President Barack Obama says his next Fed chairman should take ordinary people into account when setting monetary policy.

Obama told The New York Times in an interview on the paper's website Saturday that he wants someone who won't just work abstractly to keep inflation in check and maintain stability in the markets. He said he wants the next Fed chairman to also promote policies that will help make ordinary people's lives better.

The president began a series of speeches last week promoting ideas for easing the burdens on the middle class.

Obama is considering replacements for Ben Bernanke, whose term as Fed chairman expires early next year.

Former Obama economic adviser Larry Summers and Janet Yellen, the Fed's current vice chair, are among the leading candidates for the job.

A senior White House official told The Associated Press on Friday that Obama was not expected to announce a replacement for Bernanke before the fall.

The official was not authorized to speak by name about internal White House deliberations over personnel decisions.