Fools

One has to appreciate that the G20 summit will begin with dinner on April Fool's Day. But Simon Johnson sees a glimmer of hope.

It’s an uphill struggle to force Europe to save itself, but with the discussion around the IMF, the President has a chance to move things in the right direction — and to back Secretary Geithner with actions as well as words (for more on this, see TNR online from March 28). The Europeans do not respond to sweet talk; only tough pressure will bring results.

As I suggest in my latest piece (this morning) in The New Republic online, the Europeans have left themselves open to effective confrontation on a key point; if the President can seize the day and really push the Europeans hard on this dimension - and tell me if you see other ways he can make European complacency painfully evident - we might actually make some progress.