LaHood Announced as Obama's Choice to Lead DOT

The Trucker Staff12/19/2008
CHICAGO — President-elect Barack Obama’s nominee for transportation secretary is respected for his fairness, bipartisanship and effectiveness — but the challenge for Republican Rep. Ray LaHood will be whether his managerial ability can trump a lack of extensive transportation experience.
The 63-year-old LaHood, named as transportation secretary by fellow Illinoisan Obama in a Friday news conference, is the second Republican Obama has invited to join his administration. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, whom Obama asked to remain in office, is the other GOP member tapped so far for the new Cabinet.
The transportation secretary is expected to be a high-profile job in the Obama administration, especially early on. The president-elect, in introducing the new team members, set a target of 2.5 million new jobs, many coming from an investment in national infrastructure he likened to the Eisenhower-era development of the interstate highway system.
In introducing LaHood, Obama said “few understand our infrastructure challenge better,” and the president-elect noted LaHood’s six years on the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee and work on the aviation system, mass transit and highways.
Obama also said the appointment was based on “the best person for the job, regardless of party.”
In his remarks, LaHood said he and the president-elect share the same philosophy on infrastructure.
“His agenda for the Department of Transportation is my agenda for the Department of Transportation,” LaHood said, echoing the importance of putting aside political partisanship for the good of the nation. “We have a task before us to rebuild America. We cannot stand by while our infrastructure crumbles.”
He called rebuilding the infrastructure and reinvigorating the economy “a tremendous opportunity,” and said he would continue “a hallmark” of his congressional career by working closely with local transportation officials on government projects.
“It is the local folks who know best their transportation needs,” LaHood said.
Some observers, however, contend LaHood has less experience in transportation issues than other contenders Obama reportedly considered, and many industry experts — even in LaHood’s home state — were hard-pressed to say where he stood on specific issues.
“I’m quite surprised as he’s not one of the names run by me earlier,” said Aaron Gellman, a professor at Northwestern University’s Transportation Center near Chicago, prior to Friday’s announcement. “But the fact he’s not a known quantity shouldn’t necessarily disqualify him.”
LaHood represents a district around Peoria, the central Illinois city where he was born — the grandson of a Lebanese immigrant and the son of a restaurant manager. After college, he taught social studies for six years at a junior high school.
In Congress, he gained respect for his grasp of parliamentary details, and he presided over impeachment hearings against then-President Bill Clinton in 1998.
LaHood was also in the forefront of efforts to make the floor of the House less partisan, and he sometimes ended up angering Republican leaders by refusing to follow the party line.
Mike Lawrence, the recently retired director of Southern Illinois University’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, told The Trucker that he’s known LaHood for more than 40 years — and they first met when a young LaHood was on the staff of a regional transportation commission.
Lawrence echoed others’ comments, characterizing LaHood as a hard worker and a good listener, noted for efforts at “civility in the political arena” and bipartisanship.
“He’s always been far more interested in getting things done than he has been in political posturing,” Lawrence said. “He’s someone who has been willing and able to work with people who come from a variety of perspectives.”
Lawrence did suggest that LaHood’s years in Congress have provided him with a broad exposure to transportation policy.
“Above all, he’s someone concerned about doing a great job. He does his homework. He’s forthright in explaining why he might be taking a certain position,” Lawrence said. “I don’t know the degree of his expertise on transportation issues, but I would say he brings the qualities that will serve him well as a leader.”
LaHood and Democratic Rep. Rahm Emanuel — another Illinoisan whom Obama has picked as his chief of staff — often held dinners for small groups of lawmakers from both parties.
LaHood — who serves on the House Appropriations Committee, the panel that oversees federal discretionary spending — has a reputation for getting things done for his constituents. And a number of highway-focused constituencies were quick to praise the selection.
“The President-elect has made an outstanding choice. Ray LaHood is one of the best public servants I know. He will be an outstanding secretary of transportation, and a terrific addition to the president’s cabinet,” said Norm Mineta, honorary chairman of the American Highway Users Alliance, and a former secretary of transportation. “He is a person of high integrity. Both sides of the aisle should be pleased with this choice. Once again, President-elect Obama has selected someone for his cabinet that all Americans can be confident will do a superb job. ”
Alliance Chairman Bill Graves, president and CEO of the American Trucking Associations, also offered congratulations, and noted that LaHood “led efforts to enhance Illinois’ infrastructure, including the reconstruction of Interstate 74, expansion of U.S. Route 67, and completion of Route 336.”
Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa likewise said the union supports the nominee.
“Congressman Ray LaHood has been a long-time, strong ally in the Teamsters’ unwavering fight to stop unsafe Mexican trucks from traveling freely throughout the United States,” Hoffa said, characterizing LaHood as a moderate Republican. “We are anxious to meet with him and assist in any way we can to advance President-elect Obama’s agenda to rebuild America, improve the safety and efficiency of our transportation system and create millions of good jobs.”
The Governors Highway Safety Association praised LaHood’s “pragmatic background,” and encouraged the nominee to look into “behavioral highway safety programs” for their immediate impact.
Similarly, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials expressed confidence that LaHood’s legislative experience will enable him to successfully lead the infrastructure-centered economic stimulus plan as well as the upcoming highway funding authorization.
“Working with Congress to enact an economic recovery bill will likely be his first major challenge as Secretary,” said AASHTO Executive Director John Horsley. “Strong bipartisan support will be needed if the bill is going to be ready for the President’s signature in January.”