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Summers Contributed to Orszag's Early
Exit<http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/06/24/summers_contributed_to_orszags_early_exit.html>
The New Yorker<http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2010/06/peter-orszags-early-exit.html>
notes
that while it's true Obama budget director Peter Orszag isleaving his
post<http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/06/21/orszag_to_leave_cabinet.html>
to
"spend more time with his family," his relationship with economic adviser
Larry Summers, "which was never great, had become intolerable."

"Orszag made several attempts to mend things before deciding to leave, but
eventually gave up. The Summers-Orszag tension was a classic case of the
narcissism of small differences. Orszag and Summers probably agree on ninety
per cent of all public-policy issues, but they were a quarrelsome pair, with
turf-conscious staffs. The balance of power in the relationship shifted
toward Summers last fall, when Obama decided not to make Summers Chairman of
the Federal Reserve and, as a sort of consolation prize, increased his
authority inside the West Wing."
--
Eric D. Schwerin
Rosemont Seneca Partners
(202) 333-1880
eschwerin@rosemontseneca.co