When Sam Bodman’s name appeared in the news as President Bush’s choice to lead the Department of Energy, the dominant reaction the press was to treat him as “unknown.” But he is a man of great accomplishment, as an engineer, a scholar, and businessman, and as a brilliant official in a sub-cabinet position. As it happens, I instantly recognized his name, because of the praise he had received from one of the intellectual giants of our age. Last May, I had the dazzling honor of interviewing the great economist, Hernando de Soto. He is my hero, so for me this...