Obama Needs Help Selling Economic Plans

His team lacks common touch

By Gabriel Winant, Newser User

Posted Mar 24, 2009 10:36 AM CDT

(Newser) – The White House economic team is great on policy, but when it comes to reassuring the public, President Obama is on his own, Peter Nicholas and Peter Wallsten write in the LA Times. "The ability to communicate with average people was not what these people were chosen for," Clinton's ex-budget director said. And that means it's up to Obama to sell the administration's complex economic plans.

But there's danger in that, Nicholas and Wallsten write. "You can't have the president talk about the economy all the time," the Clinton aide said. "He's got to talk about Afghanistan and other things. You can't overuse the president." And it looks like Obama might know that. On Sunday, a lower level adviser did the talk show thing while Larry Summers, Christina Romer, and Tim Geithner stayed in the background.

[Images (6)]

[Quotes (3)]

Economic adviser Christina Romer speaks on a morning news show from the White House on March 23, 2009, about President Barack Obama's economic plan. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

In this photo provided by CBS, White House National Economic Council Chairman Lawrence Summers talks after appearing on CBS's "Face the Nation" in Washington on Sunday, March 15, 2009. (AP Photo/CBS Face the Nation, Karin Cooper)

President Barack Obama gestures during a town hall meeting to discuss the economy on Feb. 10, 2009, at the Harborside Events Center in Fort Myers, Fla. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

President Barack Obama speaks to reporters in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on March 23, 2009. From left are Lawrence Summers, Christina Romer, Timothy Geithner and the president. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

President Barack Obama, accompanied by, from left, Economic Adviser Christina Romer, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, and Economic Adviser Lawrence Summers, remarks on AIG on March 18, 2009. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner makes remarks to small business owners, community lenders, and members of Congress on March 16, 2009. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Then they decided -- some smart person decided -- let's put a hedge fund on top of the insurance company. - President Obama, to Jay Leno

The nation cannot just abrogate contracts. - Larry Summers, on AIG bonuses

Well, of course the fundamentals are sound in the sense that the American workers are sound, we have a good capital stock, we have good technology. - Christina Romer

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Rove: Obama Has Picked a First-Rate Economic Team

Solid picks win rare praise from former Bush deputy

(NEWSER) - Karl Rove was pleasantly surprised by Barack Obama's choice of an economic team, the Republican analyst writes in the Wall Street Journal, singling out Tim Geithner and Larry Summers as solid picks. Geithner has played a key role in the current administration's handling of the financial crisis and will provide continuity, Rove observes, and Summers has a fine free-trade record. More»

Larry Summers Will Be Gone by Year's End

Adviser irked that Geithner, not he, has Obama's ear

(NEWSER) - Economics guru Larry Summers will be out the Obama administration by November’s election, or shortly thereafter, Joshua Green contends —mainly out of frustration that Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, and not he, has become President Obama’s go-to adviser in that area. Blogging for the Atlantic, Green notes that, after being passed over for the top spots at Treasury and the Federal Reserve, “Summers is frustrated by his role, and his colleagues are clearly frustrated with him.” More»

Two Voices, One Economic Plan

Geithner and Summers speak loudly, cohesively, driving Obama's agenda

(NEWSER) - Among the policymaking din at the White House, the voices of Larry Summers and Tim Geithner have emerged as the loudest—and generally in unison, the Washington Post reports. The duo first teamed up to battle financial crises in Asia and Mexico in the mid-‘90s at the Treasury Department; a friendship formed, complete with tennis camp vacations, and the pair have once again become a potent voice representing an administration and an agenda. More»

Vetting Process Leaves Agencies Understaffed

Stimulus increases workload, but senior posts vacant

(NEWSER) - President Obama’s nominee vetting process is making it hard for federal agencies to get to work on new projects, the Boston Globe reports. Of about 500 senior positions, only 70 have been filled. Normally that wouldn’t be a problem, but the passage of the stimulus package “may exacerbate the consequences of appointments taking awhile,” one expert said. More»

Geithner Delays Bank Bailout Until Tuesday

Treasury Department focuses on pushing stimulus through Congress

(NEWSER) - The Treasury Department will wait until Tuesday to unveil the next bank bailout while lawmakers and President Obama debate their multibillion-dollar stimulus plan, the New York Times reports. “With record high job losses, and weakening economic forecasts, we’re focused on working with Congress to pass an economic recovery bill,” the Department said in a statement. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Obama Needs Help Selling Economic Plans