Kennedy School Lecturer Robert B. Reich announced Yesterday that he will take a leave of absence to serve on President-elect Bill Clinton's economic transition team.
Reich, a longtime friend of Clinton's who is credited with drafting much of Clinton's economic plan, will be the transition team's assistant director for economic policy.
Responding to reporters' questions about a permanent White House position, Reich said, "I am not seeking a position in the Clinton administration."
Reich will leave today for Little Rock, Ark. to meet with Clinton, and has turned his classes over to John D. Donahue, associate professor of public policy. "I absolutely enjoy teaching. One of the hardest things this morning...was to say goodbye to my classes," Reich said.
Surrounded by about 25 people at an afternoon news conference, Reich answered questions for 20 minutes at Taubman Center after Clinton made his appointment public earlier yesterday.
Reich said Clinton asked him Wednesday night to head the economic policy transition team. He said he will only deal with procedural matters, and expects to advise Clinton on "Make absolutely no mistake--the chief economicpolicy maker is President-elect Bill Clinton...Thenumbers [from Clinton's economic plan] add up. Asa staffer, I am there to make sure the numbers arecorrect," Reich said. Reich declined to comment on possible economicpolicies except to reiterate what Clintonadvocated in the presidential campaign. "Mypersonal views are irrelevant at this time," hesaid. Reich said that the two issues the nation mustaddress are the recession and the overall economicinfrastructure--including education and training."There is no quick fix," Reich said. "[These]problems have been developing for 12 years...Theissue is turning things around." Before teaching at Harvard, Reich served asassistant to the solicitor general under GeraldFord and director of policy planning for theFederal Trade Commission under Jimmy Carter
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