Not so surprisingly, there are more ties to the Clinton administration. Yes, the times have changed yet Obama continues to make every effort to stay inside the lines and rebuild the Clinton team. Also to the surprise of no one, the names floated have deep links to Wall Street and corporate America. Anyone who thought we might be able to move beyond the corporatist Democratic party, they will be severely disappointed. The other unfortunate news is that this may mean an even stronger Tim Geithner.
—Possible successors include Laura Tyson, a former top economic adviser in the Clinton administration, and Vice President Joe Biden's chief economist Jared Bernstein. If Obama looks to the business community, one possibility could be Richard Parsons, chairman of Citigroup, who is close to presidential adviser and confidant Valerie Jarrett.The issue has not been about delivery of the message, but the content and the actions. Staying the course with superficial tweaks and claiming it's the biggest change in modern history is not what those seeking change were promised. Mocking those who expected delivery on "change" also doesn't help.
—Replacing Summers, an academic, with a well-known corporate executive could help defuse the persistent notion that Obama is hostile to business. His administration has also been criticized because none of his closest advisers have a practical management background at that level.
—Summers, known for his abrasive style, has not been the best communicator of the administration's economic policies. His departure would allow Obama to bring in a new public face for his economic agenda.
