White House has 'checked in with leadership,' confident of Bernanke vote

The White House appeared confident that the embattled Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke will in fact receive a majority of support in the Senate to continue serving in that post for a second term.

Despite the recent spate of senators who announced their intention to oppose Bernanke's confirmation for an additional term atop the Federal Reserve Board, senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett told NBC's David Gregory on "Meet The Press" that the president has received assurances from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) that Bernanke would have the votes to be reconfirmed.

"President Obama checked in with the leadership over the weekend and he hears from Senator Reid that there is a lot of support for Ben
Bernanke. We are confident that the chairman will be confirmed," Jarrett said, echoing a sentiment expressed by her colleague White
House spokesman Robert Gibbs, who hit the airwaves on "Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace."

Reid's GOP counterpart, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), also was optimistic of the confirmation; however, he refused to reveal the way he will vote when the confirmation is called up on the Senate Floor.

McConnell told Gregory "I'll let you know in the next day or so," as to his vote on Bernanke, revealing that though a number of his colleagues have concerns with Bernanke, "he's going to have bipartisan support in the Senate and I would anticipate he'd be confirmed."