How Did You Get Those Details?
Talking with Tim Taylor, editor of the Journal of Economic Perspectives and a fellow Haverford alum, on the Haverford web site.
Timothy Taylor Your discussions of the Fed have lots of interesting details. Ben Bernanke has trail mix on his secretary's desk and diet Dr. Pepper in his office refrigerator. The New York Fed has $195 billion in gold in the basement, 50 feet below sea level. What sort of research did you have to do to get the details and background?
David Wessel Well, I've been covering the Fed for a long time so I've actually been to that gold vault at the New York Fed. As for the other stuff, I wanted to write a book that ordinary people would find interesting and understandable. When a reporter sets out to tell a story, he or she looks -- struggles to find, actually -- those great details. On Bernanke's frig? I was talking to him and he went to it to get a Dr. Pepper.
