Last night, the White House leaked the news that economic adviser Austan Goolsbee will succeed Christina Romer as chair of the Council of Economic Advisers. In an administration whose economic policy is so dominated by Larry Summers, Goolsbee’s most important role will likely be to present — and perhaps spin — those policies to the public. Goolsbee has a wry sense of humor in public and a taste for the jugular, which sets him apart from Romer, who had a light touch and delivered even the worst news with a chirpy smile.
Goolsbee previously served as Staff Director and Chief Economist of the President’s Recovery Advisory Board. He’s advocated for letting the Bush tax cuts for the rich expire, and, as a close ally of Paul Volcker, for tougher regulations on financial institutions.
In an interview in 2009, Goolsbee cited two things he would have changed about the stimulus bill. First, he would have liked to see smoother implementation, and second he would have liked the legislation to include more state fiscal relief.
An added bonus for the administration: Because of his current position, Goolsbee is already Senate-confirmed. He won’t face any GOP obstruction or be used as a tool to delay other initiatives between now and November.
You can view TPM’s Goolsbee highlight reel below.
