The latest on Biden’s transition

Gina McCarthy

President-elect Joe Biden will name Gina McCarthy as his White House climate czar, a source familiar with the decision tells CNN, making the former head of the Environmental Protection Agency his top domestic climate coordinator.

McCarthy, who currently serves as the head of the Natural Resources Defense Council, will lead Biden’s newly formed Office of Domestic Climate Policy, a source said. 

The source added that Ali Zaidi, currently New York’s Deputy Secretary of Energy and Environment, will serve as White House Deputy Climate Coordinator. Zaidi served in different climate focused roles in the Office of Management and Budget and White House Domestic Policy Council during the Obama administration.

Biden has said he will prioritize combating the climate crisis as president.

McCarthy joins former Secretary of State John Kerry, who the President-elect named his special presidential envoy for climate, as top Biden officials tasked with addressing the issue. Kerry is expected to focus on the foreign policy and international aspects of the climate crisis, while McCarthy will focus on domestic issues.

Jennifer Granholm, former governor of Michigan

President-elect Joe Biden is poised to tap former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm to lead the Department of Energy, two people familiar with the matter say, inviting a longtime adviser who played a critical role in his debate preparations over the years to join his Cabinet.

Granholm has long taken a deep interest in energy issues and was considered to be a top candidate for Energy secretary if Hillary Clinton had won four years ago. Now, she will have her chance, if confirmed by the Senate.

Politico was first to report the news of Granholm’s selection.

President-elect Joe Biden speaks at a drive-in rally for Georgia Democratic candidates for US Senate Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, Tuesday, December 15, in Atlanta.

President-elect Joe Biden traveled to Georgia on Tuesday to campaign for Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, the two Democrats who are challenging incumbent Republican Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler in a pair of January runoff races that will determine which party controls the US Senate.

“They’ll actually fight for you, represent you, stand up for you,” Biden said of Ossoff and Warnock.

Biden thanked voters in Georgia for turning out to vote in last month’s presidential election. The President-elect became the first Democrat to win Georgia in 28 years. The last Democrat to win the state was Bill Clinton in 1992.

“Thank you for standing strong to make sure your voices were heard, your votes were counted, and counted, and counted again,” Biden said. “I’m starting to feel like I won Georgia three times.” Earlier this month, Georgia recertified its presidential election results, and again found Biden as the winner following three counts of ballots. 

“I think all of you just taught Donald Trump a lesson: In this election, Georgia wasn’t going to be bullied. Georgia wasn’t going to be silenced, Georgia certainly wasn’t going to stand by and let Donald Trump or the state of Texas or anyone else come in here and toss out your votes,” Biden said. 

Last week, the Supreme Court rejected a bid from Texas’ attorney general, which was supported by President Trump, to block the ballots of millions of voters in battleground states that went in favor of Biden. The lawsuit, brought by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a staunch Trump ally, sought to sue Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia and Wisconsin — which all went for Biden — and invalidate their election results.

“You know who did nothing while Trump, Texas and others were trying to wipe out every single one of the almost five million votes you had cast here in Georgia in November? Your two Republican senators,” Biden said, slamming Perdue and Loeffler.

“They stood by,” Biden continued. “In fact, your two Republican senators fully embraced what Texas was telling the Supreme Court. They fully embraced nullifying nearly five million Georgia votes. You might want to remember that come Jan. 5.”

Biden also praised former Democratic Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, who has devoted years to expanding the electorate and boosting turnout in the state, which had been reliably red for decades.

“Is there anyone in America who has done more to protect the right to vote in this election, is there anyone who’s done more to make sure the voice of every Georgian is heard? I don’t think so. Stacey Abrams, you’re a hero,” Biden said. 

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