Joe Biden working on transition team ahead of US election
Former US vice president Joe Biden is already working with a team to plan for his transition in preparation for winning the White House in November.
Mr Biden told an online meeting of donors that he had been working with former Delaware Senator Ted Kaufman to discuss his transition plans.
Mr Kaufman worked on Barack Obama's transition team in 2008, and helped author legislation formalising the presidential transition process.
The race for the White House will see Mr Biden take on Donald Trump, after Bernie Sanders dropped out of the running to be the Democratic candidate.
Mr Biden told host Penny Pritzker, who served as secretary of commerce under Mr Obama: "You can't wait until you win, if you win.
"You've got to start right now."
Mr Biden said his campaign is putting together a transition team and has received considerable "intake" from individuals, particularly from the Treasury, State and Defence departments, about a prospective Biden administration.
He said: "People know we're in real trouble and they're ready to help."
The Trump administration has seen an exodus of career civil servants, but Mr Biden said he is optimistic he can bring some of those workers back.
He said: "You've got to be ready on Day One to be able to start naming people to head up these Cabinet positions, sub-Cabinet positions and those appointments that are in within the departments that are career positions, and bring people back.
"I think we can do it."
The former vice president had previously said he had "several hundred serious, serious players", including some Republicans, who have told him they would like to return to their jobs if he wins the race for the White House.
Published: by Radio NewsHub