Alan Greenspan

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Alan Greenspan has been described as the maestro of the American economy, but recently the orchestra is a bit out of tune.

All eyes are on his baton today to see if it really is a magic wand…if he knows the precise amount to tweak the economy to get it humming again. Over ten years of boom, Greenspan was elevated to genius status…every word marked, every pronouncement pondered, every grin graphed. But, as they say, if you take credit for the sunshine, you get the blame for the rain.

Now, some people are asking if Alan Greenspan is this generation’s Wizard of Oz, an ordinary guy standing behind a curtain of hype. Others say no, at 75, the man’s a gem who should keep his job forever.

Guests:

Albert M. Wojnilower, economist, New York

John Berry, Washington Post;

Francis M. Bator, professor of political economy emeritus, Harvard University.