Obama adds cabinet diversity by picking Anthony Foxx for Transportation
| Washington
By nominating Charlotte, N.C., Mayor Anthony Foxx to be his next Transportation secretary, President Obama adds some additional racial diversity to his administration, comes a step closer to completing his second term Cabinet, and moves a youthful African American politician into the national spotlight.
In a ceremony in the White House East Room Monday afternoon, Mr. Obama called Mayor Fox聽"one of the most effective mayors Charlotte has ever seen,鈥� and detailed聽Foxx's transportation experience.
"Since聽Anthony took office, they have broken ground on a new street car聽project that is going to bring modern electric tram service to the聽downtown area, they have expanded the international airport, and they聽are extending the city鈥檚 light rail system," the president said. "All of that has not only聽helped to create new jobs, it has helped Charlotte become more attractive to business.
"So I know Anthony鈥檚 experience will make him聽an outstanding transportation secretary."
Foxx accepted the job offer in the Obama administration after announcing April 5 that he would leave the mayor鈥檚 office at the end of the year to spend more time with his family. 鈥淚 never intended to be mayor for life,鈥� he told the Charlotte Observer. The nominee, who turns 42 this week, has two children born after he joined the Charlotte City Council in 2005.
If confirmed by the Senate, Foxx would be the second African American in Mr. Obama鈥檚 Cabinet, joining Attorney General Eric Holder. Foxx is the first African American among Obama鈥檚 picks for his second term team. The lack of diversity has been the target of criticism from politicians and comedians alike.
Rep. Marcia Fudge (D) of Ohio, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus to Obama in March complaining that of his appointments up to that time, 鈥渘one of them have been African American.鈥� She added, 鈥渢he people you have chosen to appoint in this new term have hardly been reflective of this country鈥檚 diversity.鈥�
At Saturday鈥檚 White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) dinner, Conan O鈥橞rien referred to the president鈥檚 aging appearance saying, 鈥淢r. President, your hair is so white it could be a member of your cabinet.鈥澛�
It has taken Obama an unusually long time to announce his choices for his second-term cabinet. Second-term presidents usually move faster seeking to get their team in place before lame-duck status kicks in. For Obama, that likely will come as the 2014 congressional elections draw closer. The president, meanwhile,聽is close to nominating candidates for two remaining posts, with Chicago hotel magnate Penny Pritzker seen as the likely candidate for Commerce secretary and White House international economics adviser Michael Froman in line to be United States Trade Representative, reports.
The Transportation Department has been in the headlines lately as automatic budget cuts from the "sequester" pushed the Federal Aviation Administration to furlough air traffic controllers, triggering airport delays. Last week, Congress acted to give the Department more flexibility to deal with the budget cuts, hoping to restore air travel to normal.
The cabinet post would be 鈥渂y far the biggest job of Foxx鈥檚 career,鈥� notes the . 鈥淗e is a part-time mayor in a city government with a budget of less than $2 billion and about 7,000 employees,鈥� the Journal says.
In his , the president is seeking $77 billion for the Transportation Department, which has responsibility for America鈥檚 roads, bridges, transit systems, border crossings, railways, and runways. The department has almost 60,000 employees.
The new position would make Foxx one of the nation鈥檚 most visible African-American politicians. 鈥淭his would let him move on from municipal government while retaining a public profile that could set him up for a gubernatorial or senatorial run down the road,鈥� notes Slate鈥檚 .
The nomination comes as some black politicians are lamenting the apparent lack of progress for African American politicians in the time since Barack Obama made history and was elected president. Since the 2008 election, not one African-American has been elected to the Senate, although Mo Cowan (D) of Massachusetts was appointed to the body in February. The one African American governor, Deval Patrick of Massachusetts, was elected before Obama, and when he leaves office after 2013 may leave the ranks of black governors empty.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think Obama has given a lot of thought to what comes next in terms of African-American politics,鈥� PBS NewsHour told Politico鈥檚 Jonathan Martin.
