Will Obama replace Summers with a CEO?

[kentuck]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rj-eskow/after-summers-which-path_b_734198.html

<snip>
Now that Larry Summers is leaving, the President has a decision to make. His choice of a replacement will send a signal about the next two years of economic policy. That signal can restore consumer confidence and reinvigorate the electorate, or it can lead to even more discouragement and despair. Today unnamed Administration officials floated the idea of naming a corporate executive to the position. That's a trial balloon that should be punctured immediately.

The thirty-year-old law school graduate who asked the President yesterday, "Is the American dream over for me?" might interpret a choice like that as a 'yes' -- unless he also happens to be a Fortune 500 CEO.

<snip>
And that's not even considering the political ramifications. With poverty on the rise, record joblessness, the employed middle class struggling to make ends meet, and staggering numbers of mortgages underwater, delinquent, or foreclosed, the selection of a wealthy CEO would probably set off a political firestorm. One CEO mentioned in press reports was Richard Parsons, former head of Time Warner AOL and current head of Citigroup. Parsons is a very sharp guy, but does the Administration really think it can fix its public perception problems by naming the head of Citigroup as his senior economic advisor?

....more

[blindpig]

1. I'd expect so.

It would be totally consistant.

[OHdem10]

4. Chuck Todd: It is too complicated to appoint a CEO. May sound

good and would appeal to certain groups while turning
others away from the Party.

[joeybee12]

2. FOX News this morning was pushing for a CEO...he might take Parsons, one of the worst

of the bunch.

[TBF]

3. NYT had an article this morning about the possiblity of Rahm leaving

as well - and Obama's opportunity to sort of "turn the page" and start anew with advisors. The choices will be telling.

[old mark]

5. Probably no Democrats, though - don't want to offend the GOP and end this fine

bipartisanship era...


mark

[hatrack]

6. Hell, why not Henry Paulson?

He did such a great job during his last flounder through the private sector.

:puke:

[kentuck]

7. I think Laura Tyson is being mentioned...

from the Clinton economic team.

[shireen]

8. bring back Robert Reich

he gets it.

[Romulox]

9. Summers was a heel, in wrestling terms. Somebody to focus our anger on.

My guess is that we'll another one of those sorts. A real lightning rod type. Policy will not change.