AP Puff Piece Describes Smithsonian Chief's Plan to Bring 'Major Voice' to Global Warming, Immigration

Is the Smithsonian Institution going to take its prestigious brand and bring it to bear on hot political topics? A positive Associated Press profile of Smithsonian chief Wayne Clough (pronounced kluff) by reporter Brett Zongker announced "Clough wants to combine the Smithsonian's resources to become a major voice on the toughest issues of the day. Among his key priorities: climate change, education and immigration."

Clough is apparently using the political issues in his fundraising pitch, as Zongker explained: "Clough has quietly begun work on the Smithsonian's first major capital campaign with the goal of raising well over $1 billion. ``We need more big ideas,'' he said. "I've talked to donors who say 'Hey, I'm really interested in the fact that you have resources to be an honest broker in the climate change debate ... and I would be willing to put up significant money to do that.'''

The AP story mentioned that Clough lined up an large philanthropic gift to bolster and centralize "educational offerings" to the nation’s schools:!--break-->

To bolster the Smithsonian's educational offerings, Clough recently secured a $1.3 million gift to hire an education director and create the institution's first central office focused on K-12 learning. (Previously, 32 different units carried out their own educational programs.)

Zongker also explained that Clough is a hero to liberal New York Times columnist and author Thomas Friedman, who found his educational philosophy at Georgia Tech to be so inspirational he even saw the genius of Clough in China’s educational mandarins. (Page 367.) Here’s AP:

Clough has a track record for transforming institutions, a distinction that earned a chapter in Thomas L. Friedman's best-selling book The World is Flat. Friedman described how Clough's philosophy of attracting science students with artistic and creative interest raised Georgia Tech's graduation rate and encouraged more creativity in engineering. Clough's work over 14 years raised the school's academic profile.

If Clough puts the Smithsonian on an a course of advocacy, it might explain why he declared at his appointment in March 2008 (according to The Washington Post):

"I know the Smithsonian, for many people in their minds, is about the past," Clough said yesterday at a news conference. "But it is not. It is about America's future."