Managing a pandemic with Ron Klain and NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly

On May 1, Meridian hosted White House Ebola Response Coordinator (2014-15)  Ron  Klain for a virtual Insights@Meridian to discuss the steps that the U.S. and international community are taking to manage the pandemic, with a focus on lessons learned from his time at the White House. The former Chief of Staff for Vice Presidents Joe Biden and Al Gore also discussed approaches for future cooperation on global health and national security.  Moderated by  the host of NPR’s  All Things Considered,  Mary Louise Kelly,  the conversation also examined  the potential impacts of the pandemic on the upcoming presidential election.  

Below are the top takeaways from the conversation:  

1.  AN UNPRECEDENTED  BUT NOT UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE.  The United States had ample warning of the threat posed by COVID-19 yet failed to act and prepare accordingly— and the problems we face will continue to plague us in the months to come. “Saying that we didn’t do nothing is not a success,”  Klain  stressed, noting the importance of developing a more effective plan both domestically and globally to move forward and defeat this virus. 

2. AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD.  While  Klain  believes the U.S. response to COVID-19 has betrayed “American exceptionalism,” the U.S. can and must resume its role as a global leader in pandemic response. Comparing the U.S. response to COVID-19 with its response to the Ebola crisis,  Klain  highlighted how the U.S. was the leading non-African nation to contribute to the defeat of the Ebola crisis. Thousands of civilians and U.S. troops were deployed to fight this epidemic and while the local community is largely responsible for its defeat, strong support from the global community played a significant role.  An opportunity for the U.S. to lead as a global partner and support U.S. allies around the world, according to  Klain, is by calling on USAID and by assisting countries in developing their own institutions, like the Africa CDC.

3. PANDEMICS KNOW NO BORDERS.  The virus  will threaten all countries until it is extinguished everywhere, and global cooperation is  required  to ensure  its  defeat. As White House Ebola Response Coordinator (2014-15), Ron  Klain  knows  what a  coordinated international response to a global pandemic should look like.  Referencing  an idea first put forward by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier  in 2015,  Klain  proposed  the creation of an organized global  entity that would  provide a combination of security and medical response  as one possible international  mechanism to effectively fight future pandemics.

4. AMERICA WILL REMAIN A CONSUMER-DRIVEN ECONOMY.  “As we start to restore more economic activity, it’s not an on and off switch, it’s more like a dimmer switch,” Klain stated when discussing how the reopening of the economy will occur gradually. It will be neither the government nor the business sector, but consumers who will decide when and how the economy will return. Policy and business leaders must be conscious of consumers’ health concerns when reopening and adjust to meet those concerns. Business leaders who are more cautious will learn that being careful and safety-centric when reopening will be the most  successful.

5. A LOOK TO FUTURE LEADERSHIP.  Having served as Chief of Staff for Vice President Joe Biden and a current Biden campaign advisor,  Klain  confidently expressed that if elected, Biden will have an effective plan on how to deal with this crisis. Additionally, Biden's vision when it comes to selecting a Vice President involves identifying someone with the qualities necessary to be a partner and take on significant responsibilities in governing. Biden pledged early-on to select a female running mate — a promise  he intends on keeping, according to  Klain. On the topic of November’s election,  Klain reiterated the need to make  vote by mail accessible to all American citizens, a view shared by Governors McAuliffe and Kasich in last month’s Insights@Meridian conversation.

To read more on Meridian's response to COVID-19, click  here.