Biden Picks Pete Buttigieg for Transportation Secretary

Dan Merica, reporting for CNN:

President-elect Joe Biden will nominate Pete Buttigieg to be his transportation secretary, sources familiar with the matter tell CNN, elevating the former South Bend, Indiana, mayor and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate to a top post in the federal government.

Buttigieg would be the first Senate-confirmed [LGB] Cabinet secretary should his nomination make it through the chamber.

The choice vaults a candidate Biden spoke glowingly of after the Democratic primary into a top job in the incoming administration and could earn Buttigieg what many Democrats believe is needed experience should he run for president again.

The role of transportation secretary is expected to play a central role in Biden's push for a bipartisan infrastructure package.

This choice makes sense for a lot of reasons. Pete is fairly moderate and will be able to reach across the aisle and get things done, and he could have a good impact as far as climate change is concerned.

And I’ll say this right now: if Pete gets that elusive high speed rail system built, he will be president one day.