dr. lawrence summers. [applause] >> jack, thank you very much for those kind words. you described a number of different areas in which i have worked. when i first came to washington, people asked me what was different about working in the treasury department from researching and teaching economics at a university. i used to say that as a professor of economics, the single worst thing you could do was to sign your name to something you have not written yourself. on the other hand, as a government bureaucrat, it was considered a mark of effectiveness to do so as frequently as possible. [laughter] and then, i went back from washington to serve as harvard's president. people used to ask me, "well, what's different about being harvard's president then working in the government in washington?" i, in those days, gave an answer that as i think about it today was breathtaking in its naivete. i used to say, "washington is so political --" [laughter] not everybody is rooting for you to succeed in an objective. i might give a slightly different answer today, but in any event, i

dr. lawrence summers. [applause] >> thank you very much for those kind words. you described a number of different areas, and which i have worked. when i first came to washington people asked me what was different about working in the treasury department from researching and teaching economics at the university. and i used to say as a professor of economics the single worst thing you could do was to sign your name to something you have not written yourself. on the other hand, as a government bureaucrat, he was considered part of effectiveness. [laughter] to do so as frequently as possible. [laughter] and then i went back from washington to serve as harvard president. people used to ask me what is different about being harvard's president and working in the government in washington? and i gave an answer. as i think about it today it was breathtaking. i used to say washington is so political. [laughter] not everybody is rooting for you to succeed. of an objective. i might get a slightly different answer today. [laughter] but any event i am grateful for the opportu

dr. lawrence summers. [applause] >> jack, thank you very much for those kind words. described a number of different areas in which i have worked. when i first came to washington, people asked me what was different about working in the treasury department from researching and teaching economics at a university. i used to say that as a professor of economics, the single worst thing you could do was to sign your name to something you have not written yourself. on the other hand, as a government bureaucrat, it was considered a mark of effectiveness to do so as frequently as possible. [laughter] and then, i went back from washington to serve as harvard's president. people used to ask me, "well, what's different about being harvard's president then working in the government in washington?" i, in those days, gave an answer that as i think about it today was breathtaking in its naivete. i used to say, "washington is so political --" [laughter] not everybody is rooting for you to succeed in an objective. i might give a slightly different answer today, but in any event, i am v