Obama nominates new top economist for White House
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Under pressure to spur job growth, US president Barack Obama has chosen Princeton University's Alan Krueger as the White House's new top economist. The president is also set to announce a new jobs-plan next week.
In a Rose Garden ceremony with Krueger at his side, Obama said he would rely on the economist to help bring down the 9.1-percent jobless rate and restore growth to the struggling economy. Obama described job creation as an urgent challenge, and said he would outline a plan next week to put more money in Americans' pockets and get construction crews working.
Princeton University's
Alan Krueger
Many analysts have interpreted this as a sign the administration will go ahead with plans to propose an extension of a payroll tax cut and seek money for infrastructure improvements. Republicans have taken a dim view of new stimulus spending, which means Obama could have trouble gaining bipartisan support.
US president Barack Obama has chosen
Princeton University's Alan Krueger as
the White House's new top economist.
US President Barack Obama speaks as he nominates Alan Krueger (L) to be the next chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers at the Rose Garden of the
White House in Washington, DC. Obama on Monday nominated Krueger, a Princeton
University expert on unemployment, as he plots an "urgent" new offensive on the
jobs crisis
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