WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate has confirmed Ben Bernanke for a
second term as chairman of the Federal Reserve.
The Senate voted 70-30 on Thursday to reappoint Bernanke amid
criticism of his judgment ahead of the financial crisis and his
support for massive Wall Street bailouts. His supporters credited
him for engineering a financial industry rescue in time to prevent
a catastrophic collapse.
The vote was the closest ever for a nominee for Fed chairman. It
came amid roiling public anger over the economy and stubbornly high
unemployment that fueled a populist backlash against Bernanke. No
Fed chairman has been rejected in the Senate.
Bernanke's current term expires Sunday.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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