Education Secretary Arne Duncan Says No To Secretary Of State

FILE - This July 19, 2012 file photo shows Education Secretary Arne Duncan during an interview with The Associated Press in Washington. Loose ends and thorny partisan tensions on education await the next Congress and President Barack Obama's second... (Jacquelyn Martin, File/AP Photo) View Full Caption

FILE - This July 19, 2012 file photo shows Education Secretary Arne Duncan during an interview with The Associated Press in Washington. Loose ends and thorny partisan tensions on education await the next Congress and President Barack Obama's second term. First up is the fiscal cliff, which will slash billions from the Department of Education's budget if lawmakers don't act this year. (Jacquelyn Martin, File/AP Photo) Close

 

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Education Secretary Arne Duncan on Wednesday jokingly dismissed the notion he's the best person to serve as Secretary of State.

New York Times columnist Tom Friedman argued in a piece published Tuesday that Duncan is most qualified to serve as the nation's top diplomat due to his ability to negotiate, find common ground and the prospect that he could grow educational opportunities in the Middle East.

But when asked about the head-scratching idea, Duncan declined address it seriously.

Jacquelyn Martin, File/AP Photo

FILE - This July 19, 2012 file photo shows... View Full Size

Jacquelyn Martin, File/AP Photo

FILE - This July 19, 2012 file photo shows Education Secretary Arne Duncan during an interview with The Associated Press in Washington. Loose ends and thorny partisan tensions... View Full Caption

FILE - This July 19, 2012 file photo shows Education Secretary Arne Duncan during an interview with The Associated Press in Washington. Loose ends and thorny partisan tensions on education await the next Congress and President Barack Obama's second term. First up is the fiscal cliff, which will slash billions from the Department of Education's budget if lawmakers don't act this year. Close

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"Last week, The Onion said I was going to become a male stripper," Duncan said during a question and answer session following his speech to the Foundation for Excellence in Education in Washington. "The Onion is probably more accurate than Tom Friedman."

Duncan also spoke about the need for immigration reform as a means to improve the educational prospects of Hispanic youth. He said it is "absolutely crazy" that the DREAM Act, which would provide a path to citizenship to undocumented youth seeking a college degree, has not yet been passed.