In a choice selection from the book of the week In Fed We Trust Wessel describes how then President Bush came “to trust [Bernanke's] judgment, his calm demeanor, and his sly sense of humor.”
“Bernanke also disarmed the president with probably his most famous prank. One day, Bernanke showed up for a monthly Oval Office economic meeting wearing a dark blue suit and light tan socks. Bush noticed. “Ben,” the president said, according to one participant, “where did you get those socks?”
“Gap,” replied Bernanke, “Three pair for seven dollars.”
The president wouldn’t let it go, mentioning Bernanke’s light tan socks repeatedly during the forty-five-minute-meeting.
When the time came for the next meeting of the same group, Bernanke and White House economic staffer Keith Hennessey agreed they would both wear tan socks and recruit others to do the same. Hennessey asked his boss, Al Hubbard, what he thought about the whole team’s wearing tan socks. Hubbard was game but said he didn’t own any. Hennessey volunteered that he had some. Hennessey then asked, “Do you think the VP would wear them?” Hubbard, who had been on the job only six months, called Dick Cheney and asked, with considerable trepidation, if he would join the prank. Cheney agreed but said he didn’t have any tan socks either “Well, I’ve got some,” Hubbard replied. When Bush arrived for the meeting, nearly everyone was wearing tan socks. The president roared with laughter.”
1. How fun would it be to pull a prank on the President?
2. What kind of prank is wearing tan socks?”
3. How is it that these men either
a. Shop at gap?
b. Or don’t have tan socks?
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Well it's good to see that someone has a sense of humor.. I think it's great to pull a prank on the president and that he 'got it' and laughed!
ReplyDeleteAll those uptight navy and black suits.. of course they don't own tan socks LOL, they probably don't own a pair of dockers either ~ don't every get that uptight or lose your sense of humor (acutally I can't see that ever happening to you -- if you even began to go down that road, K will 'get ya'