The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Did Geithner Undermine Obama?

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If Ron Suskind has it right in his new book, President Obama's top advisers "systematically undermined" President Obama's authority, and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, in particular, ignored an order from Obama to consider restructuring Citigroup during the financial crisis.

If true, it wouldn't have been the last time that Geithner went around the law to exert power. But this is the first time it's been reported that Geithner infringed on the authority of the president, as opposed to the legislature or the courts.

When Gen. Stanley McChrystal made public comments that bordered on insubordination, Obama quickly made the right call and demanded his resignation. If Suskind's reporting on Geithner holds up, maybe it's time for Obama to end Geithner's already overlong tenure at Treasury.

View all comments (7) | Leave a comment

Pecos Pete| 9.16.11 @ 2:12PM

Can't fire Geithner yet, he is still distributing money to lots of insiders, both government and banker types.

CalMark| 9.16.11 @ 3:12PM

The McChrystal reference is completely out of line, and betrays the utter ignorance of military matters even in the conservative commentariat.

It is a military commander's duty to do what McChrystal did. Suffering the consequences is part of it, but commanders must do what they believe in: their oath is to the Constitution, not to El Presidente.

C Bowen| 9.16.11 @ 7:27PM

It's a duty for a military man to get on the cover of the Rolling Stone?

This place gets stranger and stranger.

PCC| 9.16.11 @ 3:48PM

The McChrystal reference is completely gratuitous and highly suspect.

Oldefarte| 9.17.11 @ 3:36PM

Geithner was right to ignore him, since he's an incompetitent president anyway and has about as much economic/financial knowledge as a box of nails. Too bad the whole country doesn't also ignore him by congress bringing impeachment charges, but no doubt the cries of RACISM would become deafening from same!!!!

Wayne| 9.17.11 @ 8:32PM

The more those around Obama ignore him, the better off we all are. Power is elusive, and depends on those with the guns to actually follow your orders.

PattyMor| 9.18.11 @ 3:17PM

Little Timmy refects Obama perfectly. He choose to not pay his full taxes, yet he's still the TMan.
Taxes for thee, but not for me is their motto. And all kinds of deals and goodies for insiders.