It's beginning to look like Ben Bernake, chairman of the Federal Reserve, will not be reconfirmed this weekend in a Senate vote.

Bernanke has public support from 40 senators, while 17 are publicly opposed to his reconfirmation. That leaves 43 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.

Bernanke is no crook or bought-and-paid for political appointee. He was a breath of fresh air bringing greater transparency to the Federal Reserve, especially in comparison with his predecessor Alan Greenspan (he of inscrutable technical pronouncements...). Yet his academic background ill-prepared him to work the optics of Fed policy. His recent about-face, lowering the discount rate after reassuring markets for months that the sub-prime debacle had been contained, gave the impression that the Fed was engaged in a politically-motivated deception.

He might have survived the criticism except for a certain earthquake epi-centered in Massachusetts last week. The level of fear that has created in Washington is thick on the ground and the easiest way for incumbents to demonstrate their solidarity with the new public mood is to burn some witches.

The Senate can't get at Treasury-Secretary Geithner, who is legitimately responsible for the criminal mess (over 40 investigations and counting...) that's been made out of TARP, but they can send a message using the Bernanke confirmation.

The political necessity to appear 'concerned' and to be seen as 'acting' means that Bernanke will have the sins of the community placed on his head and then be sent out into the wilderness to perish.