“I don’t know where that (report) came from,” Barr said. I asked him if he thought Warren was well-qualified for the position and if anyone at Treasury would stand in her way if she were the top choice. “I think Elizabeth is absolutely terrific,” Barr said. “She’s been working closely with me and Geithner for a year and half to push for this consumer protection bureau. I believe and Secretary Geithner believes that she’s exceptionally well-qualified to run it.”

If the Treasury Department was so insistent on the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, you’d think they’d want the most qualified person for the job running it – indeed, the person who came up with the idea. But that’s where you’d be wrong.

Senate Dems are making the final push on financial reform this week, but will big banks really change the way they do business? Or will we still be pawns in a game rigged in their favor? I caught up with Elizabeth Warren to talk about the need to reform Wall Street culture, the pernicious influence of bank lobbies, and the debt-fueled threat to America’s middle class.

Multiple outlets, but led by Jane Kleeb at Bold Nebraska, have confirmed that Ben Nelson will support the financial reform bill. It’s unclear what Nelson got in exchange for his support, but that was a pretty quick turnaround. Maybe Harry Reid told him that his objection to no Senate input on the head of the new consumer protection bureau was totally ridiculous, because the position is subject to Senate confirmation. Perhaps Nelson just said, “Oh,” and moved on.

With Olympia Snowe joining Susan Collins and Scott Brown by signing on to the financial reform bill, many outlets have reported that this gives the Democrats the votes they need to pass the measure. That’s only half-true; Democrats may have the votes after a replacement Senator is named in West Virginia. But at the moment, the fate of the bill rests in the hands of none other than the still-undecided Ben Nelson.

An odyssey that started back in December in the House could finally culminate today, with the finishing touches put on the Wall Street reform bill as the conference committee winds up its work. With so many consequential issues still yet to be fully decided, it’s hard to know how to judge that finished product.

Yesterday was a singularly unimpressive day at the Wall Street reform conference committee, with concessions and industry giveaways galore.

After the first week of the conference committee for Wall Street reform, I would call the verdict middling. Reformers have won some victories – all hedge funds and private equity firms will have to register with the SEC, credit rating agencies will be on the hook for standard liability for negligence, the Fed audit is more robust and ongoing.

All four key areas identified by Mike Konczal of the Roosevelt Institute are under attack from the finance lobby. All four are crucial to get us closer to a safe and working banking system. Negotiations continue throughout the weekend.

The vote today provides an opportunity to see, in full view, who supports consumer protections and who supports auto dealers getting a free pass. Public Citizen, one of the pro-reform groups working on this effort, has a guide to which members of the Senate would be most likely to support the auto dealers on this one. And an interesting name tops the list. . . .