Two advisers to President Obama demurred when asked repeatedly and specifically whether they agree with Obama’s claim that the European fiscal crisis is “the biggest headwind” slowing the U.S. economy.
Mike Froman, Deputy National Security Adviser on International Economic Affairs, would not endorse Obama’s assessment except to say, during yesterday’s press briefing, that European issues “affect us in the United States as well.” He did reiterate Obama’s point that “it’s quite important what happens at the G20 for the U.S. economy because we are so interconnected.”
Ben Rhodes, Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategic Communications, also dodged the issue, except to say “everybody has a stake here in the success of a plan that can deal with the eurozone crisis.” Neither answer satisfied the reporter. “Can you address really quickly the specific question on what the President said last month about the headwinds,” the reporter asked Rhodes, “the crisis in Europe being the biggest headwind facing the U.S. economy? Do you still believe that’s the case?”
Rhodes offered a roundabout response that avoided repeating Obama’s remarks. Acknowledging that “the eurozone situation is front and center” at the G20, Rhodes said that summit attendees would discuss a variety of issues. “It’s certainly the preeminent issue as it relates to the global economy in terms of a challenge that we need to be dealing with right now here in Cannes,” he concluded.
To note that the European financial crisis is the “preeminent issue” that Obama will discuss at an economic meeting with European leaders is a far cry from affirming Obama’s characterization of the crisis as “the biggest headwind” for the U.S. economy.
