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A2 UP FRONT
Monday 9 noveMber 2020
Biden seeks to move quickly and build out his administration

Continued from Front president-elect by attend-
ing church at St. Joseph
"People want the coun- on the Brandywine near his
try to move forward," said home in Wilmington, as he
Kate Bedingfield, Biden does nearly every week.
deputy campaign manag- After the service, he vis-
er, in an interview on NBC's ited the church cemetery
"Meet the Press, and see where several family mem-
Biden and Vice President- bers have been laid to rest,
elect Kamala Harris "have including his late son, Beau.
the opportunity to do the Beau Biden, a former Del-
work, to get the virus un- aware attorney general,
der control and to get our died in 2015 from cancer.
economy back together." Before his death, he had
It's unclear for now wheth- encouraged his father to
er President Donald Trump make a third run for the
and his administration will White House.
cooperate. He has yet to Joe Biden said Saturday in
acknowledge Biden's vic- a victory speech that he
tory and has pledged to would announce a task
mount legal challenges in force of scientists and ex-
several closely contested perts Monday to develop
states that decided the a "blueprint" to begin beat-
race. In this Aug. 12, 2020, file photo Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden ing back the virus by the
Biden adviser Jen Psaki and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., arrive to speak at a news conference at Alexis time he assumes the presi-
Dupont High School in Wilmington, Del.
pressed for the Trump-ap- Associated Press dency. He said his plan
pointed head of the Gen- would be "built on bedrock
eral Services Administration and economic interests de- A GSA official said Sunday team had been in touch science" and "constructed
to quickly recognize Biden pend on the federal gov- that step had not been tak- with Republican lawmak- out of compassion, empa-
as the president-elect, ernment signaling clearly en yet. ers. Israel's prime minister, thy and concern."
which would free up mon- and swiftly that the United Still, there were signs that Benjamin Netanyahu, one Murthy, who had advised
ey for the transition and States government will re- leaders in Washington and of Trump's closest allies, Biden during the cam-
clear the way for Biden's spect the will of the Ameri- foreign capitals were pre- opened a Cabinet meet- paign, was named to a
team to begin putting in can people and engage paring for a new adminis- ing on Sunday by congrat- four-year term as surgeon
place the transition process in a smooth and peaceful tration. ulating Biden, a former vice general in 2014 by Presi-
at agencies. transfer of power," Psaki Biden aides said the presi- president and longtime dent Barack Obama.
"America's national security said in a Twitter posting. dent-elect and transition senator. Murthy was asked to re-
"I have a long and warm sign by Trump months into
personal connection with the Republican's term.
Joe Biden for nearly 40 Kessler was appointed as
years, and I know him as FDA commissioner by Presi-
a great friend of the state dent George H.W. Bush
of Israel," Netanyahu said. and served in the position
"I am certain that we will through President Bill Clin-
continue to work with both ton's first term in the White
of them in order to further House.
strengthen the special alli- Biden may not make top
ance between Israel and Cabinet choices for weeks.
the U.S." But he built his presidential
George W. Bush, the sole run around bipartisanship
living Republican former and he has spent the days
president, also wished Bi- since Tuesday's election
den well. pledging to be a president
"Though we have political for all Americans. That sug-
differences, I know Joe Bi- gests he could be willing to
den to be a good man, appoint some Republicans
who has won his opportu- to high-profile administra-
nity to lead and unify our tion positions.
country," Bush said. Many former Republican
Biden faces key staffing de- officeholders broke with
cisions in the days ahead. Trump to endorse Biden's
The always-frenzied 10- campaign. Biden's selec-
week transition period be- tion of some of them to
fore Inauguration Day on join the new government
Jan. 20 already has been could appease Senate Re-
shortened by the extra publicans, who may have
time it took to determine to confirm many of Biden's
the winner of Tuesday's choices for top jobs. The
election. GOP could retain control
The second Catholic to be of the chamber after two
elected president, Biden special elections in Geor-
started his first full day as gia on Jan. 5. q