Obama sees Geithner, Summers staying on

President Barack Obama on Monday said he expects treasury secretary Timothy Geithner and White House economic adviser Larry Summers to stay in their jobs, and called them "terrific advisers."                                           
 

"You know, we haven't had the conversation because my presumption is that they are staying. There's a lot of 'hue and cry' in Washington because this is what happens," Obama said in an interview with ABC News.                                           

Some liberal supporters of Obama have criticized Geithner and Summers as being too cozy with Wall Street.                                           

And it raised some eyebrows when former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker was the one standing at the president's side when he announced new bank rules.                                            
 

"The political season is starting a little bit early this year," Obama said when asked by ABC's Diane Sawyer whether he had asked Geithner and Summers to stay until year-end.                                           

"But the fact of the matter is that when you look at the cards that we were handed at the beginning of last year and where we are now, a lot of that has to do with sound, steady economic leadership," he said.                                           
 

"And they've been terrific advisers for me and I think they will continue to be terrific advisers."