Headline RoundupDecember 17th, 2020

Perspectives: Biden Nominates Pete Buttigieg For Transportation Secretary

Joe Biden, Biden Cabinet, Pete Buttigieg, Department Of Transportation

Summary from the AllSides News Team

On Wednesday, President-elect Joe Biden tapped South Bend, Indianan Mayor Pete Buttigieg as his pick for Transportation Secretary. In the announcement, Biden praised Buttigieg for being the “first openly gay major presidential candidate in American history.” Upon the announcement, several media outlets hailed Buttigieg for being the "first openly gay Cabinet member"; though some voices from the right pointed out that the first openly gay Cabinet member was Richard Grenell, who was appointed as the acting director of national intelligence by President Donald Trump in February. Others made the distinction Buttigieg would make the first openly gay member of a presidential Cabinet to be confirmed by the Senate. Coverage from left- and center-rated outlets tended to frame Buttigieg's nomination as "historic" and a "win for the LGBTQ+ community." Some coverage from right-rated outlets tended to point out that Buttigieg will not be the first openly gay Cabinet member. Other voices from the left and right highlighted a now-deleted tweet in which the Biden campaign purportedly poked fun at Buttigieg's lack of experience.

Featured Coverage of this Story

From the Left

In stirring speech, Pete Buttigieg makes history again for LGBTQ Americans as first gay cabinet nominee

USA TODAY

See rating details

USA TODAY

News

Nearly a year ago in Des Moines, Pete Buttigieg hugged his husband onstage after his win in the Iowa caucuses made him the first openly LGBTQ candidate to earn delegates toward a major political party’s presidential nomination.

Now, he’s making history again as the first openly gay man to be nominated to a cabinet role, with President-elect Joe Biden tapping Buttigieg this week as his pick for U.S. transportation secretary.

As Buttigieg accepted the nomination Wednesday afternoon, he recalled how as a 17-year-old in Indiana, he watched the experience of...

Open on USA TODAY

Possible Paywall

From the Right

Media Claim Pete Buttigieg Appointment Would Make Him First Openly Gay Cabinet Member, Forget Richard Grenell

The Daily Wire

See rating details

News

As soon as Democrat Joe Biden announced he would nominate South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, media outlets rushed to hail the choice as a historic occasion for LGBT individuals.

Numerous outlets, including Sky News, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, reported that Buttigieg would be the first “openly gay man” to hold a Cabinet post. Except, Buttigieg would not be the first “openly gay” cabinet member, as that honor already belongs to Richard Grenell, who was appointed by President Donald Trump in February to serve as the acting...

Open on The Daily Wire

Possible Paywall

From the Left

'Cabinet of firsts': Joe Biden touts Pete Buttigieg's historic nomination

NBC News (Online)

See rating details

News

President-elect Joe Biden’s Cabinet is shaping up to be a team of “firsts,” and he introduced yet another of his history-making nominations Wednesday: Pete Buttigieg as his pick to lead the Department of Transportation.

If confirmed, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, would be the first openly gay member of a presidential Cabinet to be confirmed by the Senate.

“This Cabinet will be the most representative of any Cabinet in American history,” Biden said before formally introducing Buttigieg as his nominee. “We’ll have a Cabinet of barrier breakers, a...

Open on NBC News (Online)

More headline roundups