DDay already noted Peter Diamond’s op-ed withdrawing his nomination as a Fed Governor. But I wanted to emphasize one thing:
It is time for me to withdraw, as I plan to inform the White House.
It appears that this very public complaint was how Diamond informed the White House he was withdrawing–not a discrete phone call.
That’s not the normal way nominees handle communications with the White House.
To be fair, Diamond focuses all of his criticism in the op-ed on the Republicans who believe a Nobel prize winner is unqualified to serve on the Fed. The op-ed itself does not criticize the White House’s handing of the nomination.
But if it’s true that this was Diamond’s way of informing the White House, then it suggests he’s pretty damned pissed at the White House as well. As well he should be–he got the same treatment Dawn Johnsen and Goodwin Liu did, with repeated renominations but no public fight (or recess appointment).
That club of good nominees hung out to dry by this White House is growing longer.