 He was introduced by Senator Tom Harkin, a fellow Iowan.On November 14 and 15, 2008, Leach and former Clinton Secretary of State Madeleine Albright served as emissaries for President-elect Obama at the international economic summit being held in Washington, D.C.
President Obama announced his nomination of Leach to be the ninth Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities in June 2009.The appointment was confirmed in August 2009.