It’s hard to think of many unelected Americans who have been as close to the power center of politics as Ron Klain. He has served in three Democratic presidential administrations, advised countless campaigns, steered judicial nominations, jousted in high-stakes debate prep sessions, and navigated the complexities of the federal bureaucracy from the very top. Klain has been in the room for the moments that have shaped history. He ran point on the Florida recount for Al Gore, secured the appointment of a history-making Supreme Court Justice, and steered the Obama White House through an Ebola outbreak that threatened the globe.

That might be a flattering enough resume for most people in Washington. But not Klain. His friendship with Joe Biden brought him to the 2020 presidential campaign, and ultimately to Pennsylvania Avenue once again, when Biden appointed his longtime advisor to the coveted position of White House Chief of Staff. In two tumultuous years, Klain helped Biden fight off the coronavirus pandemic, sign into law the biggest climate investment in American history, and pass the most comprehensive piece of gun safety legislation in three decades. Klain was also in the Oval for the stories that have threatened Biden’s presidency—the withdrawal from Afghanistan, the sudden onset of inflation, and a political culture that’s more divided and toxic than it’s ever been. Somewhere in there, Klain still found time to tweet.