President-elect Joe Biden is managing the expectations of far-left Democrats hoping that Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren will have a seat at his Cabinet meetings.
Biden, in his first interview since the federal agency responsible for overseeing transition acknowledged he was the apparent winner of the Nov. 3 election, said, “Nothing is off the table.” But he added there were risks involved in nominating lawmakers given Congress’s delicate balance of power.
“Taking someone out of the Senate, taking someone out of the House, particularly a person of consequence, is a really difficult decision that would have to be made,” the two-term vice president and 36-year Delaware senator told NBC Tuesday.
Warren, of Massachusetts, was rumored to be maneuvering for the treasury secretary post. Although not yet official, Biden is poised to announce former Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen as possibly the country’s first woman to head the department next week.
Sanders, of Vermont, has been open about wanting to be labor secretary.
The General Services Administration signed off on the paperwork required to start the peaceful transfer of power Monday afternoon, despite President Trump declining to concede.
“Immediately, we’ve gotten outreach from the National Security shop, from just across the board. And they’re already working out my ability to get presidential daily briefs. We’re already working out meeting with the COVID team in the White House,” Biden said Tuesday.
While he hasn’t spoken to Trump directly, Biden said Ron Klain, his incoming White House chief of staff, and Mark Meadows, his outgoing counterpart, had been in contact.
Democrats hold a slim majority in the House, having lost seats this election cycle. They also failed to flip the Senate, with Republicans remaining in control.
After rolling out his national security and foreign affairs team this week, Biden is anticipated to unveil his economic picks after the Thanksgiving break.
