WASHINGTON — A series of transportation calamities is tarnishing Pete Buttigieg’s political prospects, threatening to hamper his ability to use his high-profile Cabinet position as a springboard for a widely-expected second White House bid once President Joe Biden leaves office.
A Federal Aviation Administration meltdown earlier this week that grounded flights across the U.S. was the latest debacle to erupt within Buttigieg’s portfolio as Transportation secretary. It unfolded just weeks after the former small-town mayor faced tough questions about his handling of Southwest Airlines’ stranding of thousands of passengers nationwide during the holidays.
Buttigieg, 40, is one of the administration’s most public-facing officials, appearing frequently on cable television news programs and traveling across the country to promote Biden’s initiatives. He and Vice President Kamala Harris are widely considered to be the two likeliest White House officials to nurse their own future presidential aspirations.
