In the absence of any real detail about what he plans to do, it is Barack Obama's staff choices that provide the best indications as to what sort of president he will turn out to be. And so far the signs are encouraging, both in terms of the process andrnthe results. Mr Obama is moving much faster and more smoothly than most incoming presidents manage-without rancour, hiccups or (unplanned) leaks. And his choices are reassuring, especially for those who feared a shift to the left.rnOn the economic side, by giving the two main jobs to pragmatic centrists-Tim Geithner for treasury secretary and Larry Summers to chair the National Economic Council, the White House body that co-ordinates economic policymaking-Mr Obama has shown that he values experience over ideology, and competence over personal loyalty (see page 49).
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