The Volker Gambit

Obama's plan for getting us out of this mess involves putting Paul Volker in charge of the Presidential Economic Committee On Getting Us Out Of This Mess.

President-elect Barack Obama Wednesday named former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker, 81, to lead a new economic recovery board.

"Paul has been by my side throughout this campaign, providing a deep understanding of financial markets, extensive experience managing economic crises, and keen insight into the global nature of this particular crisis," Obama told reporters, calling Volcker "one of the one of the world's foremost economic policy experts."

Obama said a key purpose of the board would be to provide a perspective from outside the walls of the Washington "echo chamber," which he said "can sometimes keep out fresh voices and new ways of thinking."

The announcement came during the president-elect's third news conference in three days on the economic situation.

Austan Goolsbee, a University of Chicago economist who has been one of Obama's top economic advisors, will serve as Staff Director and Chief Economist of the board.

Obama said he would name other members of the board "in the coming weeks." He is due to take office on January 20, 2009.

The board will brief Obama, offering independent, nonpartisan information, analysis and advice to the president as he formulates and implements his plans for economic recovery, Obama's transition office said.

It will be established initially for a two-year term, after which Obama will determine whether to continue its existence based on its continued necessity.

I suppose that qualifies as a ray of hope on the economy.

Maybe.