Biden Shouldn't Have Promised to Fire Anyone on The Spot (Or The Failed Eric Lander Experiment)

On his very first day in office, when President Biden swore in new White House staff and other federal appointees, he declared:

I'm not joking when I say this: If you're ever working with me and I hear you treat another with disrespect, talk down to someone, I promise you I will fire you on the spot. On the spot. No if, ands, or buts.

These remarks certainly sounded good and Biden might very well have meant what he said at the time. But with yesterday's resignation of White House Science Advisor and Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Eric Lander, those remarks have come back to haunt Biden.  

Lander had been accused of bullying and harassing behavior not only to OSTP staff but to White House staff, particularly towards female staff. An investigation by the White House substantiated these claims, but Lander was not fired and, despite his resignation, will remain on the job until February 18th. 

In retrospect, Biden ought not to have made such a promise. However serious an accusation or series of accusation it must be properly investigated and, of course, investigations take time. Now had Biden not made such a promise and Lander engaged in this manner resulting in his resignation then I think the White House would be getting praise for not tolerating such boorish behavior. After all, such boorish behavior would have gone unpunished in the Trump Administration. Indeed, it would have been encouraged by the defeated former President himself because he was the biggest bully of them all.

But because Biden set the bar so high even with a productive outcome it ends up only further eroding his credibility. It isn't that Biden shouldn't have promised a higher standard. It is just Biden very specifically and unequivocally said such behavior would be grounds for immediate termination and, right or wrong, he didn't back up his words. 

Eric Lander has had a long standing association with The Broad Institute here in Cambridge concerning its work on the Human Genome. Full disclosure, a few years back I worked as a floater and would occasionally work at the Broad and very much enjoyed the experience. It was unlike anywhere I've ever worked before or will probably ever work again. Full of creativity and energy. People writing mathematical formulas on the walls of their offices in the most casual of atmosphere. Yet I found it very well organized. There were a lot of renovations and moving going and they literally had it down to a science. 

Of course, where there are people there are problems. Based on his most recent interactions, I suspect if I was a female scientist and had any kind regular interaction with him at the Broad my assessment would be a lot different. Lander obviously possesses an incredible intellect and has contributed greatly to the world of science. But being a great scientist or a great athlete or a great musician doesn't make you a good person. On that score, the Eric Lander Experiment failed and the Biden Administration will have to go back to the drawing board.