It’s barely been 24 hours since Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke announced, as expected, that he’s putting $600 billion into the American banking system, aid that’s called quantitative easing (or “QE 2” if you’re really with it). But Mr. Bernanke, sadly, has been taking it from all sides lately: the left, the right, even from the normally polite Canadians. The blog Zero Hedge even has a post today called “Entire World Blasts Deranged Madman’s Uncheckable Insanity.”
How has Mr. Bernanke been handling the pressure? Not very well, thorough photographic evidence suggests.
Whether he’s been at a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation symposium, a session of the G-20 Financial Ministers and Central Governors in South Korea, the inaugural meeting of the Financial Stability Oversight Council, or even a town hall meeting with Washington-area teachers, our Federal Reserve chief has looked plum glum lately.
You can see the dejection in his eyes, the despondency in the creases of his jowls, the dismal disconsolation in the downward dive of his moustache. Take a look.