Politics Isn’t Janet Yellen’s Forte, but It’s What She’s In for Now

When she led President Clinton’s Council of Economic Advisers in the late 1990s, Janet Yellen confided to her husband, economist George Akerlof, about the challenges she faced navigating Washington’s political storms.

Those storms are about to become Ms. Yellen’s headache again. As President-elect Joe Biden’s pick for Treasury secretary, Ms. Yellen is looking at the most political role she has had in nearly three decades of high-profile policy making. Her job will be to formulate and defend Mr. Biden’s policies at a time when the economy is at a crossroads and the capital is deeply polarized.