Sandusky, who was an assistant coach to Paterno co-ordinating the team's defence, spoke with filmmaker John Ziegler, in interviews partly aired on NBC's Today programme on Monday.
He will head a team of monitors co-ordinating implementation of the so-called "road-map" to peace, after an experience as assistant secretary of state for non-proliferation in the State Department.
The president has also filled several vacancies in his economic team, most notably by appointing Gene Sperling as head of the National Economic Council, a co-ordinating body for policy.