Obama breaks from vacation to phone Geithner, Summers

President Obama took a break from his Martha’s Vineyard vacation on Wednesday to phone his economic advisers, including Timothy Geithner and Larry Summers. 

The call came one day after House GOP Leader John Boehner (Ohio) called on Obama to fire his Treasury Secretary, Geithner, and the head of the National Economic Council, Summers, in a speech blasting the administration’s economic policies.

The White House and Democrats spent much of Tuesday firing back at Boehner, saying his economic policies are the ones that plunged the country into a deep recession. 

Addressing Boehner’s call to fire Geithner and Summers, Vice President Joe Biden mockingly said: “[That was] very constructive advice, and we thank the leader for that.”

Both Geithner and Summers have faced criticism from lawmakers on the left and the right, but the Obama administration has stood behind the duo.

Obama has also faced questions about the propriety of his 10-day family vacation as the economic recovery continues to falter. White House advisers had said Obama would do work on the trip and argued that the president deserves time off.

According to the White House, the conference call took place in the
morning and the group discussed “recent data reports, global markets and
economic growth.

“The economic team provided an update on the next steps
to keep the economy growing including assistance to small businesses and
the extension of tax cuts to the middle class,” the White House said.

Outgoing Council of Economic Advisers Chairwoman Christina Romer was also on the call.