Despite being the first African-American president in American history, President Obama has been criticized early in his second term for the lack of diversity within his cabinet. During Saturday night's White House Correspondence Dinner, Conan O'Brien even went in on the homogeny of Obama's cabinet, by joking that his hair is so white, it could be a member of his Cabinet.
It's not all his fault. Everyone tends to disregard his African-American female nominee for Secretary of State, Susan Rice, withdrawing because of her desire to avoid the daily grind of political grandstanding. It's difficult to find intelligent, qualified and well-adjusted candidates who want to get involved in the mindless bickering on Capitol Hill and along Pennsylvania Avenue.
On Monday afternoon, Obama did more than satiate the quotas for diversity after he nominated Charlotte mayor Anthony Foxx to assume Ray LaHood's post as head of the Department of Transportation. The 42-year-old Queen City mayor's prominence in American politics is in the midst of a growth spurt after he spoke at the Democratic National Convention, which was held in Charlotte.
Via Washington Post:
Foxx, a Democrat, replaces a Republican in the White House, but in his brief speech in the East Room of the White House he made an appeal for bipartisanship. ”We must work together to enhance this nation’s infrastructure,” he said.
Obama also used the announcement to press for infrastructure spending, saying that putting Americans to work repairing the nation’s roads and bridges was one of the best ways to boost the economy.