The naming of Ron Klain as the new Ebola czar leaves me with a couple of questions. Do we need a “czar” at all? And why is this guy who we picked?
On the positive side, one of the biggest problems with the Ebola response so far is the poor communications effort, and lack of confidence. Perhaps getting Center for Disease Control chief Dr. Thomas Frieden, a poor communicator, off the podium and back to managing the medical/public health aspects full time may improve both functions.
Klain can probably be the public face, and if he is willing to consult his experts, things could improve. America needs to help beat the outbreak in West Africa, and better manage the cases that crop up here. The growing public lack of confidence is understandable, and should be addressed.
On the negative side, “czars” have a very poor track record. They either become mildly helpful staff functionaries, or completely useless window dressing. We already have a surgeon general, a secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, and a secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Would not one of them do?
Klain is a political operative, close lieutenant of Obama and claims his old boss Joe Biden as his mentor, vice an expert in public health. They are touting his “management” skills, but frankly he is a “fixer.”
This just shows that this administration is looking at Ebola as a political problem, not a medical or public health problem. What does it feel like to you?
That President Obama has chosen to add a coordinator to better synchronize the nation’s efforts to fight Ebola sounds like a great decision. The choice of Ron Klain is enlightening because it shows how Obama sees this serious issue.
Once again, he is trying to manage perceptions and do political damage control. Instead he should be standing up as a leader, and finding a real expert to protect the American people.