Bernanke: Financial crisis would have been worse without Fed

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke was met with a mix of harsh criticism and low-key support as he defended his record at the central bank before the Senate banking committee. "We played a central role in efforts to quell financial turmoil," Bernanke said. "The outcome could have been markedly worse." Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., said he expects a majority of the committee to vote in favor of Bernanke's confirmation for another term.

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