Harris, Buttigieg Rivalry Plays out in Infrastructure Debate

Latest Polls (view all)

Where do you stand on the Transgender Issue now that the issue has gotten to the overt point of the open celebration of this lifestyle choice, dictated by certain direct and explicit actions.

90.2% I do not approve of behavior that has within its expressed tenants policies that harm children.

8.82% I do support the Trans Community in all its many facets because diversity is at a premium in today's society.

0.98% What is a "Children's Drag Queen Story Hour?"

Click Here to Vote
102 Vote(s)

View all Polls

Harris, Buttigieg Rivalry Plays out in Infrastructure Debate

Published: Sunday, May 2nd, 2021 @ 12:00 pm
By: John Locke Foundation ( More Entries )

Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the John Locke Foundation. The author of this post is Mitch Kokai.

Naomi Lim of the Washington Examiner documents an interesting Biden administration power struggle.

Negotiations over President Joe Biden's first infrastructure proposal, however loosely defined, have provided Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg the opportunity to boost his national profile as he and Vice President Kamala Harris use their day jobs to shape their political futures.
The dynamic mirrors a two-person version of President Abraham Lincoln's "team of rivals" after Harris and Buttigieg suspended their own 2020 White House campaigns against Biden before taking positions in his Cabinet.
But despite Harris being Biden's heir presumptive, Buttigieg is not ceding the stage as the pair jockey for influence with the new administration and address weaknesses in their resumes revealed by their failed presidential bids.
Buttigieg, 39, is "obviously" a very ambitious politician, said University of Notre Dame political science professor Geoff Layman, based near Buttigieg's home town of South Bend, Indiana.
"That Buttigieg has been higher-profile than past secretaries of transportation is not just because of his political ambition or talent, but also because President Biden has decided to really emphasize infrastructure in a way that past presidents have not," he said.
Layman contended that Biden tapped Buttigieg, the country's first millennial and Senate-confirmed gay Cabinet member, for the position because he "needed a politically attractive, articulate" transportation secretary to push for his agenda.
"And Buttigieg knew Biden would emphasize infrastructure, which is why he, as someone with presidential aspirations, agreed to accept what has traditionally been a fairly low-profile Cabinet position," he said.
Chera LaForge, Indiana University East's political science chairwoman, concurred: "His own existing connections on the national stage may make public outreach easier."
Buttigieg joined a bipartisan Oval Office meeting convened this week to discuss Biden's sweeping $2.25 trillion jobs and infrastructure spending package, even though he was not originally previewed as an attendee. Perched on a seat normally reserved for Harris or the guest of honor, Buttigieg took on the appearance of perhaps the key player in the talks.

Go Back

Login to Leave a Comment

Biden Climate Summit Labeled ‘Unserious’

John Locke Foundation Guest Editorial, Editorials, Op-Ed & Politics

Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson: Notion That Black People Can’t Figure Out How To Get a ID Is “Insulting”

Our Members

ENCN Sign Up

BCN Home

Beaufort Observer

Portfolios

Current Events: A Historical Perspective

Current Weather

Latest Comments

Latest Polls

Featured Entries

Latest Entries

Harris, Buttigieg Rivalry Plays out in Infrastructure Debate | Eastern NC Now

Harris, Buttigieg Rivalry Plays out in Infrastructure Debate

Leave a Guest Comment

Latest Op-Ed & Politics

poll: anti-immigration National Rally's Bardella leads for France president, including runoff

conservative state AG Ken Paxton smokes RINO US Senate incumbent Cornyn in Texas

Revolt by sheriffs and DA's against Virginia Democrat Spanberger gun grab accelertes

NC Elections Board settles case on foreign citizens on NC voter registration lists, will remove

Barnes & Noble CEO Slammed For Stance On Selling AI-Generated Books

Beaufort County Government’s Bad Budget Decisions

Truth for our times: Flag never touched ground, Alcohol Provisions Removed, & Empty house

Another de-transitioner wins huge court settlement from "transgender" medical Mafia

RINO US Senate primary candidate in Georgia comes out for amnesty for illegal aliens

WATCH: Country Star Gives Rare College Commencement Speech Focused On Faith And Family

"Traitor Thom" Tillis vows to fight Trump agenda for the remaining months of his term

NY Post editorial - "UN climate warnings were wrong, can we get a refund?"

Illegal alien migrants behaving badly - migrants and crime NEWLY UPDATED

Liberal Beaufort County commission majority votes to keep "Limited Voting" election method

Spanberger moves to protect illegal aliens illegally voting in Virginia elections

How Did Young Dems Rank Israel, Iran, And China?

Conservatives run well in Tuesday prinmaries in four states

Beaufort County Budget, Increased Spending

FBI uncovers decades long Democrat election cheating scheme in California

Birthrate Data Shows Trump’s Immigration Policy Is Working

Trump endorses conservative Paxton in Texas US Senate runoff over RINO incumbent Cornyn

new report: Teachers unions spending more on Democrat politics than on helping members

RINO Tillis still trying to destroy

Virginia DA declares Spanberger gun control law Unconstitutional, refuses to enforce it

materials from indicted radical left SPLC found in public school curriculum in 42 states

NY Post editorial: "Out of control judges lead to out of control crime: - it is the same here

RINO Sen. Bill Cassidy defeated in Louisiana GOP primary; 2 conservatives advance to runoff