Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Deer In The Headlights?
OK, I'll cop to it: I am very uneasy with Timothy Geithner as Treasury Secretary. Every time I see a picture of him I think, "what is his problem?" And I don't mean tax cheating.
He always looks either guilty or scared shitless. Every time. He never shows any sense of "I'm here in my body, and I like myself". He's almost like the Obama's opposite; whereas the President was elected largely I think for his calm temperament -- he doesn't have that much of a record on which to run -- Geithner seems always to be ready to jump out of his skin. Or in the process of jumping right now!!!
Is writing about this unfair? Probably so; I know nothing about him other than what I read and see. But I just cannot visualize him filling J.P. Morgan's size 12's. He seems more like indecisive Henry Paulsen.
Everyone is very complementary of Secretary Geithner's intellect and far be it from me to say he should not be involved in the rescue planning. If everyone from both the right and left is impressed with his skills, he must certainly have them in abundance. But it doesn't mean he should lead the effort. A volatile personality may be just fine in a technocrat -- I'm sure my I/T managers would say I've got one -- but it is not appropriate for a person responsible for making the final decision on so important a task as is before the Treasury now.
Would the Senate have bounced Tom Daschle had he not withdrawn? Of course we cannot know. But I sure wish it had bounced Tim Geithner.
He always looks either guilty or scared shitless. Every time. He never shows any sense of "I'm here in my body, and I like myself". He's almost like the Obama's opposite; whereas the President was elected largely I think for his calm temperament -- he doesn't have that much of a record on which to run -- Geithner seems always to be ready to jump out of his skin. Or in the process of jumping right now!!!
Is writing about this unfair? Probably so; I know nothing about him other than what I read and see. But I just cannot visualize him filling J.P. Morgan's size 12's. He seems more like indecisive Henry Paulsen.
Everyone is very complementary of Secretary Geithner's intellect and far be it from me to say he should not be involved in the rescue planning. If everyone from both the right and left is impressed with his skills, he must certainly have them in abundance. But it doesn't mean he should lead the effort. A volatile personality may be just fine in a technocrat -- I'm sure my I/T managers would say I've got one -- but it is not appropriate for a person responsible for making the final decision on so important a task as is before the Treasury now.
Would the Senate have bounced Tom Daschle had he not withdrawn? Of course we cannot know. But I sure wish it had bounced Tim Geithner.
# posted by Anandakos @ 9:38 AM 
