President Joe Biden's administration is once again sweating confirmation of a prominent nominee – as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin phoned lynchpin senator Joe Manchin to talk up Pentagon nominee Colin Kahl.
Austin's call to the West Virginia Democrat Tuesday night came amid apparent reservations the powerful West Virginia Democrat holds about the nominee, who served during the Obama Administration.
Kahl served as national security adviser to Democrat Biden when he was vice president, and is his first Pentagon nominee to come under serious pressure after Republicans portrayed him as hyper-partisan.
Democratic Senator from West Virginia Joe Manchin (L) and Republican Senator from Texas John Cornyn (R) walk to the Senate chamber as the Senate begins a so-called 'vote-a-rama' on more than 40 amendments to President Biden's Covid relief package