Geithner Proposed Hillary Clinton for Treasury Secretary; White House Scuttled Idea
In the spring of 2011, Timothy Geithner wanted to leave his job. The Treasury secretary’s family was moving to New York for his son’s senior year in high school, and the commute to see them each weekend was sure to be arduous.
Who could do his job? Geithner’s answer was Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Before he could depart, Geithner had to convince the White House. He needed to find someone who could glide through Senate confirmation, comprehend the growing debt crises, here and abroad, and communicate administration goals in the upcoming debt-ceiling debate to Congress, to Wall Street, and to the world.
The talks gained traction inside the White House before being scuttled shortly before the debt-ceiling talks on Capitol Hill intensified, according to two current and one former administration official.
The cabinet shuffle made sense, according to the officials, because Clinton could fulfill all those requirements. Plus, she was ready for a break from what she had described as a “grueling,” travel-heavy job.