Tim Geithner's VOGUE Interview: Geithner Was Asked To Run Citi

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Tim Geithner's VOGUE Interview: Geithner Was Asked To Run Citi

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/22/tim-geithners-vogue-inter_n_471196.html

During the financial crisis, as the public called for limits on the $168 million in bonuses to be paid out to AIG employees, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner had one stark response, The Wall Street Journal reports this morning. "This is not Bolivia," Geithner said.

Two new profiles of Geithner provide revealing glimpses into one of the Obama administration's most polarizing figures, and may lend ammunition to Geithner's critics, who argue that he's been far too sympathetic to bailed out institutions. Geithner, the two pieces suggest, is still quite anxious to reassure the public that he's more of a public servant than an entrenched ally to the banking sector.

The WSJ's piece emphasizes that Geithner sees himself as a "behind-the-scenes diplomat rather than a politician," who has resisted taking actions in response to public pressure if he feels those actions won't help the economy overall. He has resisted calls for a global tax on bank trading transactions and has allowed bailed out banks to quickly repay government funds, rather than remain under the government's direct purview.

Despite the criticism, the WSJ reports that Geithner is not going anywhere -- in fact, he's viewed as a standout:

In interviews, top White House officials--including Rahm Emanuel, the president's chief of staff, and senior political adviser David Axelrod--said Mr. Geithner's job is secure. "The president's view is that Tim is one of the stars," Mr. Emanuel said. "Tim was an essential and a key player in developing a strategy that helped restore confidence and turn the whole country around."

The WSJ also passes along this scoop: last Fall, Geithner resisted calls to oust embattled Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit. (Geithner argued that he was not at Citi when the biggest problems formed.) And in a new profile in Vogue, Geithner is reported to have been offered a job as the CEO of Citigroup (He was "sorely tempted" by the offer, Vogue writes.)

[marmar]

1. I wish he had gone to Citi.....perhaps that vile institution would be out of business by now. .....

..... under Timmy's adroit leadership. :rofl:

[Donnachaidh]

2. what a marvelous positive PR piece this is!

:rofl:

[Enrique]

3. the Bolivia comment needs to be explained

what exactly does he have against Bolivia?

[katandmoon]

4. If Obama think THIS is "one of the stars" that explains a lot