Governor Spellings?

Are Education Secretary Margaret Spellings’ ambitions larger than being president of the University of Texas? Say Governor of the Lone Star State?

That is the self-reinforcing rumor being promoted by these two sites: Eduwonk and US News’ “Washington Whispers.” (Note that Eduwonk refers and links to the Whispers’ reporting on Spellings’ possible gubernatorial run, while the Whispers column refers/links to the Eduwonk piece referring to them. So circular. So self-referential. So synergistic!).

Though the Labor Day deadline White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten had set for administration officials not staying through January 20, 2009 to leave, rumors continue to swirl around the Education Secretary’s future. Our own take is that rumors of Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison running for governor are much more realistic than Secretary Spellings, if for no other reason than the senator is a proven fundraiser and the Secretary for all of her public policy credentials is an unknown campaign rainmaker (though we do believe that with the help of President George Bush’s prodigious fundraisers he would not lack for funds should she make the race.)