Vaccine. Were supposed to see the president again in just about an hour at the white house. And we also saw him on twitter earlier today trying to downplay that gsa decision while also continuing to push baseless claims of voter fraud. But we want to start this hour by focusing in on the big announcement from the president elect. Joining me now, nbc news chief Foreign Affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell along with ali vitali in wilmington, delaware. Andrea, of course, i want to start with you. You have covered joe biden for so many years in so many iterations and now were looking at the selection of people that he is making to build out his Foreign Policy and National Security team. You have covered many secretaries of state over the years. The state department in particular has really undergone challenges under the Trump Administration. There are so many people in that department that are demoralized. But this team, both the choice of tony blinken at state but also many of these other selections across the intelligence and National Security community really bring so much deep experience to the table. What are your top takeaways here as we wait for the president elect to formally introduce these picks to the country . Well, its very interesting because joe biden is probably the most experienced Foreign Policy expert since george h. W. Bush, former cia director, twice Vice President , former member of congress, became president , but actually joe biden was head of the Foreign Relations committee for years and years and a member of it as well. So hes got the experience himself and hes bringing in a group of experts who have worked together but are not all from the same stamp. They are being labeled as former obama people but they also have roots in other administrations. And particularly, i can see the restoration of morale and veteran diplomats. And of a focus on diplomacy, not just for Public Relations but real diplomacy, working around the world with our new u. N. Ambassador desinggnee, if she i confirmed. She was the head of the Foreign Service, the chief diplomat as well as being a former ambassador in different countries, having experience as an assistant secretary of state. So her relationships around the world, she can pick up the phone and talk to any of these World Leaders who shes going to be dealing with or through their ambassadors. She has enormous grasp and knowledge as well as personal relationships. And personal relationships are really key here. John kerry coming in to climate, as they say, ive been dealing with john kerry when he was inviting small groups of people over to his house to talk about Climate Change back in the early 90s. Its always been a passion of his when he was less senior senator. So this is something thats close to his heart. Hes been at every climate negotiation thats ever existed and the climate accord, the paris accords which they can reenter. Thats the easiest piece of it as well as, of course, eliminating some of the deregulation that you saw during the trump years. The hardest part is going to be the Iran Nuclear Deal for kerry and joe biden and tony blinken because the sanctions laid on, even though iran has sent signals its willing and eager. They want more for the buck. They first have to go back to the status quo. Theyre now doing 12 times as much processing of nuclear fuel for potential bombs. They say theyre not building one, but theyve broken out in reaction to the sanctions. So theres a lot of work to be done there. But i think working with the allies is the biggest takeaway and thats something thats going to come from the top. Joe biden, the ultimate schmoozer who knows all these people well and i can tell you the european allies are thrilled. That, of course, something that he ran on and focused on in his campaign, rebuilding our alliances, particularly with our nato allies and building out from there. Andrea, we did just get a twominute warning so thank you for starting us off here. I want to go quickly to ali vitali. Forgive me if i have to interrupt you here. We are, of course, waiting for the president elect to come out on stage and begin this event, but oh, and here he comes, ali. Well get you on the other side. Lets listen in. All right, everybody. Okay. Well, good afternoon, everyone. Today im pleased to announce nominations and staff for critical Foreign Policy, National Security positions in my administration. Its a team that will keep our country and our people safe and secure. Its a team that reflects the fact that america is back. Ready to lead the world, not retreat from it. Once again, sit at the head of the table. Ready to confront our adversaries and not reject our allies. Ready to stand up for our values. In fact, in calls from World Leaders that ive had, about 18 of them or 20, so far. Im not sure the exact number, in the weeks since weve won the election. Ive been struck to how much they are looking ford t ining f United States reasserting its position in the pacific and the atlantic and all across the world. The team meets this moment, this team behind me. They embody my core beliefs that america is strongest when it works with its allies. Collectively, this team has secured some of the most defining National Security and diplomatic achievements in recent memory. Made possible through decades of experience working with our partners. Thats how we truly keep america safe. Without engaging in needless military conflicts and our adversaries in check and terrorists at bay. And thats how we countered terrorism and extremism. Control this pandemic and future ones. Deal with climate crisis, nuclear proliferation, cyberthreats and emerging technologies as spread of authoritarianism and so much more. And while this team has unmatched experience and accomplishments, they also reflect the idea that we cannot meet these challenges with old thinking and unchanged habits. For example, were going to have the first woman lead the Intelligence Community. The first latino and immigrant to lead the department of Homeland Security, and a groundbreaking diplomat at the United Nations. Were going to have a principal on the National Security council whose fulltime job is to fight Climate Change for the First Time Ever that will occur. And my National Security team will be coordinated by one of the youngest National Security advisers in decades. Experience and leadership, fresh thinking and perspective. And an unrelenting belief in the promise of america. Ive long said that america leads not only by the example of our power but by the power of our example. And im proud to put forward this Incredible Team that will lead by example. As secretary of state, i nominate tony blinken. Hes one of the better prepared for this job. No one is better prepared in my view. He will be the secretary of state who previously served in top roles on capitol hill, in the white house and in the state department. He delivered for the American People in each place. For example, leading our diplomatic efforts in the fight against isis. Strengthening americans aligns in the asiapacific. Guiding our responses to the global refugee crisis with compassion and determination. And he will rebuild morale and trust in the state department where his career in government began. And he starts off with the kind of relationships around the world that many of his predecessors have had to build over the years. I know. Ive seen them in action. Tony has been one of my closest and most trusted advisers. I know him and his family. Immigrants and refugees, a holocaust survivor who taught him to never take for granted the very idea of america as a place of possibilities. Possibilities. Tony is ready on day one. As secretary for Homeland Security, i nominate Alejandro Mayorkas. This is one of the hardest jobs in government. A gigantic agency. The dhs secretary needs to keep us safe from threats at home and from abroad. And its the job that plays a Critical Role in fixing our broken immigration system. After years of chaos, dysfunction and absolute cruelty at dhs, i am proud to nominate an experienced leader who has been hailed by both democrats and republicans. Ali, as he goes by, is a former u. S. Attorney, former director of citizenship and Immigration Services and a former dhs deputy secretary. Helped to implement daca, prevented attacks on the homeland, enhanced our cybersecurity, helped communities recover from natural disaster. Combated ebola and zika. And while dhs affects everyone, given its Critical Role in immigration matters, im proud that for the First Time Ever, the department will be led by an immigrant, a latino, who knows that we are a nation of laws and values. And one more thing. Today is his birthday. Happy birthday, man. Happy birthday. Hes 21. As the director of national intelligence, i nominate avril haines, the first woman ever to hold this post to lead our Intelligence Community, i didnt pick a politician or a political figure. I picked a professional. She is eminently qualified. Former Deputy Director of the cia, former deputy National Security adviser to president obama, and a fierce advocate for telling the truth and leveling with her decisions with the decisionmakers. Straight up. Nothing unnecessary. I know because ive worked with her for over a decade. Brilliant, humble. Can talk literature and theoretical physics, fixing cars, flying planes, all in a single conversation because shes done all that. And above all, she gets word of a threat if she gets word of a threat coming to our shores, like another pandemic or foreign interference in our elections, she will not stop raising alarms ene until the right people take action. People will be able to take her word because she always calls it as she sees it. I believe we are safer with avril on the watch. I think we see she can make a great contribution. As United States ambassador to the United Nations, i nominate linda thomasgreenfield. A seasoned and distinguished who never forgot where she came from growing up in segregated louisiana. The eldest of eight, her dad couldnt read or write. But she says he was the smartest person she knew. First in her family to go to graduate from high school, then college. The whole world literally ahead of her as her dad and mom taught her to believe. Posts in switzerland, pakistan, kenya, the gambia, nigeria, jamaica, liberia, where she was known as the peoples ambassador. Will meet with anyone, an sdo ambassador, student, working people struggling to get by and treating them with dignity and respect. She was our Top State Department official during the ebola crisis. She received overwhelming support from her fellow Career Foreign Service officers. And shell be a cabinet status because i want to hear her voice on all the major Foreign Policy discussions we have. And my National Security adviser, i choose jake sullivan. Hes once in a generation intellect with experience and temperament for one of the toughest jobs in the world. When i was Vice President , he was my National Security adviser. He was a top adviser to secretary of state clinton. He helped lead the early negotiations that led to the Iran Nuclear Deal. He helped broker the Gaza Ceasefire in 2012. Played a key role in asiapacific rebalance in our administration, and in this campaign for the presidency, he served as one of my most trusted advisers on both foreign and domestic policy, including helping me develop our covid19 strategy. Jake understands my vision, that Economic Security is National Security. And he helps steer what i call Foreign Policy for the middle class. For families. Like his growing up in minnesota where he was raised by parents who were educators and taught him the values of hard work, decency, service and respect. What that means is to win the competition for the future, we need to keep us safe and secure and build back better than ever. We need to invest in our people, sharpen our innovative edge. Unite the economic might of our democracies around the world to grow the middle class and reduce inequity. And do things like counter predatory trade practices that our competitors of our competitors and adversaries. And before i talk about the final person today, let me talk about this new position. For the First Time Ever, the United States will have a fulltime climate leader who will participate in administerial level meetings. Thats a fancy way of saying that well have a seat at every table around the world. For the First Time Ever, he will be there will be a principal on the National Security council who can make sure Climate Change is on the agenda in the situation room. For the First Time Ever, well have a president ial envoy on climate. He will be matched with highlevel white house Climate Policy coordinator and policymaking structure to be announced in december. And that will lead efforts here in the United States to combat the climate crisis, mobilize action to meet the existential threat we face. Let me be clear. I dont for a minute underestimate the difficulties of meeting my bold commitments to fighting Climate Change. But at the same time, no one should underestimate for a minute my determination to do just that. And as for the man himself, if i had a former secretary of state who helped negotiate the Paris Climate Accord or a former president ial nominee or a former leading senator or the head of a major Climate Organization for the job, i would show my commitment to the United States and the whole world. The fact that i pick the one person who is all of these things speaks unambiguously to my commitment. The world will know that with one of my closest friends, john kerry, he is speaking for america on one of the most pressing threats of our time. No one i trust more. To this team, i thank them for accepting this call to service and for their families, i thank you all for your sacrifice. You know, we could do we could not do this without you in my view. Together, these Public Servants will restore america globally, Global Leadership and its moral leadership. And will ensure that our service members, diplomats and intelligence professionals can do their job free of politics. Not only prepare, theyll also reimagine american Foreign Policy and National Security for the next generation. And theyll tell me what i need to know, not what i want to know. What i need to know. To the American People, this team will make us proud to be americans. And as more states certify their results of this election, theres progress to wrap up our victory. You know, im pleased to have received the ascertainment from gsa to carry out a smooth and peaceful transition of power. So our teams can prepare to meet the challenges at hand. To control the pandemic. To build back better and to protect the safety and security of the American People. And to the United States senate, i hope these outstanding nominees receive the prompt hearing and that we can work across the aisle in good faith to move forward for the country. Lets begin that work to heal and unite. To heal and unite america as well as the world. I want to thank you all. May god bless you. May god protect our troops. Now i turn this over to this new team, starting with our next secretary of state, tony blinken. Let me get my mask here, tony, so i dont get in trouble. And ill clean off the podium. Good afternoon. Mr. President elect, Vice President elect harris, thank you for your trust and your confidence. If confirmed by the United States senate, i will do everything i can to earn it. Mr. President elect, working for you, having you as a mentor and friend has been the greatest privilege of my professional life. So many people have brought me to this day from college classmates to bandmates, my colleagues in the Clinton Obama administrations, in the senate and at the state department. I thank them all. And i ask forgiveness for my insatiable appetite for bad puns. Mostly, id like to thank my family. Sisters and sistersinlaw, brothersinlaw, nieces and nephews, my wonderful inlaws, the ryans, and especially, my wife eva ryan and our children john and lila. They are truly my greatest blessings. For my family, as for so many generations of americans, america has literally been the last best hope on earth. My grandfather, maher reeurice new life in america. His son, my father, donald blinken, served in the United States air force during world war ii and then as a United States ambassador. He is my role model and my hero. His wife, vera blinken fled communist hungary as a young girl and helped future generations of refugees come to america. My mother judith builds bridges between america and the world through arts and culture. She is my greatest champion. And my late stepfather, samuel, he was one of 900 children in his school in poland, but the only one who survive the holocaust after four years in concentration camps. At the end of the war, he made a break from a death march into the woods in bavaria. From his hiding place, he heard a deep grumbling sound. It was a tank. But instead of the iron cross, he saw painted on its side a fivepointed white star. He ran to the tank. The hatch opened. An africanamerican gi looked down at him. He got down on his knees and said the only three words he knew in english his mother taught him before the war. God bless america. Thats who we are. Thats what america represents to the world. However, imperfectly. Now we have to proceed with follow measures of humility and confidence. Humility because as the president elect said, we cant solve all the worlds problems alone. We need to be working with other countries. We need their cooperation. We need their partnership. But also confidence. Because america at its best still has a greater ability than any other country on earth to bring others together to meet the challenges of our time. And thats where the men and women of the state department, Foreign Service officers, civil servants, thats where they come in. I have witnessed their passion, their energy, their courage up close. I have seen what they do to keep us safe, to make us more prosperous. Ive seen them add luster to a word that deserves our respect, diplomacy. If confirmed, it will be the honor of my life to help guide them. And so thank you all, and may god bless america. Good afternoon. Mr. President elect, madam Vice President elect, thank you for plagsing your trust in me to lead the department of Homeland Security. Thank you for the privilege of returning with the consent of the senate to Government Service as a member of your administration. It is the honor of a lifetime. The department of Homeland Security has a Noble Mission to help keep us safe and to advance our proud history as a country of welcome. There are more than 240,000 career employees who selflessly dedicate their talent and energy to this mission. Many risk their lives in doing so. I would be honored to return to the department and support these dedicated Public Servants in fulfilling their responsibilities and realizing our countrys greatest hopes. All in partnership with the communities we serve. For 12 years, i had the privilege to stand in a federal courtroom and announce Alejandro Mayorkas on behalf of the United States of america. The words on behalf of the United States of america meant everything to me and to my parents whom i think of today and every day. My father and mother brought me to this country to escape communism. They cherished our democracy and were intensely proud to become United States citizens. As was i. I have carried that pride throughout my nearly 20 years of Government Service and throughout my life. My parents are not here to see this day. Mr. President elect, madam Vice President elect, please know that i will work day and night in the service of our nation to ably lead the men and women of the United States department of Homeland Security and to bring honor to my parents and to the trust you have placed in me to carry your vision for our country forward. Thank you. Thank you. Great job. Mr. President elect, madam Vice President elect, i am grateful and even more so humbled by the trust that youve placed in me for this role. I am especially honored to be standing not only by your side but also alongside some of the most talented and inspiring Public Servants this country has ever seen. I know mr. President elect and madam Vice President elect that youve selected us not to serve you but to serve on behalf of the American People. To help advance our security, our prosperity, our values, that the call to service in this role is what makes this nomination such a tremendous honor. If afforded the opportunity to do so, i will never forget that my role on this team is unique. Better than that of a policy adviser, i will represent to you congress and the american public, the patriots who comprise our Intelligence Community. Mr. President elect, you know that ive never shied away from speaking truth to power. And that will be my charge as director of national intelligence. I have worked for you for a long time, and i accept this nomination knowing that you would never want me to do otherwise and that you value the perspective the Intelligence Community and youll do so even when what i have to say may be inconvenient or difficult and i assure you, there will be those times. And finally, to our intelligence professionals, the work you do oftentimes under the most austere conditions imaginable is just indispensablindispensable. It will become even more complex because you will be critical to helping this Administration Position itself not only against threats such as cyberattacks or terrorism and the proliferation of nuclear, biological or chemical weapons but also those challenges that will define the next generation from Climate Change to pandemics and corruption. And it would be the person hono lifetime to work alongside you once again to take these challenges on together. Thank you so much. Good afternoon. Mr. President elect, madam Vice President elect, i am humbled and honored by the trust that you have placed in me to become a member of your cabinet as ambassador to the United Nations. In the years that i have worked in government, i am always struck by how only in america would we be where we are today where life can be hard and cruel, but there is hope in the struggle. There is promise in our dreams. Where you learn to believe in yourself and that anything is possible. Like both of you, i learned from my family. Mr. President elect, thank you for those generous words that you said about me. My parents had very little back in louisiana where i grew up, but they gave me and my siblings everything they had. And i know how proud they would be of this day. On this day, i am also missing my mentor, ambassador ed perkins who served as the u. S. Ambassador to the United Nations under president george h. W. Bush and president clinton. And who was also from louisiana. He told me constantly, linda, dont undersell yourself. And he would always do Everything Possible to lift me up. He passed away last week, but i know hes here with us today. And on this day im thinking about the American People. My fellow career diplomats and Public Servants around the world. I want to say to you, america is back. Multilateralism is back. Diplomacy is back. Mr. President elect, i have often heard you say how all politics is personal. And thats how you build relationships of trust and bridge disagreements and find Common Ground. And in my 35 years in the Foreign Service across four continents, i put a cajun spin on it. I called it gumbo diplomacy. Wherever i was posted around the world, i would invite people of different backgrounds and beliefs to help me make a roux and chop onions for the holy trinity and make homemade gumbo. It was my way of breaking down barriers, connecting with people and starting to see each other on a human level. A bit of lenyop is what we say in louisiana. Thats the charge in front of us today. The challenges we face, a global pandemic, a global economy, the global Climate Change crisis, mass migration and extreme poverty, social justice, unrelenting and interconnected, but theyre not unresolvable if america is leading the way. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. President elect, madam Vice President elect, thank you. Mr. President elect, i am honored and humbled by the immense responsibility that you have placed in me of being your National Security adviser. I pledge to you and to the American People that i will work relentlessly in service of the mission you have given us. To keep our country and our people safe, to advance our national interests, and to defend our values. I pledge to the exceptional National Security team you see behind me and to the brilliant and diverse career professionals across our government that i will manage a humane and rigorous decisionmaking process that honors their work. And i pledge to my parents who taught my brothers, my sister and me to work hard, tell the truth and serve others, that i will do my utmost to make you proud. Sir, we will be vigilant in the face of enduring threats, from Nuclear Weapons to terrorism. But you have also tasked us with reimagining our National Security for the unprecedented combination of crises we face at home and abroad. The pandemic, the economic crisis, the climate crisis. Technological disruption. Threats to democracy. Racial injustice. And inequality in all forms. The work of the team behind me today will contribute to progress across all of these fronts. You have also tasked us with putting people at the center of our Foreign Policy. You have told us that the alliances we rebuild, the institutions we lead, the agreements we sign, all of them should be judged by a basic question. Will this make life better, easier, safer, for families across this country . Our Foreign Policy has to deliver for these families. And perhaps most importantly youve tasked us with helping unite america as you said in your remarks through our work to pull people together to tackle big challenges. My wife maggie, the love of my life and my partner in all things served as a Senior Adviser to senator john mccain. She and i shared this commitment to Common Ground deep in our bones. To the American People, i have the honor of serving as joe bidens National Security raze adviser when he was Vice President. I learned a lot about a lot. About diplomacy, strategy and most importantly about human nature. I watched him pair strength and resolve with humanity and empathy. That is the person america elected, and that is also america at its best. So, mr. President elect, thank you for giving this kid from the heartland an extraordinary opportunity to serve the country i love. Mr. President elect, Vice President elect harris, thank you, mr. President elect for your generous words. And most of all, thank you for the trust and the responsibility of this appointment. I will do all in my power to live up to your expectations and to this moment for our country and for the world. And i begin by thanking my family for empowering me and encouraging me to take this task on. Secretary designate blinken, weve worked together for many years on the Foreign Relations committee and at foggy bottom. And it will be a huge pleasure to partner with you again. You will be a terrific secretary. Mr. President elect, you have put forward a bold transformative climate plan, but youve also underscored that no country alone can solve this challenge. Even the United States for all of our industrial strength is responsible for only 13 of global emissions. To end this crisis, the whole world must come together. Youre right to rejoin paris on day one. And youre right to recognize that paris alone is not enough. At the global meeting in glasgow one year from now, all nations must raise ambition together or we will all fail together. And failure is not an option. Succeeding together means tapping into the best of american ingenuity, creativity and diplomacy from brain power to alternative energy power. Using every tool we have to get where we have to go. No one should doubt the determination of this president , Vice President. They shouldnt doubt the determination of the country that went to the moon, cured supposedly incurable diseases and beat back global tyranny to win world war ii. This kind of crisis demands that kind of leadership again and President Biden will provide it. The road ahead is exciting, actually. It means creating millions of middle class jobs. It means less pollution in our air and ocean. It means making life healthier for citizens across the world. And it means we will strengthen the security of every nation in the world. In addressing the climate crisis, president elect joe biden is determined to seize the future now and leave a healing planet to future generations. 57 years ago, this week, joe biden and i were college kids when we lost the president who inspired both of us to try to make a difference. A president who reminded us that here on earth, gods work must truly be our own. President joe biden will trust in god. And he will also trust in science to guide our work on earth to protect gods creation. Mr. President elect, Vice President elect harris, i look forward to getting to work. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, secretary kerry. And congratulations, mr. President elect, on bringing together this extraordinary team. I have always believed in the nobility of public service. And these americans embody it. Their lives and careers are a testament to the dedication, sacrifice and commitment to Civic Responsibility that have strengthened our democracy and kept americas promise alive for more than 200 years. President elect biden and i have long known that when we were elected, we would inherit a series of unprecedented challenges upon walking into the white house. Addressing these challenges starts with getting this pandemic under control. Opening our economy responsibly. And making sure it works for working people. And we also know that our challenges will require us at home to overcome those issues that block our ability to proceed. Our challenge here is a Necessary Foundation for restoring and advancing our leadership around the world. And we are ready for that work. We will need to reassemble and renew americas alliances. Rebuild and strengthen the National Security and Foreign Policy institutions that keep us safe and advance our nations interests. And confront and combat the existential threat of Climate Change that endangers us all. I take these issues very seriously. My whole career has been about keeping people safe from serving as District Attorney to californias attorney general to the United States senate, where i have served on the intelligence and Homeland Security committees. I have come to know firsthand the gravity of the challenges and threats facing the United States. And over the past few months, i have also come to know the sound judgment, expertise and character of the people on this stage. I can say with confidence that they are, to a person, the right women and men for these critical positions. And i look forward to working alongside them on behalf of the American People. And on behalf of a president who will ask tough questions, demand that we be guided by facts and expect our team to speak the truth. No matter what. A president who will be focused on one thing and one thing only, doing what is best for the people of the United States of america. When joe asked me to be his running mate, he told me about his commitment to making sure we selected a cabinet that looks like america. That reflects the best of our nation. And thats what we have done. Todays nominees and appointees come from different places. They bring a range of different life and professional experiences and perspectives. And they also share Something Else in common. An unwavering belief in americas ideals. An unshakeable commitment to democracy, human rights and the rule of law. And they understand the indispensable role of americas leadership in the world. These women and men are patriots and Public Servants to their core. And they are leaders, the leaders we need to meet the challenges of this moment and those that lie ahead. Thank you. Thank all of you for accepting. Appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Thank you, folks. Mr. President elect you have been listening to and watching the president elect, joe biden, announce his first slate of cabinet and National Security nominees. It was a study in contrasts from what we have been dealing with over the course of the last four years. It was an event that focused on values, family, service, relationships. It was one that talked about americas role in the world in a way thats very different from the America First policy and positions that we have seen from president donald trump, and it was professional and carefully rolled out and laid out after so many years of watching events where you never quite knew what was going to happen from the president or from his team. This was something that was clearly polished. Had a mission at hand. And one that they clearly wanted to use to send a message about how president elect joe biden is going to govern and how hes going to position the nation in the world. I want to talk about this with our allstar panel thats been waiting and standing by. Nbcs ali vitali is in wilmington. Also with us, nbc news chief Foreign Correspondent richard engel. The New York Times chief White House Correspondent and an nbc news political analyst peter baker, former missouri senator and nbc news political analyst Claire Mccaskill is also with us. And we have Valerie Jarrett, a former Senior Adviser to president obama. Thank you all for being here and waiting patiently with us. Peter baker, let me start with you because you have studied and watched so many of these transitions. This really unlike any other. The president elect taking over after four years of just an unbelievable roller coaster, politics like we never imagined. I dont think that it could be. What are your takeaways from what we just saw unfold and how this team is going to position america in the world, as well as the challenges that they have to face . We have significant ones. Yeah, i think, look, this was the president elect who has promised to restore normalcy to a capital thats been whipsawed by volatility in the last four years. And with that, to restore normalcy to americas relations with the outside world. You heard him say the words america is back. Linda thomasgreenfield said the same phrase. Youll hear that a lot. Its a reassurance to allies who didnt know what to expect one minute to the next from the United States which has been the senior partner on the world stage now for decades. So i think there is a familiarity to this team. This is not a team thats radical or changing, you know, direction. Its a team thats restoring back to somewhat degree the democratic mainstream, you know, struck on that stage, obviously diversity is one message theyre trying to send. Another message that may be a subtext is the rise of the deputies. People who have all served before. Often this particular president elect and no elected officials on there and only one former elected official in john kerry, and nonsenate confirmed position. Its meant to be a message to the world that were going to bring back people youve seen and known in previous capacities who will now take over the top jobs and, you know, return the country to a place that our allies will recognize. From America First to america is back sort of the switch in just a few words. Valerie jarrett, let me pick up on that point peter was just making. A lot of these are familiar faces to you. Many of whom served in the obama administration. I was struck in particular by the fact that the former Vice President really wanted these people to tell their personal stories and tell them as american stories. And they are, as peter noted, so different from the u. N. Ambassador talking about gumbo diplomacy to the story from tony blinken about his stepfather who said god bless america, the only english words he knew, after surviving the nazis. So can you talk about how those personal experiences inform the president elect and how he governs and also inform what you know about this team . Sure. What a great question, and you by rehashing it, you are making me tear up all over again. I think its sending a message that he wants the people who lead our country to be a part of the american story. And each one of them has a unique story, a unique perspective. Theres a rich innocence tnes r diversity but core competency. Experienced, seasoned. Theyre not just the most qualified people for their jobs, but they will be on day one, the best team. They know each other. They know the president elect. They have worked with him through multiple different capacities. And they are ready to lead on day one. And i think it sends such a powerful message to not just list their credentials but to tell the American People who they are, what their values are, how they will lead our country and america is back. This is such an important day for america. I couldnt be more delighted with the choices, and i think our friends around the world are appreciating the fact that he has picked people who they know and they respect. And to those who think that the United States is vulnerable, you are not you need to be prepared for how extraordinary this team will be in keeping america safe. Senator mccaskill, let me pick up on that point that Valerie Jarrett was just making about how these people are known to each other, to the government, to our country in many respects, even though, of course, they are being introduced to the public at large in a new way here. But one of the other things is, these people are also known to possibly the most important 100 people that theyve ever faced, at least for those who need to be confirmed by the United States senate. And that is all of your former colleagues. And so far, the reaction that weve gotten from republicans on the hill has actually been pretty measured. Senator ben sasse said hes characterized these today he characterized these nominees as not being from the left of the party. He saw that as positive. You have some folks say, okay, im going to keep an open mind here. Joe biden himself said at the conclusion of his remarks that he hopes they all receive prompt hearings and that he can work across the aisle in good faith. Those were his words. My question to you, do you think Mitch Mcconnell will be willing, if, in fact, he retains control of the senate, to work across the aisle to work in good faith to confirm those you saw on this stage . This team shows the biden harris transition group, headed by president elect and Vice President elect know what theyre doing. They have picked qualified, expert people known around the world. As you pointed out, also well known in the halls of the senate. What this team has done is it said to Mitch Mcconnell, okay, heres the first group. Were going to test you. Are you really going to try to deny these people a position in this cabinet by playing political games with this group of people . This is not a political group. This is not a group that could be considered an ideological group. This is competence, this is experience. These are experts. And i really think this is a really smart way to begin the confirmation process because if Mitch Mcconnell plays games with these folks, i think its going to make people in his caucus very nervous. Richard engel, to pick up on this, i mean, one of the places where republican senators have broken with President Trump has been on Foreign Policy. Of course, im not saying they endorse the Foreign Policy that came before, but certainly they departed from the Republican Administration on that. We now have a chance to move forward. What is your take on what we are going to see in terms of how this team interacts with the rest of the world . How would you define the biden doctrine . I think we just heard the biden doctrine right now, and its going to be very different from what we had over the last four years. I also dont think the republicans really took issue with President Trumps Foreign Policy. Occasionally you had senators like Lindsey Graham intervening to prevent some actual dangerous policies, but generally, they went along with it. They went along with the policy of America First, which most of the time was President Trump and the trump family first. Today in this rollout of the National Security team, i think we saw the biden doctrine. It has three pillars. Reconnecting america to the world and American Leadership. The other is about second would be about truth, truth to power, american credibility, that american leaders that american leaders are their bind, and, third would be the climate. So, i think these three themes, reconnection, truth and the environment are the three pillars of the obama of the biden doctrine. And i think thats very different from under President Trump. In the idea of truth to power, we had each one of these appointees come out and say, theyre going to be tough. Theyre going to state the facts as they are. If you remember, President Trump brought early days, he brought his top leaders together, had them around a desk and each one went around the room and basically expressed loyalty to the president and talked about what a genius he was and what an honor it was to serve. Today they said, these are going to be tough times. On the climate, we have john kerry came out and said that this is a National Security environment. That the climate should not be seen as something that is a hindrance to business, but that it can lead to mass population shifts. It impacts the quality of life. And then reconnecting america to the world, that its no longer just America First, build a wall and were going to have family envoys and private lawyers like Rudy Giuliani doing diplomacy but a serious team that is not full of bombbast and drama. The incoming National Security adviser said his parents told him to work with others and that would be a completely different thing to say in the era. Ali vitall vittale, youre on t ground. He has a lot more people to choose, jobs to fill, tasks to handle. What do we expect in the coming weeks . Obviously well be taking a pause to try and reflect on what we can be grateful for this year at thanksgiving, but what does the rest of the month look for the month look like for the biden team now that they can use that dot. Gov email and they can start the transition . The backdrop to this is this is the first time joe biden has come out as the ascertained president elect of the United States. Him speaking to that moment, very briefly in a glancing moment saying this is his chance to move forward. Yes, there will be a brief pause around thanksgiving, but then were told right after thanksgiving well be hearing about economic nominees in this realm. We already know that janet yellen is likely to be announced as the next treasury secretary of the United States. The fact National Security is the first pillar does, in fact, jibe with things weve heard with joe biden on the campaign trail, promising to reenter america into its former status and role on the world stage. Also remember that the Pandemic Response is a National Security issue. It is the thing that biden has consistently said he wants to prioritize. And the same goes for the economic bucket of nominees that were going to hear from. These crises on the pandemic and the economic recession are inexstrictably linked for him. That next bucket of nominees is going to be important. I would point out one thing when we talk about things that should be normal to say but arent, the rebuke of what weve heard from the Trump Administration was so stark, when you hear these people on the stage speaking about diplomacy, the importance of the Intelligence Community, that america is a harbor for immigrants, we havent heard that for a while. That is for sure. And i will just say as we close out here that everything we saw today underscores the inevitability of the Biden Administration even as the current president refuses to concede that thats the case. Ali, richard engel, Valerie Jarrett, thank you for being with us. Your insights are absolutely unvaluable. Dont go anywhere. Stick around because katy tur is going to pick up our coverage right after a quick break. Crest gum detoxify. My gums are irritated. I dont have to worry about that, do i . Harmful bacteria lurk just below the gum line. Crest gum detoxify works below the gum line to neutralize harmful plaque bacteria and help reverse early gum damage. Crest. This was the theater i came to quite often. The support weve had over the last few months has been amazing. Its not just a work environment. Everyone here is family. If you are ready to open your heart and your home, check us out. We thought for sure that we were done. And this town said not today. Andyou can do better, steve y. Get a freshly made footlong, from subway® you can even order on the subway® app did i just get picked off by Deion Sanders . You sure did now in the app, get a free footlong when you buy two. Because its footlong season™ [whats this . ] oh, are we kicking karly out . We live with at t. It was a lapse in judgment. At t, we called this house meeting because you advertise gigspeed internet, but we cant sign up for that here. Yeah, but im just like warming up to those speeds. Youve lived here two years. The personal attacks arent helping, karly. Dont you have like a hot pilates class to get to or something . [ muffled scream ] stop living with at t. Xfinity can deliver gig to the most homes. Good afternoon. Im katy tur. It is 11 00 a. M. Out west where joe biden is focused on his new cabinet. Is this a return to the obama status quo or is it a move past it . In delaware just a moment ago, president elect biden officially introduced the first members of his administration with his choices standing behind him, everyone there wearing a mask. Biden told americans he will restore American Leadership and a respectable place in the world. Pushing forward with the diverse lived experiences of a number of historymaking nominees. Alejondro