Elizabeth Warren defends new consumer protection bureau, asks for help

MSNBC's Marty Wolk aks a question of Elizabeth Warren, special adviser to President Obama.

Before Elizabeth Warren, assistant to President Obama and woman setting up the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finished answering questions, CNNMoney’s Annalyn Censky had filed this report:

Elizabeth Warren defends consumer protection bureau

That’s one of the great things about SABEW conventions. The organizers gather some heavy-hitters as speakers and the audience is full of no-nonsense business reporters and editors. News is spoken. News is reported.

Warren, who spoke at SABEW’s spring convention in Dallas, was amusing and casual as she talked about the bureau she is building which is charged with regulating credit cards, mortgages and other financial products like payday loans.

She outlined attacks on the bureau before it even begins and asked business journalists to “please stay engaged .. and hold regulators accountable.”

She pointed out limitations on the bureau and efforts to close it down before it’s launched.

But, “I’m not going down with this agency without a fight,” she said.

Warren, who has not been named to lead the bureau, “that is up to the President,” said her job now is in setting up a body that will be effective.

“How do you make sure this agency does what it was designed to do…. this year, 30 years from now, 50 years from now?” she asked.

The Bureau has launched new Website: New consumer protection bureau is open for suggestions