Biden ‘isn’t going to take the bait while Republicans are picking a fight’: Ex-Obama official

President-elect Joe Biden was asked by reporters about President Donald Trump's refusal to allow a transition to move forward ahead of the January 20 inauguration.

Trump is contesting 180 ballots in Arizona, which wouldn't overturn the election there as Biden leads by 14,746 votes. MSNBC host Katy Tur wondered what Biden would be able to do if the Senate is run by the GOP, which is refusing to recognize him as the president-elect.

"He's going to have to assume that that's likely where he's going to be and the senate is not going to be as friendly as he needs them to be," said Andy Slavitt, the former Acting-Administrator to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. "I think there are a few places to start. First, is to send messages to the states that Medicaid expansion, not with work requirements, but good old Medicaid expansion is the best thing they can do for their states. It's the best way to get money to the states. They don't need to go back to Congress. It's a high priority."

He explained that from a regulatory standpoint the Trump White House has put up hurdles to try and destroy the Affordable Care Act. Even if they do open enrollment, the U.S. is in the middle of a crisis, he anticipated that the Trump administration would announce suddenly that several people are ineligible like transgender Americans or other groups.

"What I saw in that press conference, he's not going to take the bait that Trump and the Republicans are offering to pick a fight," Slavitt said. "I think he's going to be business-like. Try to compromise where he can but know he's got a lot of the levers of government right in front of him."

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