President-elect Joe Biden announced Thursday he'll nominate Denis McDonough to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, and will name Susan Rice his head of the White House Domestic Policy Council. And while both of the nominees have lots of Washington experience, they're receiving criticism for their lack of experience in the departments they've been named to.
McDonough was a chief of staff to former President Barack Obama, and was reportedly chosen for his skill in crisis management and deep experience in government operations, a source familiar with the choice tells Military Times. And while he did handle the aftermath of the Obama administration's VA wait times scandal, McDonough isn't a veteran, and wasn't known for his work in veterans issues under Obama. AMVETS National Executive Director Joe Chenelly told Military Times he was "surprised by this pick," while others were more explicit with their criticism.
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