Don Kohn’s infamous ‘death march’ hikes were referenced in Kevin Warsh’s Jackson Hole speech—now the Fed veteran is weighing the chairman’s path ahead

In the aftermath of Kevin Warsh's inaugural speech at the Jackson Hole Symposium, former Federal Reserve vice chair Donald Kohn has expressed his thoughts on the significance of the remarks. Warsh referenced their past "death march" hikes, which Kohn had never been aware of until Warsh brought it up. Kohn, who recently reflected on the hikes with Kohn and fellow Fed Governor Mark Carney, shared that the treks often involved in-depth discussions on topics like inflation targets and nominal GDP targets, making them intellectually stimulating while physically challenging.

Despite initial skepticism regarding Warsh's steadfast commitment to his forward guidance stance, Kohn believes the Fed chief's speech at Jackson Hole demonstrated a willingness to engage in a more constructive dialogue about the economy and economic indicators.