Greenspan Gave Rush Limbaugh Briefing on Peso
WASHINGTON — Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan gave a private, unsolicited briefing on the Mexican peso crisis to Rush Limbaugh, dean of the conservative radio talk-show set, the Federal Reserve said Wednesday.
Word of Greenspan’s telephone conversation with Limbaugh three weeks ago raised eyebrows here because it seemed inconsistent with the aura of high-toned detachment that Greenspan has projected in his frequent appearances on Capitol Hill.
Federal Reserve spokesman Joseph Coyne said Greenspan placed the call to explain the package of U.S. loan guarantees to Limbaugh and to persuade him that a U.S. bailout of Mexico is a good idea.
It was the only private briefing that Greenspan gave on the rescue package to anyone except members of Congress, Coyne said. Greenspan has never met Limbaugh.
Greenspan, who lobbied Congress hard on the issue, was clearly hoping to stop the peso deal from becoming fodder on the populist talk-radio circuit.
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