In response to our earlier mention ^[1] of Altman, a regular BP reader and current DC insider sends along the following:

“Roger has one goal in life—to be Treasury secretary. He has been trying as hard as he can to get it since the Carter administration and made it as far as the No. 2 spot. Now he’s hoping to follow Bob Rubin’s steps and finally get the No. 1 spot. If I were Tim, I would start watching my back if Roger gets the NEC job. Instead of having Larry there protecting him, he will have someone who wants him out ASAP.”

Obama, like Bush before him, cannot break the habit of working backwards through prior administrations errors.

I could not care any less about the Machiavellian intrigue, but if he takes Timmy’s job, is that an improvement or a step backwards?