White House backs Fed's Bernanke

The White House has defended the independence of Ben Bernanke, the Federal Reserve's chairman, after the US presidental candidate Rick Perry declared that "printing more money to play politics at this particular time in American history is almost treacherous, or treasonous". The Texas Governor said: "If this guy prints more money between now and the election, I dunno what y'all would do to him Iowa, but we would treat him pretty ugly down in Texas."

The White House's Jay Carney yesterday said it was important that the Fed be independent of government.

Those running for president had to think about their words. "I certainly think threatening the Fed chairman is not a good idea," Mr Carney noted.