Fate has opened up a couple of options for MSU President M. Peter McPherson. On Jan. 1 McPherson will be out on a job search that might end at the White House. You didn't really think he'd retire from public service, did you?
Right now, speculation has him poised to become the World Bank's next president or even filling a spot on President Bush's second-term cabinet.
It's not like he isn't qualified.
McPherson has served as the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Treasury and as a special assistant to President Gerald Ford. In April 2003, he took a 130-day break from MSU to lead the U.S. Department of Treasury's campaign to rebuild Iraq's economy.
The questions now become: Which position is McPherson most qualified for, and where will he actually end up?
As a man who's still working as the chairman of the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board, McPherson would be well suited to run the U.S. Department of Energy, succeeding former secretary and Spartan Spencer Abraham.
Put simply, McPherson headed a board that directed clueless-about-energy Abraham during the last four years. McPherson has energy experience at the federal level. So why not legitimate his power? In the end, we're guessing Bush probably will.
If McPherson lands the Secretary of Energy spot, there are some pros and cons.
MSU reliance on coal-powered electricity might cast public doubt on McPherson's dedication, or at least openness to alternative forms of energy. Under McPherson, conservationists and environmentalists might have reason to worry about the extension of oil drilling in some of Alaska's most pristine wilderness. To some, McPherson has demonstrated a sub-par response to worker's rights.
Yet McPherson could securely lock in MSU as home to the Rare Isotope Accelerator project and the $1 billion in federal funding that comes with it. Since McPherson is scheduled to stay on as a consultant to President-designate Lou Anna Simon, his strong ties to the university will remain in tact.
However, McPherson might be aiming for some other jobs.
With a strong background at MSU of working on global food issues, it's possible he could be appointed Secretary of Agriculture. Along the same lines, some have said he'd seek a global position of the same bent, possibly with a United Nations organization.
Presidency at the World Bank might line up more with McPherson's experience in dealing with finances. Certainly, his involvement with the Department of Treasury could get him in the door at the World Bank, but that might not be where he's headed.
It's almost positive that McPherson's going to Washington. If Bush is insistent on putting a Republican in charge of the Department of Energy, he's at least qualified.
As of New Year's Day, we're almost certain that McPherson has set himself up to become a legitimate Beltway insider. His experience in finance, agriculture and energy qualify him for some soon-to-be vacant federal positions, and in all scenarios, MSU has a chance to prosper as a result.
