But, Dukakis says, Summers was never really “in anyone’s ideological groove.” He approaches every question analytically, irrespective of ideological bent. Cutler, an advisee and colleague of Summers, explains, “His conclusions would usually put him in the more moderate Democratic camp, but he could approach very complex problems from an analytic and substantive standpoint.”

“I was very influenced by Marty’s emphasis on using economic data to test theories that have direct policy implications,” Summers says, avoiding the question of politics altogether.

His emergence into the inherently political world of Washington was, then, somewhat of a surprise. “He never saw himself as a politician,” Neff says. “God, what a waste of a mind that would have been.”

And there have been initial skeptics at every stage, a function of the fact that, as many friends say, you have to see Larry to believe him. “In the administration, he was initially seen on the conservative side. Gore saw him first as not green enough,” Neff says.

But, administration colleagues say, over time Gore grew to trust and value Summers as a free and objective thinker. They say that had Gore been elected, Summers would have been offered the chance to continue as Secretary of the Treasury—and they say he would have accepted.

The modern university president is a peculiar animal. A tour of the Ivies uncovers two economists, two literature scholars, a classics professor, a medical doctor and a former Divinity School dean. Presidents are expected to be able fundraisers, visionary thinkers, human resource gurus and managerial wonks. Summers has the connections to breeze through the fundraising aspect—close friends include Rubin and regular tennis partner Alan Greenspan, and his network of contacts expands across the country and the world. Summers and friends say he has vision—as to what end he won’t tip his hand. But where the search committee’s case for Summers hangs in the balance is on Summers’ skills as a people picker, manager and leader.

When he left Cambridge, Summers hadn’t proved that he possessed any of these: he had never had the opportunity. Friends all phrase it the same way—“he didn’t suffer fools gladly.” He was as aggressive as he was brilliant. Those who didn’t know Summers well could easily mistake his desire to get to the bottom of an issue for arrogance.