Frank: ‘No one can stop’ Obama from nominating Warren

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.)
is strongly urging President Obama to name Elizabeth Warren as the first head
of a consumer financial protection bureau, saying “no one can stop him” from
doing so.

Liberal Democrats, labor
unions and consumer advocacy groups are rallying behind Warren, who first
pushed for a new regulator to oversee home loans, credit cards and other
consumer products. The regulator is a centerpiece of financial legislation
enacted this week.

In an interview on MSNBC,
Frank defended the president against liberal criticism on a wide range of
economic and healthcare issues, but leaned on Obama to nominate Warren.

“And I would say to the president, look, I sympathize with
President Obama. He’s been criticized by some of my liberal friends. We didn’t
get a public option and we didn’t get the other things we wanted. That wasn’t
his fault,” Frank said. “The economic recovery bill, the stimulus — it wasn’t
as big as it should have been. That wasn’t his fault. He couldn’t get the
votes. But with regard to appointing Elizabeth Warren, that’s his decision. No
one can stop him from making it. And I hope he will appoint her.”