Friday, September 03, 2010

First kiss-and-tell book from a member of the Obama team!

Oh my! Former 'car czar' Rattner rats on Obama in new book
Former Obama administration car czar Steven Rattner is coming out with a new book that depicts him swashbuckling through the financial crisis and shows U.S. President Barack Obama as "out to get" the car companies, FOXNews.com reported Thursday.

Rattner was President Barack Obama's point man during the bailout and takeover of GM and Chrysler. He has since been ensnared in a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation into his firm's efforts to leverage political influence and favors to win government investment deals.

But Rattner is working on his image. He signed up Obama golf partner and billionaire New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg as a client and now is launching his book "Overhaul" about his time in the administration.

The Huffington Post got a leaked copy, which contains information that could play into this year's elections -- especially since this is the first kiss-and-tell book from a member of the Obama team.

"[Obama's economic team] veered dangerously close to having the government take control of the two most troubled banks, Bank of America and Citigroup,” Rattner writes.

"If his team had linked arms with the outgoing administration, as President Bush's advisers had proposed, billions of dollars could well have been saved."

Rattner says Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel dictated Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner's schedule, public appearances and staff selections.

He also writes about infighting between Obama economic advisers Larry Summers and Austan Goolsbee and says Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Chair Sheila Bair was an obstacle to decision making.
To read more, go to FoxNews.com

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