If you would have told me in August that Barack Obama’s favorite pasttime was punching babies in the face, but he would appoint Steven Chu as Secretary of Energy, I would have asked where the nearest baby was. If you would have told me that John McCain would appoint Steven Chu as Secretary of Energy, I would have voted republican, enjoyed it, and maybe punched a baby in the face to celebrate.

Why is Steven Chu a great appointment?
a) He’s a scientist.
b) He’s a great scientist.
c) He’s a great communicator.
d) He believes that energy underpins nearly every problem or potential problem in the world.

While there have been a couple of engineers in 11 previous people to hold the office, it’s rather rare for a scientist to be selected, and it seems clear that Chu is by far the most qualified person to ever hold this position.