Has Obama approached Krugman for explicit help?

[Mike 03]

I love Obama. I love Krugman.

Krugman hates Obama's plan. But after having read Krugman's books, I don't see that he has much to offer unless he is keeping some amazing, brilliant, Einsteinian secrets from the world. If he can fix things, I think he owes this country the courtesy of coughing up his brilliant suggestions.

And on the other side of this teeter-totter, has Obama extended an olive leaf to Paul Krugman?

Are they still bitter over their early disagreements during the primaries?

This is ridiculous.

Both of these men are brilliant. If they would meld their minds, I'm sure--based on Krugman's confidence--that we could have some sort of solution here.

Why is this brilliant genius--and I mean that from the pit of my soul--not providing more details about what Obama should fucking do to save the global economy?

He hints that he knows, but I have three copies of his new book and copies of his older books, and they are pretty useless when it comes to solving this problem. He predicted it, and he is selling tons of updated copies of his new book, but there are three pages of nothingness when it comes to the solution to the problem.

Come on, please, Mr. Krugman. I DO believe in you, but you are not helping worth a shit. It's easy to criticize and blow your hole like a whale and huff and puff, but where is the practical advice?

[KoKo]

1. Why should Obama listen to Krugman?

I don't get what you are asking. There's no reason for Obama to do that. He came in with a team from "CAP" and he had Campaign folks who had their own teams.

I don't see why Obama should listen to anyone but those who "brung him to the dance." :shrug:

[Possumpoint]

2. Let's Say

that those who brought him to the dance may be wrong. A leader must be wise enough to listen to a wide spectrum of opinion and then chose the wisest path he can. If he on the other hand uses the one opinion method, he can be headed 180 degrees the wrong direction. Seems to me that's what GWB was doing.

[Oregone]

3. "There's no reason for Obama to do that"

Krugman being insightful and knowledgeable isn't enough reason to listen to him?

Krugman didn't bring him to the dance? Have you listened to a damn word Obama has said? He wants to surround himself with smart people who disagree with him, not ass buddy prom dates who coddled him on the way to the dance.

So just because someone like Geithner is "loyal" to the "team", you think Obama should be infinitely more attentive to his shit ideas? This is a recipe for group think and a recipe for fucking disaster.

[JVS]

7. This whole cabinet of rivals thing is stupid.

If Obama and Geithner come to an understanding, then they are no longer rivals. In that case Krugman has become the rival. I'm just waiting for some idiot to post something like "Obama picked Geithner because he wanted somebody with an opposing viewpoint, so Krugman should STFU because he disagrees with Obama and is wrong"

[KoKo]

11. That "Cabinet of Rivals Thingy" doesn't seem to be working...What about Volker?

Much "Fan Fare" and yet he's been growling about not being consulted after being Paraded Up there for Obama Presser. :shrug:

[rucky]

15. Wasn't that one of our chief complaints about Bush? n/t

[Metta]

4. His handlers have tiny balls and are afraid of Krugman.

Summers, Geithner, Bernake, Greenspan et.al. have put the hard squeeze on their turf.

[JVS]

5. For some strange reason Obama prefers to listen to a fucked up Randroid like Greenspan and ...

a few other free market fundies.

[Thickasabrick]

6. I think it comes down to Obama's handlers. Interesting story in

Newsweek about how Krugman told Clinton what he didn't want to hear and was from then on snubbed by the Clintons. I don't think the President's handlers like Krugman and he is following their advice for now.

I agree, both are brilliant. He should really act like Lincoln and incorporate Krugman into the solution.

[Metta]

10. Yes, Obama has a bad habit in not bringing dissenting and caring voices close.

Like Krugman and uh, Howard Dean. He prefers to "keep the peace" which only keeps the conflict in place slightly under the surface.

[KoKo]

12. There's just "something" about "Bill." He was getting lots of press time

just after Obama was inaugurated...and NOW he's gone silent.

I was the biggest hawker of Clinton and defender of his against the "Starr Commission" ...but in the past few years I've come to believe he was almost as bad as Reagan.

Believe me ...it's hard to say this...given I lost family and friends over my support for Clintons...including sending copies of Conason and Lyon's Book: "Hunting of President" to all of them when it came out.

Now I'm thinking I was very wrong and that the Clintons were so bad for Democrats that "propping Bill up" is almost as bad as Reagonomica getting the "Halo Effect" from the Right Wing!

Sad...

[Thickasabrick]

8. I also think we are making too much of this. Do you remember a

front page edition of a magazine when a republican disagreed with Bush? I never did. This is being blown up way too much.

[AnnieBW]

9. I remember that Krugman was approached to join the administration

and turned it down. He should have taken them up on the offer. He'd do a hell of a lot better than Larry Summers has!

[AZBlue]

13. Which administration? I didn't hear about Obama considering him but Clinton did and passed.

And that put his panties in a bunch ever since, so to speak.

[KoKo]

14. Unless you have a link...I would think this is just "heresay" to make a point?

:shrug: I have read all Krugman's columns and maybe I got distracted on a paragraph where he claims he turned down an approach by the Obama Administration...but I never saw it.

If anyone has a link it would be well worth posting for us trying to resolve where the Krugman dissing of Obama is coming from.

Thanks.

[AZBlue]

16. His area of expertise is international trade - if we get into a problem there, I bet Obama will ask

In areas of a domestic economic crisis, Krugman's not the guy I'd go to either.