ADVICE

Let Larry Summers Be Larry Summers

The New Republic says White House should set him loose.

"What if we in the press have gotten it wrong?" That's the premise of Noam Scheiber's lengthy profile of White House economic adviser Larry Summers, long criticized for his irrepressible bluntness. Scheiber argues that the criticism only worked to box in Summers, who has since softened his tone. He asks, "If the Obama administration fails to revive the economy, will it be because Summers is too influential over economic policy, or not influential enough?" It would be more logical, Scheiber writes, if the Obama administration would just allow Summers to exercise his acute "political touch" as the "single virtuoso performer" for economic matters. And for good reason: Summers and David Axelrod are "mutual fans" and he "remains close" with Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner.