And they share an interest in improving urban education. In a pastoral letter to the new president to be discussed in Washington today, Rivers and his colleagues outline a number of domestic priorities and also call attention to the need for humanitarian aid to sub-Saharan Africa. But most of all they point to a need to restore trust, find a way to work together to accomplish something without the pointless rancor that has characterized the period between the Nov. 7 election and Saturday's inaugural. On behalf of those we serve, we recognize, therefore, the need not to risk permanently alienating other Democratic leaders and burning all symbolic bridges to your administration and white conservative Republican leaders, least of all over a few Cabinet appointments. Everything about his Cabinet selections, everything about his message this weekend speaks to that.
Rivers has a legitimate claim to that leadership.
His time has come.