Economists Rate Obama, Geithner: 'F'

Barack Obama retains high approval ratings with the public, but a panel of economists had a far more negative view, reports the Wall Street Journal. A majority of 49 economists polled said they were dissatisfied with the president's economic policies. Asked to score his tenure out of 100, economists gave him an average score of 59—an "F," the Journal helpfully notes.

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner averaged only 51 out of 100, while the Fed's Ben Bernanke scored a passing grade—71. The economists' principal criticism was the delayed rescue package for the financial sector; since Geithner's notoriously vague announcement of the administration's banking plans, the Dow is down 20%. But Washington was not singled out; 7 out of 10 economists said Europe and Japan have also failed to respond adequately to the crisis.
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