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Mineta was a congressman who served for years on a House Transportation committee, a California Dem. Someone correct me if you prove otherwise, but I believe he came from the House of Representatives, NOT from WJC's administration.

You are correct that Mineta was a DemocRAT congressman that was on the Transportation Committee, but he was appointed to be the Sec. of Transportation towards the end of Clinton's 2nd term and Bush kept him on as the token 'rat in the administration. I forget who preceeded Mineta - wasn't it the guy who screwed up the Denver airport?

Incorrect statement... Bill Klinton appointed Mineta as Secretary of Commerce in the last six months of 2000. This was interpreted by many Japanese Americans as a real true "token" appointment.

The reality is that even though Mineta was the first asian american serving on the cabinet, he was a token of Clinton.

The reality is that President's Bush's cabinet nominees are the most diverse and knowledgable bunch in my lifetime. President Bush chose to put Mineta at Transportation for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was to upstage Clinton's token appointment of minorities at the end of a lame duck admin. Bush appointed people at the beginning of the term, not at the end.

Mineta's experience in the US House of Reps as a Congress critter focused on National Transportation issues was vital in the response to the 9-11 clamity.