So much for Ray Mabus or Ronnie Musgrove. Arne Duncan is the President-elect’s pick for Secretary of Education. The choice makes sense, as Obama and Duncan were friends in Chicago. Duncan also played pro basketball in Australia for a bit, so he’ll fit in well on Obama’s “team of ballers.”
Politically, Duncan is a savvy pick. He’s on good terms with the teachers’ unions, but he’s also a fan of charter schools and merit pay. Obama played to both the unions and the reform camp during the campaign, and this choice should at least defer a showdown between the two.
