Indy Native Named to Lead Ebola Effort

Christopher Ayers

This undated handout photo provided by Revolution shows Ron Klain, a former chief of staff to Vice President Joe Biden. A longtime Democratic operative, Klain was tasked Friday by President Barack Obama with running the government's response to the Ebola crisis.
*AP Photo/Revolution*

The White House Friday announced that an Indianapolis native and longtime democratic political veteran will lead the U-S effort to contain Ebola within the country.

President Obama has asked Ron Klain to serve as the country’s Ebola response coordinator.

The announcement comes after public outcry over the perceived inadequate response to the nation’s first Ebola diagnosis at Texas Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas and the subsequent infection there of two healthcare workers tending to that patient, Thomas Eric Duncan.

The appointment appears to be a response to calls for the President to appoint an “Ebola czar”.

Klain — a 1979 North Central High School graduate — worked previously in both the Clinton and Obama administrations. He served as chief-of-staff for both Vice Presidents Al Gore and Joe Biden. Klain left the Obama administration in 20-11 to become president of Case Holdings, which manages business and philanthropic interests for AOL chairman Steve Case.

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