DC is in the midst of confirmation hearings for President Joe Biden’s new cabinet — and some of his picks are generating controversy.

Today, a deep dive into just one of the nominees, Neera Tanden. While she may not be a household name, Tanden is a useful lens through which to examine the layers of DC culture. With strikes against her on both the left and right, it’s worth examining why the Biden administration is going to bat for such a polarizing figure.

But first, a quick debrief on the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), which marked Donald Trump’s first public appearance since he left the presidency and clearly signalled that cult of personality continues.

For insight, Elamin calls up Katelyn Burns, a freelance journalist and contributing writer to Vox and Medium, as well as Sabrina Siddiqui of the Wall Street Journal.