Summers On Falling Sleeping: It Was My American Dream

Caught sleeping at a meeting with credit card industry executives last week, Larry Summers defended his White House nap on Sunday, saying that, with a topic "boring enough to put you to sleep," he was just trying to achieve his own American Dream.

From the closing moments of the chief Obama economic adviser's interview on Fox News Sunday:

WALLACE: We have less than a minute left and I do want to ask you one more question and I suspect you figured this one was coming. You were spotted at that meeting with credit card executives, it sure looked like you were falling asleep. Question: Do you find President Obama's speeches less than compelling, sir?

SUMMERS: Chris, you know, it's kind of like I was thinking about the fine print on some of those credit card disclosures which is written boring enough to put you to sleep. And President Obama wants us all to fulfill our American dreams. And I guess I was starting that day.

WALLACE: You've been a serial dozer because you were spotted at an earlier meeting. are you not getting enough sleep, sir?

SUMMERS: We're all working very hard in this administration, Chris, because we think that we want to support the president in what is a tremendous responsibility that he has to get this economy growing again and to again establish a period when family incomes are rising.

WALLACE: Did the president rib you?

SUMMERS: Oh, we've all joked about American dreams in various ways.

On a more serious and pertinent note, Summers cheered legislation that would provide "relief" and protection to credit card users, though he didn't directly say whether the White House would support an immediate freeze on retroactive interest rates.

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Comments

[Bulbul]

...this is non news, he was tired, it happens to the best of us.....

[Montgriz]

no...it does not, not when we are supposedly in the greatest economic meltdown since 1929...acc­ording to the politician­s.....sort­a like the WMDs in Iraq.....

[lochnessmonster]

If anything, the fine print is written in circular speak.

[northstar11]

just like he slept through his economics classes without thinking of the consequences.

[Okieborn]

Your Fired Mr. Summers !!!

[NYCPub]

Reminds me of someone else with a penchant for smart-ass deflection: Donald Rumsfeld.

[dagdavid]

Summers is a wall street pawn and a complete tool

[RoveRoveRoveYourBoat]

...having helped gang rape this country
or most of the last 20-years the filthy
little weasle is tired.

[white mende man]

surprised that post went thru... huffo catching up on some zee's too lol

[OMG1109]

I wonder if Wallace ever sort of "fell asleep”? BUSH fell asleep for 8 full years while Cheney ran the country into the ground..., why did Wallace not report on that!!

[Montgriz]

Uh, because they are no longer in power? Ya think?

[Yasmine]

I THINK BETTER WHEN MY EYES ARE CLOSED
I LISTEN BETTER TOO with my eyes closed.
SO, Summers may be like me.
but he looks really tired.....­..........­....and I would be too at these tedious meetings when a lot of repitions are spoken.

[plzchuteme]

Mr. Summers! It's that "fine print," in the credit card disclosures that should be the number one topic of conversation at this meeting. They illuminate the changing rules that are at the heart of this great "rip off," of the American consumer. I am convinced that if all Americans had no more than one credit card that they used no more than once per month, and they paid their balance 5 days before the bill was due, that the credit card companies would be sending around thugs to kidnap our children for ransom. It would be okay, though, because they disclosed that plan in their finely printed disclosure of terms, which we tacitly approved of because we didn't file a restraining order within 3 days of receipt. Wake up Mr. Summers. You snooze...y­ou lose! That would make you a what?

[ssgman]

No kidding! The "fine print" that let's then change rates for no reason whatsoever, or add fees whenever they feel like making more money. The CCard companies are the worst of the worst.

[breakingpoint]

Caption - FAIL!

[verycold]

There might be plenty of excuses for why he is falling asleep, but frankly joking about his lack of attention on this very boring matter is yet another slap in the face.

Do you think if Bush had selected him that the media would just let the "sleeper" joke about finding the material boring? So Summers get yet another pass. Then thing is the media is not doing any of us any favors by making light of the fact that this guy consistently is less than impressive. Working hard? Lack of staff? Yes, all probably true, but then hire more staff, and keep a schedule that allows rest as well. If he can't keep up, find somebody else. I know I couldn't keep up.

[PDXTransplant]

Bush our ex-President was asleep at the wheel for 8 years....w­here were you tro||s then?

[electricflag]

All together now: Bush, Bush, Bush. Welcome to 2009.

[Montgriz]

many of us were working to get Obama elected because we believed change would be necessary.­..now we see we only get the same tired politicians held over from Clinton, and Bush....

[fcsakes]

I suspect none of these people are getting much sleep - why make a big deal out of it, they're human, their bodies require rest, just like we all do.

[sheridare]

This guy comes off as pretty smug for a guy who has always (until now?) favored deregulation. Summers does not seem like the right guy for the job.