Capital Commerce

Treasury Secretary Geithner: Further Thoughts

By James Pethokoukis

Posted: November 21, 2008

1) Comfort. Like Obama, Geithner is 47 (Obama is 14 days older), a fast riser and a technocrat.

2) Multipolar. If Larry Summers takes a White House post, you will have two bright academics (Summers, Bernanke) along with a bureaucrat running U.S. economic policy. It would be nice to have someone with business experience in the mix, yes?

3) Condi II. I wonder if Geithner will end up a mediator of sorts between competing economic centers of power such as Summers and Bernanke. Geithner strikes me as an executor of policy not a creator. And fiscal policy would seem to reside in the White House.

Jamie Dimon

You need to get Jamie Dimon on your team. The man is money smart like none I have seen. I should know I worked for Bank One and he turned that around and then we merged with Chase.and TRUST ME THE GUY KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

connie l rupp of AZ @ Nov 23, 2008 19:08:06 PM

Perfect Fit!!!

This guy is the financial equivalent of Obama's political side as Obama was the lone wolf voting against the war, this guy was the lone wolf warning about investing in debt by renaming them "securities". Our nation is in the position now because we ignored these canaries in the mine. My confidence in this new administration is growing daily with Geithner's nomination, Rubin as advisor, Volcker as advisor we only need budget stalwarts like Walker to complete this Christmas Present to the nation. What a pleasant change from 8 years of the insolent retailing of our national resources. Success is not guaranteed by any means as the tasks are daunting but I'd rather have a starting line-up of hitters instead of the Buds from Texas strike-out kings!!!

Ray Fisher of NM @ Nov 23, 2008 11:51:50 AM

It is said that Geithner understood and spoke against the unregulated risk of credit default swaps before most others anywhere in government. THIS may be why he is smart enough to be Treasury Secretary.

As for Jimmie's comments, snarky as usual.

Did you not yet "get it" that Sarah Palin lost the election with this speaking strategy?

of @ Nov 22, 2008 10:53:07 AM

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Capital Commerce

Capital Commerce

U.S. News business reporter Matthew Bandyk examines the issues, people, and debates that shape the nexus of political and economic life in the nation's capital.

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