VIDEO: Former U.S. Sec. of Labor Chao Visits CBS THIS MORNING

Former U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao discussed diversity in the White House Cabinet in an interview with co-hosts Charlie Rose and Gayle King that was broadcast today, Jan. 10, 2013, on CBS THIS MORNING on the CBS Television Network (7:00 AM – 9:00 AM). Watch the full interview below!

Below are excerpts from the interview:

ROSE: So every administration doesn't have enough diversity in it?

CHAO: I'm kind of quite surprised at that. Because for this President, with his particular history, and also given all the campaign rhetoric about diversity and the female voter.

ROSE: Let me bring up what the President's spokesperson said, Jay Carney, he said, "The President is choosing the best candidate available for the job."

CHAO: I'm shocked at that statement, you know that is kind of a statement that was an excuse that was commonly used 20, 25 years ago. We're not talking about special treatment. We're talking about going out and finding the most qualified people, where over 40-50% of the population are women, and we have tens of millions of Americans who are people of color.

ROSE: So your message to the President is?

CHAO: I think you can do better. You know with every administration, regardless of which administration it is, we hope that we have a more diverse cabinet, that again, reflects America. Our population is now 17% Latino/Hispanic American, 14% African American, 6% Asian American, 5% Native Americans.

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