The Bernanke Whip Count: 43-18
Updated: Aides to Sens. Paul Kirk (D-MA) and Kay Hagan (D-NC) tell Hotline OnCall they will vote for Bernanke's confirmation. Updated II: Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) is a yes vote. Updated III: Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) is a yes vote, and Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) are leaning yes.
Allies of Fed chair Ben Bernanke spent the weekend trolling for Senate support ahead of an expected reconfirmation vote this week, but Bernanke remains short of the votes he needs to win a second term, according to a Hotline OnCall tally.
Bernanke has public support from 43 senators, while 18 are publicly opposed to his reconfirmation. That leaves 39 senators uncommitted, and many have said they are concerned about Bernanke's record during his first years in office.
The WH and Senate leaders have expressed confidence they will have the votes they need. Still, underscoring the trouble some members have with Bernanke's renomination, even the top GOPer in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, has refused to disclose how he would vote.
What was supposed to be an easy confirmation became more difficult recently as populist anger has surged across the nation. It has even cost Bernanke a certain vote; Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) voted for Bernanke when his nomination came before the Banking Committee, but Brown has said he is rethinking that vote.
There is little ideological harmony in those who have said they will vote for Bernanke. They include 12 GOPers, ranging from conservative Sens. Mike Johanns (R-NE) and Richard Burr (R-NC) to more centrist Sens. George Voinovich (R-OH) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC). The 27 Dems backing Bernanke include liberals like John Kerry (D-RI) and Chris Dodd (D-CT) and centrists Mark Warner (D-VA) and Evan Bayh (D-IN). Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) will also back Bernanke.
Too, the ideological gaps among those opposed to Bernanke are just as large. Sens. Jim Bunning (R-KY) and Jim DeMint (R-SC) have joined Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Russ Feingold (D-WI) in voicing opposition.
No vote has been scheduled yet. Bernanke's term expires on Sunday.
A complete vote-count, compiled by Hotline OnCall, after the jump. Check back over the coming days and we'll keep you updated with the latest tallies.
Voting in favor (43)
Daniel Akaka (D-HI)
Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Evan Bayh (D-IN)
Max Baucus (D-MT)
Mark Begich (D-AK)*
Michael Bennet (D-CO)
Bob Bennett (R-UT)
Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
Richard Burr (D-NC)
Robert Byrd (D-WV)
Tom Carper (D-DE)
Susan Collins (R-ME)
Kent Conrad (D-ND)
Bob Corker (R-TN)
Chris Dodd (D-CT)
Dick Durbin (D-IL)
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Judd Gregg (R-NH)
Kay Hagan (D-NC)
Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
Mike Johanns (R-NE)
Tim Johnson (D-SD)
Paul Kirk (D-MA)^
Herb Kohl (D-WI)
Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
Joe Lieberman (I-CT)
Richard Lugar (R-IN)
John Kerry (D-MA)
Bob Menendez (D-NJ)
Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
Ben Nelson (D-NE)
Bill Nelson (D-FL)
Jack Reed (D-RI)
Harry Reid (D-NV)
Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)
Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Jon Tester (D-MT)
George Voinovich (R-OH)
Mark Warner (D-VA)
* - A Begich spokesperson says the AK senator is "leaning toward support."
^ -- Kirk will leave the Senate once Sen.-elect Scott Brown (R) has been sworn in. Brown has not said whether he will support Bernanke's nomination.
Voting against (18)
Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
Jim Bunning (R-KY)
John Cornyn (R-TX)
Mike Crapo (R-ID)
Jim DeMint (R-SC)
Byron Dorgan (D-ND)
Russ Feingold (D-WI)
Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)
Jim Inhofe (R-OK)
Jon Kyl (R-AZ)
John McCain (R-AZ)
Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
Richard Shelby (R-AL)
David Vitter (R-LA)
Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
Roger Wicker (R-MS)
Undecided or unannounced (39)
John Barrasso (R-WY)
Kit Bond (R-MO)
Sam Brownback (R-KS)
Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Roland Burris (D-IL)
Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Ben Cardin (D-MD)
Bob Casey (D-PA)
Saxby Chambliss (D-GA)
Tom Coburn (R-OK)
Thad Cochran (R-MS)
John Ensign (R-NV)
Mike Enzi (R-WY)
Al Franken (D-MN)
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
Ted Kaufman (D-DE)
Amy Klobuchard (D-MN)
Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
George LeMieux (R-FL)
Carl Levin (D-MI)
Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)
Claire McCaskill (D-MO)
Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Patty Murray (D-WA)
Mark Pryor (D-AR)
Jim Risch (R-ID)
Pat Roberts (R-KS)
Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
Arlen Specter (D-PA)
John Thune (R-SD)
Mark Udall (D-CO)
Tom Udall (D-NM)
Jim Webb (D-VA)
Roger Wicker (R-MS)
Ron Wyden (D-OR)
-- Felicia Sonmez contributed to this report.
Claire McCaskill is a Democrat FYI.
this certainly should not come to a vote before Scott Brown takes his seat. Completely ridiculous and undemocratic. Another Obama sneak vote. Disgusting.
The entire American political system can't be put on hold for Brown to get into the Senate. Bernanke's term is up on Sunday. They need to vote now. I hope you are being sarcastic, however if you are not, get over yourself and realize that Obama isn't a horrible terrorist trying to "sneak vote" everything.
p.s. In the 6th paragraph, there is a typo for Burr. He is from NC, not UT. Just throwing that out there.
I expect Bernanke's alleged expertise on the causes of the Great Depression is one reason that many Senators are voting for his renomination. I dispute that expertise and have written a blog post on it:
http://www.debtdeflation.com/blogs/2010/01/24/debtwatch-no-42-the-economic-case-against-bernanke/
I would appreciate this being distributed by readers here.
Someone's head should roll...if not Chrmn. Bernanke then definitely Secy. Geithner. Their favoring of Wall Street over Main Street is unfortunately predictable when no-one in high-authority in the Obama administration is from the private-sector.
Bernanke is dangerously incompetent. Let’s get some change we can believe in or is he too big to fail? What ever happened to the Great Moderation? Look back at all his comments leading up to this mess and it is obvious that he is flying by the seat of his pants. He can’t see asset bubbles and he can’t see a depression even while sitting in one. Vote NO for Bernanke.
A huge number of high-level Obama officials have private-sector experience--that's a Glenn Beck myth, and it's can be immediatle debunked by anyone willing to take five seconds to look at his appointees' CVs.
What makes you think a CEO (or a Wall Street banker) is going to support "Main Street" over the financial sector? Aren't you aware that both Geithner and Bernanke were Bush appointees, anyway? (Bernanke to his current position, Geithner as New York Fed chair). I don't think anyone imagined Bush to have a "private sector" problem. Half his compadres had their fingers in the private sector even while they were serving public office.
We need a Paradigm shift in this country and someone with a Spine , more Transparency and NO MORE SMOKIN' Mirrors - that's what 'We The People' want ...VOTE 'NO' on Bernanke...
John BOGLE - Founder and CEO of Vanguard funds would be an IDEAL NEW FED Chairman for Transparency and restore confidence in our Markets
Be Re-elected or GO HOME AND BE VOTED OUT if you vote Yes ON CONTINUING THIS Madness. We need Real Change we can believe in - VOTE N O on Bernanke
Bernanke is not too big to fail - and he has failed...and is our President really going to support Main Street ? or will it be business as usual with outrageous Wall Street Bail-Outs -We the People won't stand for it...
Republic "by the Banks, for the Banks...Always in wasteful unbelievable TARP, FANNIE/FREDDIE EXPLOITATION of the American People.
Vote NO on BERNANKE or flush our eceonomy and dollar DOWM the drain - VOTE
'NO' on BERNANKE..
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