Spook turned VC

R. James Woolsey, former Rhodes scholar and Yale Law graduate, is best known as CIA director under President Bill Clinton. He also served in a series of defense-related government positions during the Bush, Reagan and Carter administration.

Today, Woolsey is a venture partner and “senior advisor” for the CleanTech investment group at Vantage Point Venture Partners, near SFO in San Mateo County.

Sunday, the Merc published an interview with Woolsey, focusing on his perceptions of the need for CleanTech investing, both from the standpoint of carbon emissions and also oil imports. He mentions how he introduced Tesla to the VPVP senior partner which led to their investment and Woolsey’s halftime role at VPVP.

Woolsey has recently left his Maryland farm for a year to hang around in the Bay Area, both for VPVP and as a Hoover Fellow. On the off chance that John McCain wins on Nov. 4, Woolsey could be called back to Washington, but right now it seems like the Woolseys can feel confident that they will finish their one-year lease here in the Bay Area.