Obama Dubs Economic Team 'Propeller-Heads,' Summers 'Professor'
It's hard to envision a president more sharply divergent from his predecessor than Barack Obama is from George W. Bush. But Obama seems to share at least one personality trait with Bush -- the propensity to bestow nicknames on his advisers.
In its profile today of White House economic counselor Larry Summers, the New York Times notes that Obama jokingly refers to the former Harvard University president as "Professor" and occasionally addresses his economic aides as "propeller-heads" (likely not a reference to the British pop-music act).
And Obama's team has embraced the nickname, according to the Times, with budget director Peter Orszag distributing "propeller-head hats" during a recent fiscal policy meeting. Aside from that piece of color, the profile is notable for the contentious questions it did not tackle: Summers was not asked about his reported shouting match with a senior House Democrat over infrastructure funding, nor about his efforts to remove stringent executive pay limits from the stimulus bill.
Josh
Elana
Matt
Eric
I don't care if these guys call each other cutie pie as long as they can figure out how to slow down this economic tsunami that is happening.
February 17, 2009 10:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
"...as long as they can figure out how to slow down this economic tsunami that is happening."
Uh...I thought they figured it all out last week, we're just waiting for Obama to sign the thing (Lord knows why he let another 66,667 jobs disappear while he took a long weekend in Chicago...).
February 17, 2009 10:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
You thought wrong.
That package was only a stimulus and relief package to fill the 2 trillion dollar hole this economy is about ready to experience this year. We've still got a banking and housing crisis that is only getting worse.
Now, I realize it's hard to see the real world with your head up Glen Beck's rectum but maybe you should come out and have a look around. The economic downturn is still accelerating.
February 17, 2009 11:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hilarious.
February 17, 2009 11:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's Rush...not Beck...
February 17, 2009 11:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
same thing now that rush has eaten beck. he should go back to the drugs; at least they curbed his appetite a little.
February 17, 2009 11:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
He's been waiting since day one for the Congress to get the bill to him. It's not his fault the repugs have taken their time trying everything dumb political trick they could think of to jam up the process until 2010.
February 17, 2009 11:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's been sitting there waiting to be signed since Thursday...don't think Republicans have been hiding his pens or blocking the door to his office...he's the one who said "...delay and paralysis in Washington, in the face of this crisis, will only bring deepening disaster."
...well, not really a "disaster" at least not a deep enough disaster that I should alter my Valentine's/President's Day plans...
February 17, 2009 11:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's been sitting there waiting to be signed since Thursday...
What were you saying?
February 17, 2009 12:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lord. I just walked by a TV in my buildings cafeteria and some Fox News anchor was asking why Obama waited to sign this until today and on another blog the local village idiot was complaining of the same thing.
Is there some sort signal conservative brains tune into causing them all to think the same that liberals and many Democrats in general avoid?
Oh that's right. It's called amplitude modulation.
February 17, 2009 12:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's the tweets on twitter, Mike.
February 17, 2009 4:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Consersatives keep saying the bill won't work so why are you/they asking why Obama's taking so long to sign it? If the bill is such a disaster what's the hurry?
February 17, 2009 1:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think we called them "beanie copters."
February 17, 2009 10:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah.
I was trying to get the concept...so is it like...let's put on our thinking caps and whip around these ideas til they are good enough to lift off?
February 17, 2009 11:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
It'd really be funny if he referred to repugs as prop wash
February 17, 2009 11:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
Cannot get rid of Summers fast enough - he's running the rescue into the ground.
Somebody blow this repug mole quick and put it on YouTube immediately.
February 17, 2009 11:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
i expect to hear andy card cite this as further evidence of him disrespecting the presidency in 3...2...
February 17, 2009 11:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nothing like Glen Beck and rectum in the same sentence to make us laugh. Although taint comes to mind more with Glen Beck... at least the rectum has a functional purpose.
February 17, 2009 11:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sure, Bush handed out nicknames, too, but let's not a critical difference: Obama WAS a professor and IS a propeller-head. So he's making fun of himself here. Bush's nicknames usually had a slight tinge of condescension and/or defensiveness.
February 17, 2009 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bush's nicknames usually had a slight tinge of condescension and/or defensiveness.
Yes, but reporters ate it up, anyway. Which says more about reporters (David Gregory? I'm talking about you) than it does Bush.
February 17, 2009 12:23 PM | Reply | Permalink