Rep. Darrell Issa knocks Ebola czar and Obama's response to the epidemic

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24 (UPI) -- Speaking at a congressional hearing on the Ebola outbreak both at home and abroad, California Republican Congressman and chairman of the House Oversight and Reform committee Darrell Issa publicly questioned President Barack Obama's decision to appoint Ron Klain as the nation's Ebola czar.

"I think we all know that the system is not yet refined to where we could say it is working properly," Issa remarked during Friday's hearing, according to the New York Times.

"When the head of the C.D.C. says you can't get it with somebody on the bus next to you, that's just not true."

In addition to the response of the Obama administration and the CDC, Issa was especially critical of newly appointed Ebola czar Ron Klain and what Issa sees as Klain's lack of qualifications.

Klain is a political strategist who has served as Vice President Joe Biden's chief of staff. He was portrayed by Kevin Spacey in the HBO film Recount about the 2000 presidential election.

"President Obama's appointment of Ron Klain sadly, in my opinion, shows the administration has on one hand recognized the missteps and on the other hand is not prepared to put a known leader in charge or, in fact, a medical professional in charge," said Issa.

Klain had not planned to attend today's hearing while he gets the organizational efforts of his office off the ground. Those testifying at the hearing included: Nicole Lurie, assistant secretary in the Department of Health and Human Services; Michael Lumpkin, assistant secretary of defense in the Department of Defense, Gen. James Lariviere, deputy director of political-military affairs in the Department of Defense; John Roth, inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security; Deborah Burger, co-president of National Nurses United; and Rabih Torbay, senior vice president in the International Medical Corps.