Reply #5: Actually it's a very strong attribution. (The vaguer the higher) [View All]

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

A legit news operation is making a statement in reporting something at all. So when the stated sourcing is a complete joke but they play it up anyway they are saying, "Our source is unimpeachable, but very, very background."

Granted, the Weekly World News (or Washington Times) could quote me as a Democratic source, but in the journalism semaphore I take it as being from someone very high with Obama, or from Summers himself.

Either way, it's annoying. It supports Summers' public esteem (mostly it bats down the idea that Summers was bypassed as Sec Treas for PC reasons) but steps on the good market feeling from the Geitner pick.

It strikes me as a petulant ass-covering sort of thing to say to the press.