Cd'A native to be Joe Biden's chief of staff

COEUR d'ALENE - A Coeur d'Alene native and veteran of the Clinton Administration is stepping into another weighty role in the federal arena.

Bruce Reed has been named as Vice President Joe Biden's chief of staff, which the 50-year-old adviser attributed to a long relationship with the politician.

"Try not to make too much of it," Reed said with a laugh on Friday.

Reed, son of attorney Scott Reed and former state Sen. Mary Lou Reed, is delighted to hold the position, he said.

"I've known him (Biden) for almost 25 years," said Reed, who lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Bonnie LePard, also a Coeur d'Alene native. "He's a terrific guy, he's fun to be around. He loves his job, and that rubs off on everyone else."

Reed starts his new job next Monday, he said. He will be overseeing the Biden staff of 75, as well as advising the vice president on administrative issues.

"I'm there to do what the vice president wants me to do," Reed said. "He does a lot of diplomatic work for the administration, so he has scheduling staff, event staff and a number of policy advisers in the White House. So it's a tight-knit but impressive operation."

Pressure is nothing new to the longtime political adviser.

Reed was most recently at work as executive director of Obama's bipartisan fiscal commission, making recommendations to Congress on reducing the national debt.

Before that, he served as chief domestic policy adviser to President Bill Clinton, during which time he aided the administration with welfare reform and Clinton's education agenda.

Reed said he has worked often with Biden during his career.

"I had a chance to work with then-Sen. Biden in the '90s on a number of issues, especially crime," he said. "He was just a terrific legislator, and he's been a great vice president."

Reed added that he is well acquainted with Biden's recent chief of staff, Ron Klain. Klain went to law school with Reed's wife, and is the godfather of the couple's 17-year-old daughter, Julia.

"We feel like we've been part of the Biden family for a quarter of a century," Reed said.

Klain left Biden's office earlier this month.

Scott Reed said he believes his son was given the position because of his centrist perspective.

"Biden is one of these people crossing the aisle and trying to get Republican cooperation, and I think Bruce fits right in with that kind of thing," Scott said. "His (Bruce's) talent is meeting people and trying to seek some kind of solution to make the government work."

Bruce Reed said he plans on continuing the solid work Klain has done.

"It's a great opportunity to be able to do some work for Biden," he said.