Who is Jacob Lew?

Obama's picked a new "Hall of Fame" budget director. Who is Lew, and is there anything he can do about the deficit?

Jacob Lew will serve as Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
(Image credit: Getty)

President Obama drew from the Clinton well to replace outgoing White House budget manager Peter Orszag, tapping Jacob Lew to head the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). "If there was a Hall of Fame for budget directors, then Jack Lew surely would have earned a place," Obama said, noting that as OMB director during Bill Clinton's second term, Lew oversaw three budget surpluses. So, who is Lew, and can he do anything about our $1.3 trillion deficit? (Watch Obama's announcement)

What's Lew's story?

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us