But how did Geithner define that public interest? First and foremost his commitment was to upholding the stability of “the financial system,” because without that, the entire economy was bound to fail.21 That was his key article of faith. The interests of America and the financial system were aligned. To explain his actions we do not need to imagine that he was in the pocket of any particular bank. It was his commitment to the system that dictated that Citigroup should not be broken up.
