This week in Transportation: DOT contender meets the press

{mosads}Hersman
said prior to LaHood’s announcement that she is not interested in the
Transportation secretary job, saying she is focused on her current
position.

She might be attractive to President Obama as a potential
Transportation secretary pick because he’s come under fire for lacking
gender diversity in his first round of picks for Cabinet positions in
his second term, however. Obama’s appointments for the secretaries of
State, Defense and Treasury and the head of the CIA are all white men.

Also this, the focus of the American auto industry will shift from
Detroit to the capital area as the Washington Auto Show takes places.

The annual D.C. auto show, which began on Feb. 1, is scheduled to last until Feb. 10.

Outgoing Energy Secretary Steven Chu will address the auto show on
Thursday, in what will likely be one of his final public appearances as a
member of Obama’s Cabinet. Chu, like LaHood, announced last week that
he would be resigning, pending the confirmation of his successor.