President Joe Biden relies on three individuals who do not hold political positions but are trusted longtime friends and strong supporters, and these are the people he depends on to prepare for the upcoming Trump debate. Biden contacts Mike Donilon, a close advisor since the 1980s, multiple times a day to get updates on the latest polls and headlines. He asks him, “What are your predictions? What do you think?” Biden also calls Ron Klain, his former Chief of Staff, once a week to workshop the best attacks he can use against former President Donald Trump as the presidential debate approaches. When Biden travels to Delaware on weekends, he seeks out Ted Kaufman, a close associate who represents the president's ties to the state that introduced him to the national stage over half a century ago. Kaufman was the one who dealt with Biden when the plagiarism scandal threatened his first presidential campaign in 1987. At that time, Kaufman told him, “There's only one way to stop the sharks, and that's to withdraw and do Biden.”
**"Old School"**
Interviews conducted by the New York Times with dozens of people close to the president reveal a truth at the heart of Biden's political life: although he is surrounded by a diverse and multigenerational crowd of campaign activists, policy experts, and government officials, he places his full trust in a small group of individuals who represent "old school" insiders. The three are at the core of Biden's world, forming part of a sound chamber where opposition to the president is rarely voiced. In important moments, each of them has conveyed news to the president that he did not want to hear, even though none of them said no when the president considered running for a second term, despite being decades older than the young voters who could decide the election's outcome, which raises concerns among many of the president's allies. Klain is the youngest at 62, while Donilon is 65, and Kaufman is 85, four years older than Biden.
Each has earned the president’s trust not just for years but for decades, and in these past four presidential campaigns, the three serve as his political comfort, being constantly available by phone. Michael Aroza, a former press secretary for the East Wing and a special assistant to President Trump, states, “They not only have Biden's trust but also the trust of those he cares about most,” referring to the president's family, especially First Lady Jill Biden. It is very rare to garner trust and respect from both, an extraordinary level of loyalty that the three men maintain in this orbit.
According to the report, these three stood by Biden during some of his worst moments, including his time as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee during the contentious confirmation process of Robert H. Bork to the Supreme Court, the harsh criticism he faced after his aggressive questioning of Anita Hill during Clarence Thomas' nomination hearings, and the death of his son Beau. Aroza remarks, “They all share a layer of fabric that few others can understand.”
Donilon and Klain recently traveled to Camp David to assist Biden in preparing for his debate with Trump on Thursday in Atlanta. They are joined by a rotating crew of aides, including Jeff Zients, the White House Chief of Staff, and Jen O'Malley Dillon, who manages the campaign and visits the resort frequently. Kaufman is not expected to be at Camp David but will always be within reach when Mr. Biden needs support.
