Joe Biden broke new ground when
he selected Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate for vice president. Now
that she and Biden have been elected, Ms. Harris will be the first female vice
president in our country’s history and the first of African American and
South Asian descent.
Now the president-elect has broken additional ground in naming former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete
Buttigieg to serve on his cabinet as Secretary of Transportation as reported by
numerous major news outlets. If confirmed by the Senate, Buttigieg would be the
first open LGBTQ person to receive Senate confirmation for a cabinet position.
Buttigieg burst on the national
scene in April 2019 when the mayor announced his long shot candidacy for
President. He was such a refreshing contrast to President Trump that I opined the day after the announcement that he would make a viable
run and possibly even succeed.
A bodacious fundraiser, Mayor
Pete as he was affectionately called, impressed many voters with his
intelligence, political talent, military record and life story, but his lack of
experience other than leading a smallish city gave voters pause. His record as South Bend mayor, particularly
when a Black man was shot by a white police officer, created friction with many
in the African American community. As a result, failed to garner support from
this critical voting bloc.
Nonetheless, Pete’s narrow win
in the Iowa caucuses enabled him to claim that he was the first openly gay
candidate from a major political party to receive delegates from a primary
contest. Any momentum that should have accrued to him was stifled by the
technical glitches surrounding the tallying of votes in Iowa. Regardless, he
finished second in New Hampshire but his campaign fizzled as he entered states
with a larger minority population than Iowa and New Hampshire.
Immediately following the South
Carolina primary, Buttigieg suspended his campaign and joined other rivals in
endorsing Joe Biden. For his part, the president-elect views Buttigieg very positively.
Biden had compared the former mayor to his son, Beau, saying it’s “the highest
compliment I can give any man or woman.”
Buttigieg campaigned for Biden,
raised money, represented the ticket on FOX News, and served on his transition team. His selection to a prominent
position in a Biden Administration was expected by many Washington insiders and
beyond.
According to Politico, “If
confirmed, Buttigieg will head to Washington to take responsibility for nearly
55,000 employees, an $87 billion budget and more than a dozen agencies,
overseeing the nation’s airspace, highway system, pipeline safety and much
more.
On the campaign trail, Buttigieg
introduced out a $1 trillion infrastructure plan that prioritized upgrading the
country’s crumbling infrastructure and expanding broadband internet access
through payment to state and local governments.
If confirmed, Buttigieg will be
in a position to gain experience at the federal level and boost his qualifications
for a future run for president.
But his appointment will be an
inspiring message to members of the LGBTQ community. The Human Rights Campaign,
an LGBTQ advocacy organization, said the nomination would be “a reminder to
LGBTQ people everywhere that any opportunity is possible.”
In response Buttigieg tweeted:
This is a moment of tremendous opportunity—to create jobs, meet the climate challenge, and enhance equity for all.
I'm honored that the President-elect has asked me to serve our nation as Secretary of Transportation.
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