In a July 9, 2010 photo, Sally Jewell, CEO of REI, leads a five-woman team up the Emmons Glacier and ultimately to the top of Mt. Rainier as the sun rises. (AP Photo/The News Tribune, Janet Jensen)

The emperor of the American outdoors usually wears a cowboy hat, for the lashing dust and searing sun in the domain of the Interior Department, one-fifth of the United States. James Watt, the most small-minded head of that agency in modern times, wore one. So did Ken Salazar, the outgoing secretary. Don’t expect to see Sally Jewell, who is President Obama’s nominee for Interior secretary, in a showy Stetson. Running shoes, yes. Climbing helmet, of course. Cycling tights, no doubt. If confirmed, Jewell would be one of the few directors of that vast department to actually share the passions of the majority of people who use the 500 million acres of public land under Interior’s control/Timothy Egan, New York Times. More here.

Question: What do you think of President Obama's nominee for Interior Secretary? Better than Kempthorne?