U.S. President-elect George W. Bush on January 2nd named defeated Republican Senator Spencer Abraham as his energy secretary, surprising many who had expected the post to go to Alaskan Democratic Governor Tony Knowles.
Abraham, 48, was defeated in his re-election bid in Michigan in November in a down-to-the-wire race by Democrat Debbie Stabenow.
The only Arab-American in the Senate before losing his seat, Abraham served on the budget, judiciary, small business and commerce, science and transportation committees.
In addition to being deputy minority whip, he was a member of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Senate Observer Group on U.N. Climate Change Negotiations.
Abraham received his bachelors in 1974 from Michigan State University and his law degree from Harvard University in 1979.
The outgoing senator had expressed interest in the position of transportation secretary, which instead went to Democrat Norman Mineta, the current commerce secretary under President Bill Clinton.
The three nominations announced by Bush on January 2nd further fulfilled his promise to assemble an inclusive government, bringing a Democrat who is also Japanese-American, a Hispanic woman and an Arab-American into the cabinet.
If his nomination is approved, Abraham will be responsible for upholding Bush’s campaign pledge to increase domestic energy production and to find new oil sources, thereby reducing dependence on oil imports.
The outgoing senator will also be expected to orchestrate Bush’s plans to boost ties with OPEC producing states in an effort to stabilize oil markets.
The appointment of an Arab-American may find a welcome reception among Gulf OPEC states, particularly as Bush has stressed that his administration will work to encourage the oil cartel to increase its output to help out its Western “friends.”
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
