Lockhart No Longer Interested in OFHEO

Marketwatch.com reports that James Lockhart, Deputy Commissioner of Social Security, the number two position at Social Security, is no longer interested in taking a job as director of the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight which oversees Fannie Mae and Fredde Mac, the federal housing corporations. Earlier reports had Lockhart interested in the position. With the term of Jo Anne Barnhart as Commissioner of Social Security ending in January 2007, this leaves open the possibility of Lockhart taking over from Barnhart. Lockhart is an old college buddy of President Bush and an ardent supporter of Bush's plans to partially privatize Social Security, while Barnhart, apart from one op ed piece in the New York Times in support of the plan, remained silent.