December 14, 2020
Buttigieg to Steer Biden Admin's Transportation Department?
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Could Pete Buttigieg find himself in the driver's seat of the U.S. Department of Transportation? It's one possibility being floated for the openly gay onetime presidential contender and former mayor of South Bend Indiana, CNN reports.
In the weeks since Joe Biden was elected the 46th president of the United States, speculation has been rife as to what role Buttigieg, Biden's former rival for the Democratic nomination, might fill in the new administration. Media outlets have offered a number of scenarios, including Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Commerce Secretary, and Ambassador to China.
Wherever he ends up, Buttigieg seems a sure bet for a place in the Biden administration. Even before the president-elect's victory at the ballot box last month, Buttigieg was a dedicated supporter, appearing as a Biden proxy on Fox News and helping Vice President-elect Kamala Harris prep for her debates with Mike Pence.
CNN took note of the fact that though the incoming president has assembled a conspicuously diverse transition team, which includes members of the LGBTQ community, and has indicated an interest in putting together a similarly diverse cabinet, "Buttigieg would... be the first LGBTQ candidate nominated to Biden's administration and, should he be confirmed, the first LGBTQ Cabinet secretary to be approved by the Senate."
CNN also noted that "Biden has long spoke glowingly of Buttigieg and there is a belief among top Democrats that the President-elect wants to get the former mayor a top post as a way to elevate someone seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party."
Indeed, though Buttigieg stepped away from his own presidential ambitions this year to rally to Biden's campaign, his name is still mentioned as a serious contender for a future run at the White House.
CNN added a disclaimer, though, pointing out that "Discussions about the transportation job are fluid and ongoing. Multiple Democrats have also been considered for the post, including former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo."
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
