Bob Morse is a wonk, a number-cruncher who works in a messy office at a struggling publishing company in Georgetown. He’s also one of the most powerful wonks in the country, wielding the kind of power that elicits enmity and causes angst, reports the Washington Post. Morse runs U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Colleges [1]guide [1], the oldest and best-known publication to rank America’s premier colleges. The annual release of the rankings, set for Sept. 13 this year, is a marquee event in higher education. Some call it the academic equivalent of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue…