A History of Blunders

1992 An internal memo from the World Bank said to be authored by Summers is leaked to the Economist. The memo, which advocates dumping toxic waste into third world countries, draws fire from environmentalist groups and politicians in Washington.

1995 As deputy secretary of the United States Treasury, Summers is criticized for sugarcoating the financial situation in Mexico during the country’s economic crisis.

1997 During a press luncheon, Summers suggests that “selfishness” is the only reason the GOP is pushing for a repeal on the estate tax.

2001 Summers meets with African American studies professor Cornel R. West ’74 and questions his work at Harvard, inspiring widespread criticism from faculty. West takes the story to the national media, who report that Summers reprimanded the professor for making a rap album, missing classes, and failing to produce scholarly work during his tenure at the University.

That same year, Summers is criticized for refusing to establish a Latino studies center. Around the same time, the faculty responds angrily to reports that Summers called a law professor’s question “stupid” during a lecture.

2002 Faculty members question Summers’ comments at a Morning Prayer in which he called demands to divest University funds from Israel “anti-Semitic in their effect if not in their intent.”

2005 Summers suggests at an economics conference that the dearth of tenured female professors in the sciences and engineering might be attributable to “issues of intrinsic aptitude.”