When Ben Bernanke clears out his desk, he will leave unfinished work: as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, he will not sign off on the Economic Report of the President, the annual tome that charts US economic progress. The administration will miss not only his signature but also his role as a useful but relatively low-profile defender of George W. Bush’s economic policies.

“This will mean there is one less voice out there. In his articulation of policies, Ben’s speeches have been positive about the administration. It is crucial to have a solid economic voice in the White House,” says a former administration economist.