What’s impressive about this photo is who’s not in it. Namely, the heads of Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Citigroup. Apparently bad weather meant that they could not make the meeting. But really, if they were looking for money, do you think they would have missed this? No, me neither.
I find this interesting. Clearly they think they no longer need taxpayers help. Which is good, in a way. They probably think that it’s unlikely that Obama will do the same thing that Gordon Brown is doing in the UK with the Bonus Tax. And they must have been checking their Blackberries when Paul Volcker was lecturing them recently. Otherwise they would have made this meeting, even if they had to have their limo drivers drive them here.
Post meeting, it will be interesting also to see what happens between when Health Care gets settled and when the 2010 elections get going. Either Obama and team take their eye off this ball and focus on something else, or, they remember this meeting when the bankers decided to try and show them who’s the boss. My guess is that beating up the big banks will make for good electioneering by the Dems. So if they decide to ignore him when Obama Presses Giant Banks to Make More Loans then he’ll give them something to pay attention to later.
Smart People I Know 
Obama’s meeting and “scolding” of the bankers…just political theatre to assuage or placate us. In the meantime, the banks are coming back stronger…more of a threat…
See: http://euandus3.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/obamas-meeting-with-the-top-bankers-show-whos-on-top-again/