By KATIE JACOB

Copy Editor

A conversation between a Nobel Prize-winning economist and the President of the United States about the economy is taking place in full view of the public, so everyone can see. Wow! This is refreshing.

The President was asked by a reporter at a press conference on Jan. 9 whether he would respond to economist Paul Krugman’s criticism of his stimulus plan (Krugman had called the plan “somewhat disappointing”) and Obama responded, ” If Paul Krugman has a good idea in terms of how to spend money efficiently and effectively to jump-start the economy, then we’re going to do it.”

WHAT?!! He wants to listen to good ideas? He wasn’t offended by criticism?

WHAT?!! He responded to criticism by answering the question?

During the Bush administration the response to critics was to fire them (the 9 U.S. attorneys who refused to follow the administration’s political agenda), tap their phones (Elliot Spitzer? Senator Rockefeller? James Risen? all of us?) or out their CIA-agent wives (Joe Wilson/Valerie Plame).

Two days after Obama’s challenge, Krugman responded, in an OP-Ed column in the New York Times, by saying, “O.K. I’ll take the bait…” and laying out the specifics.  A second, more detailed response came in a lengthy article in Rolling Stone entitled “Back to What Obama Must Do,” a few days later. And just in case anyone was uncertain to whom his remarks were directed, it began, “Dear Mr. President.”

According to Think Progress, Krugman since told Bill Press that he was “in communication” with Obama’s team.

This is good news.  The President wants to hear advice from outside experts. And he’s willing to think outside of the box. About the stimulus, he said, ” I want this to work. This is not an intellectual exercise and there’s no pride of authorship.”

This is what the country needs. Not just change we can believe in, change that we can see.