A Subdued Summers
Larry Summers sounds awfully taciturn
in this interview with the Crimson....
He does state that "a lot of people have called with various ideas" of what he might do next, though he declined to specify what those ideas might be.
My guess: Summers will get back into the field of international economic policy in some way, getting involved in the Council on Foreign Relations, doing the rubber-chicken circuit, perhaps doing some consulting. Ultimately, one would think he'd head to Wall Street in some way—although as a friend who works on Wall Street said to me, a lot of those banks don't want the kind of press that Larry Summers seems to bring with him, like
Pigpen and his cloud of dust. But perhaps a hedge fund?
Summers certainly has an outstanding economic mind, and it would be nice to see him cut loose on Bush administration economics. The risk for him, of course, would be that he'd alienate his remaining supporters, most of whom are conservative. But the man has always been an economist, and he must be appalled by what is coming out of Washington these days. (Imagine a Treasury secretary so disempowered that no one wants the job.) Summers could be of real value to the country by espousing some clear-headed economic wisdom.
If you folks have any better ideas for Mr. Summers' future employment, do feel free to post them....
Pigpen: Apparently a lot like Charlie Brown.
