Bush names Friedman as top adviser on economy

WASHINGTON--Rejecting protests from supply-side conservatives,President Bush on Thursday named Wall Street investment bankerStephen Friedman to head his National Economic Council, completingthe top selections for his revamped economic team.

Friedman will replace Lawrence Lindsey, who was ousted last weekalong with Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill when Bush decided heneeded a stronger team to deal with the lackluster economy and sellCongress on a new round of tax cuts.

Friedman headed the giant Wall Street investment bank of GoldmanSachs until 1994. Bush praised him as an "innovative economicthinker" who would help the administration promote a new "growth andjobs …