Politics

President Biden formally announced Friday that Jeff Zients, the former White House COVID-19 czar, will replace Ron Klain as chief of staff. In a lengthy statement, Mr. Biden praised Klain for his tireless work, and said he is "confident that Jeff will continue Ron's example of smart, steady leadership, as we continue to work hard every day for the people we were sent here to serve."CBS News had already reported that Zients would replace Klain. Klain has been Mr. Biden's chief of staff since day one.  Jeff Zients, White House COVID-19 coordinator, left, wears a protective mask while listening as President Joe Biden on April 21, 2021.  Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg via Getty Images T...

When President Biden delivers his State of the Union address on Feb. 7, he will do so to a different Congress, a different nation and a different world than he did in his last State of the Union address.  Inflation, although easing, is still eating away at the budgets of many American families. The war in Ukraine is approaching its one-year mark. And for the first time since he took office, President Biden faces a divided Congress, with Republicans controlling the lower chamber and Democrats controlling the upper chamber — a dynamic that's already setting up skirmishes on Capitol Hill.  State of the Union speeches are typically written over weeks and months, and the painstaking editing process can drag on until the previous days and even hours before delivery. The speech is typical...