As a surprise treat for the finance ministers, President Bush made an impromptu appearance to add some easy charm to the discussions. Unfortunately, Bush’s remarks were not well calculated to reassure his guests. “You folks don’t need to worry,” he told them. “Hank’s got a handle on this. He’s going to freeze that liquidity.”90 Given that TARP was still in limbo and that freezing liquidity was the last thing anyone needed, it can hardly have been comforting.
