(CNN) - Former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan is supporting John McCain's White House bid, CNN has confirmed.
"I am a Republican and expect to vote for the Republican candidate, but I am not involved in politics," Greenspan said in a statement issued to CNN by his office.
The statement follows comments Greenspan reportedly made to a Spanish newspaper on Sunday.
"I support John McCain, who I know very well and who I respect a lot," he told El Pais.
McCain has previously indicated he will seek Greenspan's council on economic issues should he win the presidency. At a campaign event in South Carolina last fall, the Arizona Republican even said he would take him "alive or dead."
"If he's alive or dead it doesn't matter. If he's dead, just prop him up and put some dark glasses on him like, like 'Weekend at Bernie's,"' McCain joked. "Let's get the best minds in America together and fix this tax code."
Greenspan served as the U.S. Fed chairman from 1987 to 2006.
In a statement, McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said Greenspan's support is "of enormous importance to John McCain."
"It should reassure voters that, while John McCain is humble, he is still the best qualified candidate to keep taxes low and get our economy back on track," Bounds said.
From CNN Politics
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Big surprise there. One neocon supporting another.
What is McCain talking about "dead or alive just prop Greenspan up", he's as old as Greenspan himself.
WHO WOULD WANT GREENSPAN'S SUPPORT? HE OF MADE THE COMMENT ON LARRY KING LIVE THAT THE SUB-PRIME DEBACLE WAS A SUPPRISE TO HIM. WHAT A JOKE. IT WAS HIS DUTY TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING. I CAN'T BELIEVE HE DIDN'T KNOW - I JUST THINK HIS LOYALTY LAY WITH THE BIG BANKS AND FINANCIAL INTERESTS RATHER THAN IN THE WELL BEING OF AMERICA OR AMERICANS. LET HIM SUPPORT MCCAIN. I DON'T THINK IT WILL HELP MCCAIN.
me too – McCain in '08
Way to go Greenbacks. At least you knew how to deal with the economy. Can you come back and we can get rid of Burn the Cake
Wow! The only thing I thought she had going for her now that everyone knows she has issues with the truth and cant manage her team is that she might be able to let her husband help improve the economy. But it seems that one of the greatest minds concerning the economy is not supporting her.
so what?
Hilarious! The story says Greenspan supports McCain but the caption reads: "Greenspan said he is supporting Obama." Wishful thinking on your part, eh, CNN? Ha ha.. your bias is beyond belief.
Good to see that McCain has older & wiser heads to rely upon...
Greenspan said he is supporting Obama. ICheck on the picture – is this an error
This guy looks deader than McCain...if that's possible ! ! !
WHOOA...BIG SURPRISE.
So Greenspan supports someone who admits he knows little about economic issues? Typical, but he's the one who also supports cutting taxes to the point of damaging the economy by Bush, supporting the most rapid and widest flip from surplus to deficits ever. And Greenspan is supposed to be an economic Guru? I guess there is really no surprise about this choice....
I find the picture caption to be misleading. The article says he is supporting McCain, but the caption says "Greenspan said he is supporting Obama." Which is it?
Oh great, the problem with the economy is the current economic system – the Federal Reserve. So let's get the former Chairman of the Fed to give John McCain advice. This isn't going to solve anything, guys.
Amazing since McCain admits to not knowing much about the economy. I guess once a Republican, always a Republican!
John Mccain is running for President in the wrong country. He needs to put his name on the next Iraq Presidential Ballot. John Mccain has made a better argument protecting those in the Middle East than the Americans here loosing their homes and jobs inwhich he has no solution or intention to resolve. Look at his Campaign ads, about his family and himself as war heros. what is he thinking about. People are losing the chance at the American Dream and he's wants to indroduce them to his family and tell them why they have to hold of on the American dream due to an error he and President Bush made by entering without approval from congress. Mccain is a terrible mistake.
Why hasn't McCain signed the GI Bill????????????since he is for Veterans
I would like to see Greenspan involved in some advisory way with the McCain campaign. Greenspan is conservative in his approach to the economy, and could give some great advice in reforming the tax code in America. When he speaks we should all listen. To get this economy back on track, we need tax cuts across the board, including for America's business/corporations. Only Japan has a higher corporate tax burden than the United States. The private sector is the heart of this great country. Big, wasteful Government is the problem with America. The enormous government programs drag down the economy, and interfere with innovation and productivity. If we want more good jobs for Americans, we need to get off the backs of business. The Democrats big "tax and spend" approach will eventually bankrupt us all...you, me and all of America !
You might want to change the photo caption...
"Greenspan said he is supporting Obama."
Anyone else notice the caption below the picture?
"Greenspan said he is supporting Obama."
Did anyone else notice that the caption with this article mistakenly states that "Greenspan said he is supporting Obama?"
Headline and caption on picture doesnt match. Is that an error or ...
I thought Greenspan is smarter than that. The conomy sucks because of no regulation on free trade.. A genius like greenspan should be supporting Obama.
Great, he would let Mr. Bubbles try to fix the problems he shares a lot of the responsibility for. Go look up the "Greenspan put" for an example of how Greenspan's willingness to bail the markets out has helped foster the overly risky investing. That sort of investing, particularly with high leverage, gives you things like the subprime mortgage meltdown.
Also, Greenspan gave the gloriously bad advice of getting into adjustable rate mortgages at the height of the housing bubble when interest rates were very low.