Obama Reportedly Tossed A Third-Name Into The Mix For The Fed Chair

REUTERS/Price ChambersFederal Reserve Vice Chairman Donald Kohn walks with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke (R) as they take a brief morning break at the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium in Grand Teton National Park, August 27, 2010.Today, in a meeting with House democrats, President Obama reportedly defended former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers as a candidate to replace Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke when his term expires in January, saying that Summers' critics were not giving him a "fair shake."

Based on ruminations from the White House, Summers is reportedly a frontrunner for the position, along with current Fed Vice Chair Janet Yellen.

Aside from Summers and Yellen, there was apparently only one other name on the tip of Obama's tongue today: Donald Kohn.

"Mr Obama also mentioned by name a third person, Don Kohn, a former Fed vice-chair, as a possible candidate to replace Ben Bernanke, who retires after two four-year terms in January next year," reports the FT's Richard McGregor.

Kohn sat on the FOMC from 1987-2010, serving his last four years as Vice Chair.