Bear Hugs and Dad Jokes: Ron Klain’s Tearful Goodbye

WASHINGTON — The president and his chief of workers couldn’t maintain again their tears.

In a ceremony that was by turns sentimental and surreal, the White House on Wednesday formally mentioned farewell to President Biden’s chief of workers, Ron Klain, who has been by Mr. Biden’s facet for more than three decades.

His voice breaking with emotion, Mr. Klain confirmed off his “favorite souvenir” from the job.

“This plain and simple rock,” he mentioned, holding up a white stone in entrance of dozens of White House staffers, pausing to tug himself collectively because the president and the incoming chief of staff, Jeffrey D. Zients, regarded on. “It’s always symbolized to me the fact that this team has been rock solid in their support of our agenda and the president.”

Mr. Klain broke some news on his method out: He pledged to be there once more for a re-election marketing campaign that Mr. Biden has not but formally introduced (however which the president has mentioned he intends to do very quickly).

But principally, Mr. Klain provided a small glimpse into the human facet of the White House, and of jobs that usually power individuals to parrot ready responses and coverage memos as a substitute of giving bear hugs and telling dad jokes.

Mr. Klain — whose mom, Mr. Biden mentioned, was too in poor health to to attend the ceremony — had feelings to spare on Wednesday.

“This is the best job I’ve ever had,” Mr. Klain mentioned, bursting into tears.

Mr. Biden wiped tears from his personal eyes after Mr. Klain, his rock of greater than three a long time, mentioned he had discovered “about being a good father from Joe Biden.”

White House aides at the back of the East Room raised their telephones to seize the passing of the torch. At least one staffer — too quick to see over her colleagues’ heads — watched a livestream of the occasion on her cellphone.

Mr. Klain spoke of his 8:20 a.m. video calls with senior officers within the White House. He ready the work power for Mr. Zients by saying he would come geared up with free bagels. (Mr. Zients was an authentic investor in Call Your Mother, a bagel store in Washington.)

But many of the occasion was devoted to tracing Mr. Klain’s time with Mr. Biden.

Mr. Klain had extra entry and perception into the president than almost anybody within the White House. He ticked by means of the president’s legislative successes and many judicial appointments. But Mr. Klain has been there by means of darkish durations as effectively, such because the violent withdrawal from Afghanistan.

And he spoke simply hours after the White House confronted uncomfortable questions in regards to the particular counsel investigation into the president’s dealing with of categorised paperwork as the F.B.I. searched Mr. Biden’s vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Del. (No categorised paperwork have been discovered.)

In the tip, Mr. Klain turned away from the president and towards his household.

“For the next two years,” he mentioned, “every day it’s my turn to walk the dog.”