Fresh off a very enjoyable launch party for his new NetNet blog on CNBC’s Web site–where, incidentally, Felix Salmon could be seen chatting happily with Herb Greenberg, the hedge fund manager Jim Chanos brought a statuesque blonde companion, and Joe Weisenthal was the only one wearing sneakers–John Carney has one of the most interesting items of the day.
His post “Geithner Is Toast After Midterm Elections,” was published early this afternoon. Considering this week’s news of Larry Summers’ and Herb Allison’s departures, not to mention Obama’s line on Monday about Mr. Geithner’s “whole range of decisions about family that’ll factor in,” a reader could be forgiven for thinking this was a scoop about the end of the Treasury Secretary’s tenure.
Instead, the item was just a little think piece that offered the idea that if the Democrats lose either the Senate or the House, then President Obama’s economic policies will be blamed, and then “Geithner will be the official fall guy.”
At The Weekly Standard, Bill Kristol posted a similar idea, only he used a metaphor about rodents. “On the one hand, Republicans will chortle that the rats are fleeing a sinking ship,” he offered. “They may be right. Or have the rats been shoved overboard? Could this mean that Obama is ruthless enough to act, after Nov. 2, to change staff, change course, and try to save his presidency?”