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38 postsRonald A. Klain is a lawyer and Democratic political strategist born in 1961 in Indianapolis. He was chief of staff to two Vice Presidents, Al Gore and Joe Biden, and served on the Democratic campaigns of Al Gore and John Kerry. He attended Harvard and Georgetown Universities. He was played by Kevin Spacey in Recount, a TV movie about the Florida recount in the 2000 Presidential election. He has worked for the investment and venture capital firms Case Holdings and Revolution Ventures. He is married to Monica Medina, a lawyer and environmental activist, and they have three children. On Oct. 17, 2014, he was named to the position of Ebola response coordinator by Pres. Barack Obama.
Klain acts as a senior adviser to the Gore campaign on the Florida recount. Commenting on the decision to end the recount:
From a legal perspective, this is no different from them deciding at 8 or 9 p.m. on Election night to stop counting votes. ‘They agreed this count was needed and they triggered the count. Because they are not certain they will be able to finish is not a reason to stop the recount.’
Klain is interviewed for Inside Politics about the Gore campaign’s direction:
It’s the early stage of the campaign. What the vice president is talking about is an agenda to bring progress and prosperity to our country. I think it connects with voters. I think as the campaign goes on, and more and more people focus on that and hear that, his agenda, his message and his record will prevail this fall.
Klain leaves the campaign to join the Washington office of L.A.-based O’Melveny & Myers as a partner. There have been rumors of a rift between him and campaign chairman Tony Coelho but by the time he leaves, the campaign is trying to convince him to stay. Klain:
Tony was doing everything humanly possible to try to get me to stay. ..’You reach a point in time when you need to do something else. My heart said stay, but my head told me to move on.
Klain joins the campaign alongside 1996 campaign chairman Peter S. Knight, former chief of staff Jack Quinn, and former House member Tom Downey. Campaign manager Craig Smith:
‘This has been a Clinton-Gore operation for the last six years, not a Clinton operation and not a Gore operation. ‘The Clinton years will become the foundation for Gore to build on.
Aides to Gore say Klaine wrote a memo for him that was intended to be used at the 1996 White House fund-raiser, outlining strategies for fund-raising including making phone calls to donors. It appears to contradict Gore’s statements that he is not involved in the day-to-day issues of running the fund-raising campaign.
Klain is appointed to serve as Gore’s Chief of Staff. Gore:
He brings strong policy, legislative and administrative experience to the job, and has played a key role in coordinating Democratic initiatives on Capitol Hill. Prior to that, I had the opportunity to work closely with him here in the White House, and I welcome him back to the White House in this new and important role.
Klain oversees Bader-Ginsburg’s confirmation for the White House, including being present at the hearings.
Klain joins the administration as Associate Counsel to the President.
Klain graduates Magna cum laude, after attaining the Sears Prize and editing the Harvard Law Review.
Klain and Medina marry at Georgetown. They hold a rehearsal dinner in the university’s North Hall, and the ceremony is conducted by two professors, Rev. Rakousek and Rabbi White.
Klain serves as a member of the Committee’s minority staff.
Klain is awarded the prize for highest grade average.
Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) hires Klain as legislative director on his graduation from Georgetown. Markey is serving in the House at the time.
Klain graduates summa cum laude.
Klain joins Bayh’s reelection campaign. Bayh avoids a primary but is defeated by Quayle in the election.