A Nobel Prize Winner in the Cabinet
EmailIs Steven Chu the first Nobel Laureate nominated to join a presidential Cabinet?
It appears so.
Yesterday, word leaked that Chu would be President-elect Obama’s nominee to serve as secretary of the Department of Energy. In 1997, Chu was one of three men who shared a Nobel Prize for physics for their developments of methods to cool and trap atoms with laser light.
Others in the White House have been awarded various Nobel Prizes while in office or after leaving. But no one ever appears to have been awarded the recognition before joining an administration.
In 1973, then-Secretary of State Henry Kissinger shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Le Duc Tho.
Several former secretaries of state went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize after leaving office:
Former Secretary of State Elihu Root in 1912 for originating various treaties of arbitration;
Former Secretary of State Frank Billings Kellogg in 1929 for being part originator of the Briand-Kellogg Pact;
Former Secretary of State Cordell Hull in 1945 for his work on originating the United Nations;
Former Secretary of State and of Defense George Catlett Marshall in 1953 for starting the Marshall Plan to redevelop Europe post-World War II.
The award has gone to two presidents in office, one since leaving office:
President Teddy Roosevelt 1906 for his work on various treaties;
President Woodrow Wilson 1919 for founding the League of Nations;
And former President Jimmy Carter in 2002 for "his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development."
And attention Mr. Biden — the award has also gone to two vice presidents — Vice President Charles Gates Dawes in 1925 for his work as chairman of the Allied Reparation Commission (Originator of "Dawes Plan") and former Vice President Al Gore last year for raising awareness about climate change.
But, as for putting someone who already won a Nobel Prize into the Cabinet, Mr. Chu’s nomination appears to be unprecedented.
One other note on this — commentators out there might want to stop referring to President-elect Obama’s team as "the best and the brightest."
That term, coined by the late, great David Halberstam about the JFK and LBJ Cabinets who planned the war in Vietnam, was meant ironically, as Frank Rich noted a few days ago.
- jpt
Rick Santorum Sweeps 3 States 
Pentagon to Open Additional Jobs to Women
One tip for the best and the brightest O-team,
Just keep a proper degree of humility.
Posted by: zen | December 11, 2008, 7:58 am 7:58 am
Dr. Chu will be if confirmed be the first Nobel laureate for one of the fundamental sciences to be in the cabinet, the rest of the Nobel laureates were for peace. The ones for peace are somewhat political and not necessarily for scholarly work with the exception of Al Gore’s Nobel prize. Henry Kissinger’s Nobel prize was premature before the ultimate fall of Saigon and was not appropriate since Nobel prizes are often give for a long period of work. Whether Dr. Chu is the best choice or not time will tell but it certainly is a different choice and an intriguing one and cannot do any harm. It is the second Chinese American to be appointed if confirmed in the cabinet. Obama is making ample clear that America is no longer just Black and white but all the shades in between. That is a change we can agree that he is bringing.
Posted by: gjkotw01 | December 11, 2008, 8:10 am 8:10 am
gjkotw01- I couldn’t have said it any better. Those were my thoughts exactly.
Posted by: Christina | December 11, 2008, 8:20 am 8:20 am
So maybe now the left will quit complaining about Obama’s cabinet picks. He seems to be putting together a balanced team that will have the nous to actually achieve change.
Posted by: Mark O | December 11, 2008, 9:11 am 9:11 am
Good. An actual scientist who knows about energy himself instead of someone related to Big Oil.
Posted by: Grey Matter | December 11, 2008, 10:08 am 10:08 am
gosh, ya’ think it’s okay having someone who can probably pronounce nuclear being in energy?
Posted by: holdingmybreath | December 11, 2008, 11:47 am 11:47 am
This is exactly the type of guy we need — strongly focused on energy conservation — and exactly the reason that a majority of Americans chose Barack Hussein Obama to the the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. Finally, we have someone who knows something, instead of another Yesman like Bodman. (We just need to survive another 5 fives of Bush so they can actually take office.) Amazing what can happen when people don’t vote for a president because he’s as ignorant as they are…..
Posted by: whybeconservative? | December 11, 2008, 1:41 pm 1:41 pm
Kudos to Obama for appointing someone actually qualified to hold this very important cabinet post.
Posted by: Lori | December 11, 2008, 2:20 pm 2:20 pm
This wonderful choice of Chu as Secretary of the Department of Energy shows once again Obama makes his choice based on the highest qualifications. It is heartening that our governmental departments will be headed by extremely qualified individuals. This is a big change in the right direction.
Posted by: Lydia | December 11, 2008, 2:35 pm 2:35 pm
Dr. Chu is one of the best for dealing with energy problems. A brilliant choice indeed!
Posted by: leighg1 | December 11, 2008, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm
the second asian american on barracks cabinent.
Posted by: dave | December 11, 2008, 5:31 pm 5:31 pm
The Bush Administration knowingly misrepresented and suppressed science for 8 years: stem cell research, environmental protection, evolution, climate change. This welcome nomination of Steven Chu for Department of Energy indicates how Obama intends to break with Bush era pandering to religious zealots, self-serving lobbyists, and Big Oil.
Posted by: Idahogirl | December 11, 2008, 7:09 pm 7:09 pm
Pretty soon secretary elect Chu will face the task of verifying whether the current electric power generation by coal burning can be replaced by renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and bio-fuel in ten years as Al Gore hoped to mandate. The available results of solar power development in Germany shows that only half percent replacement of total power can be achieved.
Posted by: austin | December 11, 2008, 10:43 pm 10:43 pm
History doesn’t seem to be a subject of interest by Americans, so I thank you for pointing to these historical facts. Us old folks appreciate the information since we actually lived through this history.
Posted by: clancy49 | December 13, 2008, 2:48 pm 2:48 pm
Sarah Palin who has plenty of proven realistic experiences about energy plan is best for the position, Secretary of the Department of Energy. Obama should consider the difference between pundit of energy and manager of energy sources.
Posted by: Jung -NY | December 16, 2008, 1:07 pm 1:07 pm