| 00:00:0436 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Good afternoon, everybody. Please have a seat. A little more than four years ago, I stood with Mr. Tim Geithner and announced him as my first nominee... |
| 00:00:4031 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
So I couldn’t blame Tim when he tried to tell me he wasn’t the right guy for the job. (Laughter.) But I knew that Tim’s extensive experience... |
| 00:01:111 min. |
Obama, Barack - President
Then, with the wreckage of our economy still smoldering and unstable, I asked Tim to help put it back together. And thanks in large part to his steady... |
| 00:02:1539 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
So when the history books are written, Tim Geithner is going to go down as one of our finest Secretaries of the Treasury. (Applause.) |
| 00:02:543 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
All right, don't embarrass him. (Laughter.) |
| 00:02:5758 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
On a personal note, Tim has been a wonderful friend and a dependable advisor throughout these last four years. There’s an unofficial saying over... |
| 00:03:5537 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
The fact is, while a lot of work remains, especially to rebuild a strong middle class and offer working folks new pathways to rise into the middle class,... |
| 00:04:3231 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
This is bittersweet not only because Tim is leaving, but also because Jack has been my Chief of Staff for the last year. He was my budget director... |
| 00:05:0339 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Jack has the distinction of having worked -- and succeeded -- in some of the toughest jobs in Washington and the private sector. As a congressional... |
| 00:05:4215 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
In my administration, he has managed operations for the State Department and the budget for the entire executive branch. And over the past year, I’ve... |
| 00:05:5719 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
One reason Jack has been so effective in this town is because he is a low-key guy who prefers to surround himself with policy experts rather than television... |
| 00:06:1633 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
And maybe most importantly, as the son of a Polish immigrant, a man of deep and devout faith, Jack knows that every number on a page, every dollar we... |
| 00:06:4915 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
In the words of one former senator, “Having Lew on your team is the equivalent as a coach of having the luxury of putting somebody at almost any position... |
| 00:07:049 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
I want to personally thank both of these men and their families, especially Carole and Ruth, for their extraordinary service to our country. |
| 00:07:135 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
And with that, I'd like to invite them to say a few words, starting with Tim. |
| 00:07:1821 sec. |
Geithner, Timothy F. - Secretary
Mr. President, it's been a privilege to serve you. I'm honored and grateful that you asked me to do this, really I am. And I'm very proud of what... |
| 00:07:3946 sec. |
Geithner, Timothy F. - Secretary
When you stepped into this building as President, you were confronted with a world in crisis, the worst crisis in generations. And you made the necessary,... |
| 00:08:2536 sec. |
Geithner, Timothy F. - Secretary
I have the greatest respect for Jack Lew. I know him as a man of exceptional judgment, calm under pressure, with an extraordinary record of accomplishment... |
| 00:09:0131 sec. |
Geithner, Timothy F. - Secretary
Now, like Jack, I've spent my professional life in this world of public policy and public service. And as all of you know, our families carry a large... |
| 00:09:3230 sec. |
Geithner, Timothy F. - Secretary
I want to express my admiration and my appreciation for the women and the men of the Treasury Department. Those who came to serve you these years of... |
| 00:10:0255 sec. |
Geithner, Timothy F. - Secretary
And I also hope that Americans will look at the challenges we face today and decide, as many of you in this room have, that in spite of the divisive... |
| 00:10:5714 sec. |
Lew, Jacob "Jack" J. - Chief of Staff
Mr. President, it has been my honor to serve as your Chief of Staff and before that at OMB and the State Department. It’s really been a privilege... |
| 00:11:1127 sec. |
Lew, Jacob "Jack" J. - Chief of Staff
Tim, you have been a friend and a colleague for many years -- actually, decades -- and the American people are better off for your outstanding service.... |
| 00:11:3823 sec. |
Lew, Jacob "Jack" J. - Chief of Staff
As a kid growing up in Queens, I had dreams of making a difference in the world. These dreams were nurtured in a home where the gifts of American freedom... |
| 00:12:0126 sec. |
Lew, Jacob "Jack" J. - Chief of Staff
I grew up professional in the office of Speaker O’Neill, whose compass was always clear and who demanded unvarnished advice on how best to reach the... |
| 00:12:2713 sec. |
Lew, Jacob "Jack" J. - Chief of Staff
Serving at OMB first under President Clinton and more recently in this administration, I worked with one of the finest teams in the government to execute... |
| 00:12:4012 sec. |
Lew, Jacob "Jack" J. - Chief of Staff
At the State Department, I worked closely with our great Secretary of State and my friend, Hillary Clinton, to advance our nation’s national security... |
| 00:12:5213 sec. |
Lew, Jacob "Jack" J. - Chief of Staff
And as Chief of Staff, I’ve had the pleasure of working with a tremendously talented White House team, which manages policy, politics, communications,... |
| 00:13:0512 sec. |
Lew, Jacob "Jack" J. - Chief of Staff
If confirmed, I look forward to joining the Treasury Department, whose people are legendary for their skill and knowledge. It’s a team that I’ve... |
| 00:13:1749 sec. |
Lew, Jacob "Jack" J. - Chief of Staff
Finally, thank you to Ruth, Shoshi, Danny, Zahava, and the kids for your endless tolerance with the demands of a schedule that tests all family patience.... |
| 00:14:0635 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
These are two outstanding public servants. I think the only point that I want to make -- leave you with is the fact that I had never noticed Jack’s... |
| 00:14:4151 sec. |
Obama, Barack - President
Thank you very much, everybody. (Applause.) |