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WASHINGTON — White House chief of staff Jack Lew has accepted Pres. Barack Obama's pick for Secretary of the Treasury, but is under fire for his somewhat unorthodox signature.
The treasury secretary's signature appears on all newly printed U.S. currency. Upon Lew's name being brought up as a potential nominee, his signature came under scrutiny by those who said the series of loops did not resemble a signature enough to deserve a place on U.S. currency.
Lew's signature set off a flurry of media coverage. The Washington Post quoted one handwriting analyst as saying the loops show Lew's "softer" side. The Atlantic called it "insane." To CNN, it was "virtually illegible," and to The New York Times, it was "ridiculous."
Pres. Obama joked on Thursday that Lew would work on a more legible signature.
"I had never noticed Jack's signature," Pres. Obama said, according to Yahoo News. "When this was highlighted yesterday in the press, I considered rescinding my offer to appoint him. Jack assures me that he is going to work to make at least one letter legible in order not to debase our currency should he be confirmed as secretary of the Treasury."
There is precedent for a secretary changing an illegible signature. Current Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner had to change his series of squiggles to the full name we see on currency today, according to the Washington Post.
Republican Mike Lee released a statement Thursday regarding Lew's nomination. The Utah senator said Lew's nomination "signals that the president will continue to pursue the same failed policies of the previous four years: higher taxes, more spending, and more debt."
Other political news
- Former Pres. Bill Clinton will be awarded the Father of the Year award by the National Father's Day Council, USA Today reports. Clinton will be honored for his work through the William J. Clinton Foundation "to improve global health, promote healthier childhoods and protect the environment" and for bringing "global leaders together to work on the most pressing issues."
- Google chairman Eric Schmidt's four-day visit to North Korea afforded him the chance to catch a glimpse of something few visitors to the country get to see: the Internet in use. Schmidt took a private tour of Kim Il Sung University and watched students there surfing the Web and using Google and Wikipedia, The Associated Press reports.
- The White House has responded to a petition calling for the deportation of Piers Morgan due to the CNN host's views on gun control.
"Let's not let arguments over the Constitution's Second Amendment violate the spirit of its First," the statement read in part. "President Obama believes that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms. However, the Constitution not only guarantees an individual right to bear arms, but also enshrines the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press — fundamental principles that are essential to our democracy."
- Vice President Joe Biden said Thursday he plans to give the president ideas for reducing gun violence by Tuesday. He said consensus is emerging to ban high-capacity weapons and require universal background checks, according to the Wall Street Journal.
- Former Utah gubernatorial candidate Peter Cooke will serve as a mission president for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it was announced Thursday. Cooke and his wife expect to find out in March where they will serve.
- The Supreme Court seems reluctant to allow warentless DUI tests for apparently drunk suspects, The Associated Press reports. The court must way logistical concerns — blood-alcohol levels decrease as time passes — with constitutional rights.
