Tim Geithner's early struggles to gain the confidence of the markets and the public have led to a stronger-than-usual White House presence at the Treasury Department, where "Rahm wants it" is a frequent refrain, reports the Wall Street Journal. Although it's a dramatic shift from the Hank Paulson regime, and inevitable points of friction exist, the system seems to be working.
Geithner seems to like the strategy, saying, “The president's capacity to lay out for the nation and the world a path through this crisis is as essential as everything we're going to do.” White House adviser David Axelrod says the severity of the economic crisis dictates the new approach. "The White House is going to play a major role," he said. "It's an all-hands-on-deck situation."
(More Timothy Geithner stories.)