Norman Mineta Interview (page: 7 / 9) Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation	Print Interview

Why do you think you were tapped to be on the Human Relations Commission? Why were you tapped to fill this seat on the City Council? What did people see in Norm Mineta?

Norman Mineta: I'm not sure. I was active. I always say I was sort of a community busybody. What happened on the Housing Authority was...

Get the Flash Player to see this video. We had an interstate highway come through San José -- 280. You know 280. It was coming through San José. They took about 1,700 homes, mostly Hispanic families, and in those days, they were paying maybe $50-55 a month rent. The going market rate for most homes were $160-$175 a month rent, but all of a sudden, 1,700 families, that translated to about 10,000 people. So a number of us went to the City Council and said -- because Federal law doesn't say that if you are renting, you get housing assistance. If you own your business or residence, you get housing assistance. So a number of us went to the City Council and said, "Look, these people are being displaced, not of their own accord, so we think you ought to form a Housing Authority, take advantage of the Housing Act amendments of 1965, and handle the plight these people are in." The City Council said, "Okay, we'll do that, and then you five busybodies, who got us to do this, you are going to be the Housing Authority." So, I was one of those five appointed at that time. Now that was 1966, and in 1967 was the mayor's election. So that's when I was asked to be interviewed, with a number of other people, for the City Council slot, and was appointed in '67 to fill that vacancy on the City Council.

An Asian American had never been elected mayor of a major American city.

Norman Mineta: Nor appointed. At that point, I would be the first. I was student body president of San José High School in 1949, four years after the end of the war, and people thought that was pretty amazing that that had occurred at that time. In real estate, they say, "Location, location, location." In politics, I guess it's timing, timing, timing. I have been very, very fortunate over the years to be in the right place at the right time.

You went on to spend 20 years in Congress and to become a Cabinet Secretary in successive administrations of opposing parties. How do you explain your longevity in politics, not just getting elected, but staying in office?

Norman Mineta: Well, one of my interests has always been people, and I remember...

Get the Flash Player to see this video. When I was in the House, people would always ask if I would consider running for the Senate, but you know, when you run for the Senate, first of all, you have got to just raise a lot of money, especially in a big state like California. But I have always felt that when you are in the House, you represent people, when you are in the Senate, you represent interests. And I was always more comfortable dealing with people than interests.

[ Key to Success ] Integrity

I have always tried to stay on the people side of issues. When I left Congress, I was in the private sector for five years, and then in that last year of President Clinton's term, I served as the Secretary of Commerce.

Get the Flash Player to see this video. At the end of the Clinton administration, I figured, "Well, I will go into the private sector, or I will be doing something." And on the 29th of December, my stepson said, "Hey Norm, President-elect Bush says he is going to appoint a Democrat to the Cabinet. He hasn't appointed one yet. The Secretary of Transportation spot is open. Do you think he'll appoint you to Secretary of Transportation?" I said, "Bob, what are you talking about? What have you been smoking or drinking?" That was about 10:30 in the morning. Then, about one o'clock, the phone rings. Bob was living with us at the time, so he answered the phone, and he said, "Yes, sir. He's standing right here." So he cups the phone. He says, "It's the Vice President." So, I take the phone, and I go "Al?" He says, "No. This is Dick Cheney." I go, "Oh Dick, no! I'm sorry." So then he says, "Well Norm, I am calling because we want you to come on board as Secretary of Transportation."

I said, "You have got to be kidding." He said, "No," and then we talked about it. I said, "Look, I really don't want to be diminished as a Democrat. I don't want to be considered a turncoat." We talked about that for a little while. He said, "Andy Card is going to call you." So I talked to Andy, and said, "Andy, I don't want to talk to you on the phone. I have got to talk to you eyeball to eyeball." I came into town and talked to him. Andy is an old friend, good friend. So I came home and I said to my wife Deni...

Get the Flash Player to see this video. "Honey, this is what they are talking about." So she said, "You've got to talk to President Clinton and Vice President Gore. I said, "Yeah. Absolutely." So I called President Clinton. He said, "My inclination is you ought to do this." I said, "Well, I don't want to be diminished as a Democrat or thought of as a turncoat." He said, "No, no, no. We can give you cover on that. Don't worry about it." So anyway, then I talked to Vice President Gore, and he said, "Norm, I want to encourage you to do this." He said, "I didn't like the result of the election, I didn't like the Supreme Court decision, I'm still chafing from this whole experience, but I want to encourage you to do this, because you can be part of the healing process." So the next day, Saturday and Sunday, I talked to over 100 people, including just about every African American member of Congress. African Americans had voted 12 to 1 against President Bush, and if I was in this position, these are all good friends of mine in key spots, I didn't want them pulling the rug out from under me. So I talked to every one of them, and they all said do it, and it was really Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton who put it in perspective. She said, "Norm, we can't slam President Bush for not having a Democrat in the Cabinet, and at the same time, dissuade every Democrat from going on the Cabinet." She said, "You know Transportation. You chaired the Transportation Committee in the House, you know it. You used to always tell us that there were no such things as Democratic bridges or Republican highways. You really ought to do this."

[ Key to Success ] Integrity

On the 1st of January, I called Vice President-elect Cheney. He was in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and I said, "I think I am ready to talk to you about this in more earnestness." Then, on the 2nd of January, Deni and I went down to Austin, Texas, and met President-elect Bush for the first time. I went through an interview, and about an hour and a half into the interview, he said, "Well, Mr. Secretary, I would like to offer you the job as Secretary of Transportation in my new administration." Deni was sitting over here to the side. As a dutiful husband, I always look to her for advice. She goes like this (nods). So I said, "Mr. President-elect, it would be my honor to accept."

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