Leach: Oh, the humanities! (ap photo)
President Obama continued filling his jobs program for Republicans on Tuesday, announcing plans to nominate former Iowa Republican Rep. Jim Leach as chairman for the National Endowment for the Humanities.
“I am confident that with Jim as its head, the National Endowment for the Humanities will continue on its vital mission of supporting the humanities and giving the American public access to the rich resources of our culture,” Obama said. “Jim is a valued and dedicated public servant and I look forward to working with him in the months and years ahead.”
Leach endorsed Obama for president last year, and later addressed delegates at the Democratic National Convention. Lately he’s taught at Princeton and was interim director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard’s Kennedy School.
If confirmed, Leach will join other Republicans already serving in the Obama administration: Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Army Secretary nominee John McHugh, and Jon Huntsman, ambassador to China.
The NEH was created by Congress in 1965 to provide grants in the areas of archaeology, language, linguistics, history, philosophy, ethics, comparative religion, literature and more. And no, they were not the ones who funded the Mapplethorpe exhibit. That was the National Endowment for the Arts.
