On the South Lawn of the White House this morning, President Obama introduced Jim Yong Kim as his choice to lead the World Bank, and in most corners, the selection is being hailed as an inspired move. Kim, the president of Dartmouth College and a renowned expert on global health policy, is also "an anthropologist and a physician who co-founded Partners in Health, a nonprofit that provides health care for the poor, and a former director of the Department of H.I.V./AIDS at the World Health Organization."
Though he will face other candidates for the World Bank post, Kim is considered the overwhelming favorite. Economist Jeffrey Sachs, who has been seeking the same position, announced this morning that he considers Kim a "superb nominee," whom he supports "100%." As for his own candidacy, Sachs thanked those who supported him and said his former backers will be "very pleased with today's news."
The president also spoke briefly to the press after the announcement, and fielded a question on the Trayvon Martin killing.
Though cautious because the matter is still under investigation, Obama said, "Obviously, this is a tragedy. I can only imagine what these parents are going through. And when I think about this boy, I think about my own kids.... If I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon."
The president added that the matter is under review from law enforcement on a variety of levels, including a Justice Department investigation, and referencing Martin's family, Obama said, "I think they are right to expect that all of us as Americans are going to take this with the seriousness it deserves, and we're going to get to the bottom of what happened."
