignore Trump, he’d hate that the most lol.

  8. Lady2Lazy says:

    Though I too was disappointed about a white guy as Chief of Staff, Klain has been with Biden for over 8 years.. I read over the weekend that he has 3 women to direct his communications department and/or be his public communications spokesperson. One woman, I wish I could remember her name, but she is very familiar with Ms. Harris as she worked very closely with her and she also is a strong friend of Ms. Harris’ sister. She would be dynamic!! One of Biden’s campaign officials who went to school with et said she is smart as a whip and is always one step ahead.

    • Mac says:

      Klain ran the Ebola response during the Obama administration so that’s a big plus.

      I believe the woman you are referring to is Karine Jean Pierre.

    • Courtney B says:

      I’m not upset about Klain. I was 100% sure he’d be Biden’s COS since he was prior and it’s not like there won’t be any white men. That level of trust is important. He has it with Susan rice too—she was the other favorite going into the VP pick. I hope she’s named to something. If the GOP tries to sabotage her over Benghazi I hope he just names her Senior Adviser and says eff you since that doesn’t need confirmation.

  9. MaryContrary says:

    Klain is supposed to be fantastic, so I’m not worried at all. He’s been around for a long time-knows everyone, is supposed to be really smart, competent and kind. (Various people in the know have commented on how he’s the nicest person they’ve worked with.)

  10. Case says:

    I really believe in my heart the Biden/Harris Administration will do wonderful things and usher in an era of progress. I am so encouraged and hopeful.

    Klain doesn’t bother me at all. There will of course be some competent white dudes serving under Biden, and this is someone who is respected and trusted. It’s fine.

  11. lucy2 says:

    I thought the same about Klain, then saw that he was the Ebola Czar, and people in the know were really, really happy with his selection.
    I am thrilled to hear about the diversity of the administration. It’s about f’ing time.

    I think so many of us have forgotten what it used to be like, and will be like again. There’s going to be experienced, competent adults working to solve problems, not create them. There’s going to be actual press briefings, not filled with lies and propaganda. There’s going to be a POTUS who speaks in full sentences, and doesn’t “govern” via twitter.

  12. Nini says:

    Wait, wasn’t KellyAnne Conway Trump’s campaign manager in 2016 and therefore the first female winning presidential campaign manager? KellyAnne Conway is a horrible person but I think it’s important to say the facts as they are.

    I don’t think it takes anything away from Jen O’Malley Dillon not to be the first, if anything, I think it’s a win for women that there has now been more than one.

    • pixiestyx says:

      Conway was Trump’s 3rd and final campaign manager. She held the position for 10 weeks. Before she was his campaign manager she acted as a senior advisor.

  13. Becks1 says:

    I love this so much. He’s really doing exactly what he said he would do, and the country is going to be better for it.

  14. Lizzythe2 says:

    I love it! Reflective of what the U.S. population is. Klansmen are gonna be ill about it. Ha, ha!

    • Midnight@theOasis says:

      The Klanswomen are gonna be pissed as well. After all men are supposed to be in charge and a woman’s role is to submit.

  15. Sara says:

    As I’ve been saying and will continue to say, put women in charge! Thank you, President Biden.

  16. emu says:

    Good for you Joe. Such a strong step forward for our country. Glad it hasn’t just been lip-service.

  17. megs283 says:

    This makes me so happy. At long last…