November 2, 2007

Spellings Opens Door to Political Candidacy in Texas

Washington — November is the traditional month for elections, and its arrival this year may be having an effect on the political calculations of the education secretary, Margaret Spellings.

Asked early last month about rumors that she might consider running for governor in her home state of Texas, Ms. Spellings told the National Journal that she was too busy to think about such things.

But asked again on Thursday, the first day of November, Ms. Spellings told some Texas reporters that she’s now considering her first run ever for elective office, such as governor or senator.

“Yes, it’s an option,” Ms. Spellings said, according to a report today in the Houston Chronicle. “Everything’s an option.” The National Journal, in its interview published on October 9, said the secretary responded to the same question by saying, “I am so busy I haven’t had a chance” to consider future political options.

In both instances, Ms. Spellings reiterated her intent to remain in office as education secretary through the end of the Bush administration, in January 2009.

And despite her willingness to consider a political campaign, Ms. Spellings noted in both sets of interviews her interest in improving upon her government salary. “I want to make a little money,” she said in the interview yesterday, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

As a candidate, Ms. Spellings could be helped by relations developed in the Bush administration and in Texas state government, but possibly attacked by conservatives for teaming up with Democrats on education issues, the Houston Chronicle said. —Paul Basken

Comments

1. Hasn’t she done enough damage already?

   — DS    Nov 2, 03:44 PM    #

2. Thiswoman one of W’s coffee mates is totally unqualified to be secretary to the Secretary of Education. She has been a total disaster. The level of W’s administration has continue to slip as he pulls cronies out of the closet and give them jobs. She was W’s coffee mate, assistant director ofthe state school board association and totally unqualified for any position of responsibility…ask the Alexandria Virginia schools where her kids go.

   — russ james    Nov 2, 04:32 PM    #

3. My children in school here in Texas are victims of her misguided and knuckleheaded ‘vision’ for education.. Please stay in Washington, D.C. where your impact might be neutered. The Texas education, not too mention political, system is screwed up enough without any more politics form the likes of Rawlings

   — TS    Nov 2, 04:35 PM    #

4. Now, now, dog catchers are elected too, and I think that she may almost have the skills in that arena!

   — kfg    Nov 2, 05:14 PM    #

5. If you want to make “some money” stay out of Texas and become a low life Washington lobbyist. Texas higher education is screwed up enough without your stupid ideas…..

   — RE    Nov 2, 06:52 PM    #

6. I believe if you think beyond one’s own political orientation, you will realize that she has done a commendable job, at least in higher education. Regardless of whether you agree with, or whether the initiatives recommended in her “Commission on the future of higher education” ever get instantiated, she has done one great service to the country…she has started a meaningful discussion regarding higher education.

   Higher Education is the last part of the modern economy that has yet to adopt current methods of business process (including the utilization of information technology). As a person with several decades of experience (senior faculty and staff) in higher education and now industry, a discussion regarding access, affordability and accountability has been long over-due. Regardless of who next is President or Secretary of Education, the important work of Secretary Spellings will continue.

   We all must realize the increasing importance that education plays in helping us to stay competitive in a global economy. A recent Department of Labor study contents that over 80% of all new jobs being created in the U.S. will require some post-secondary education. At the same time, we have stagnated at only 34% of our population getting a college degree (it is worse for minorities). Doing what we have done for the last 50 years in education will not work. Secretary Spelling, regardless of the validity of her recommendations, has started a very importance conversation that I for one believe has been long over-due.

   It is always easy to discount what the President and his Secretaries say and do if we are on the other side of the political fence. Given that the last few elections have been so close means that almost half of the electorate discount what is being discussed simply because they dislike the party in power. We must realize that some issues, like education, are so strategic for this country that we cannot disengage, or worse, throw stones, just because we do not like the person in the Oval Office.

   — jimp    Nov 2, 10:05 PM    #

7. Political orientation is like sexual orientation, JMP; it’s a fairly defining feature. Kind of hard to set it aside, you know? Bush’s agenda for both his terms has focused squarely on redirecting both law and policy to benefit the very rich. What MS is doing is very much in keeping with that focus. Her “important work” has always been to promote her boss’ political agenda; that fact should be central to how we perceive her intent and evaluate her impact on higher education.

   Hey, I say let her run in Texas. There are probably enough parents there who despise her for what she has done to their children’s education that it would virtually assure a win for the Democratic candidate. Run, Margaret, run!

   — MDR    Nov 3, 08:34 AM    #

8. The OIG for the DoE has found nothing but problems with the Spellings’ baby — No Child Left Standing/Reading First. Just what Texas needs—-another corrupt politico.

   — NAS    Nov 3, 11:47 AM    #

9. Get to it, Margaret! We can’t wait for the day you leave your Education post.

   — JBR    Nov 4, 10:33 PM    #

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