# WaPo calls out Gingrich for his preposterous lie about his Freddie Mac role **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 12, 2011, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736 "2011-11-12T22:46:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Linden\_Arden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Linden\_Arden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linden_Arden)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2011, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736/1 "2011-11-12T22:46:07Z")
Remember when Newt claimed he was just a “historian” for his $300,000 payday at Freddie Mac? > **[Opinion | Gingrich, Fannie and Freddie](https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/post/gingrich-fannie-and-freddie/2011/11/10/gIQAYxw28M_blog.html)** > > Was he part of the problem? Wow - such lying. Stunning. Will conservatives notice? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2011, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736/2 "2011-11-12T22:52:32Z")
Will anyone notice? I mean, is anyone paying enough attention to Gingrich for this to really ping anyone’s radar? ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2011, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736/3 "2011-11-12T23:34:34Z")
Well, he has seen a bump in recent polls, tho seems like GOP candidates can almost get away with murder, and people will still vote for them. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736/4 "2011-11-13T01:18:05Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Well, he has seen a bump in recent polls, tho seems like GOP candidates can almost get away with murder, and people will still vote for them. It appears to be his turn to be “anybody but Romney”. One by one, each of the “abR” candidates has demonstrated that they can’t get away with their screwups and/or imbecility. Of course, once Republican voters start looking at him again, they’ll remember that they didn’t like him either. I predict that the exhumed grinning skull of Ronald Reagan will be propped up on a broomstick at the next debate, and will immediately surge to a tie for the lead in the polls. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736/5 "2011-11-13T06:05:53Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > I predict that the exhumed grinning skull of Ronald Reagan will be propped up on a broomstick at the next debate, and will immediately surge to a tie for the lead in the polls. I would not bet against this, were I to ever see said skull propped up on broomstick at a debate. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736/6 "2011-11-14T16:48:07Z")
> [@Linden\_Arden](#): > > Remember when Newt claimed he was just a “historian” for his $300,000 payday at Freddie Mac? > > [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/post/gingrich-fannie-and-freddie/2011/11/10/gIQAYxw28M\_blog.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/post/gingrich-fannie-and-freddie/2011/11/10/gIQAYxw28M_blog.html) > > Wow - such lying. Stunning. > > Will conservatives notice? Your link is TLDR, even though I did try. Why don’t you quote the specific part that proves there was some huge lie going on. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736/7 "2011-11-14T17:35:36Z")
Because there aren’t any. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736/8 "2011-11-14T17:58:55Z")
[Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission's 10 Major Findings | HuffPost Impact](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/27/financial-crisis-inquiry-commission-findings_n_814935.html) The Fannie and Freddie role was of little consequence in the crisis. The house did an investigation and these are what went wrong. It was avoidable . It had lots of cogs turning the wheels, but Fannie and Freddie are only important in Republican talking points. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736/9 "2011-11-14T21:21:00Z")
> [@Linden\_Arden](#): > > Remember when Newt claimed he was just a “historian” for his $300,000 payday at Freddie Mac? > > [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/post/gingrich-fannie-and-freddie/2011/11/10/gIQAYxw28M\_blog.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/post/gingrich-fannie-and-freddie/2011/11/10/gIQAYxw28M_blog.html) > > Wow - such lying. Stunning. > > Will conservatives notice? Your link mentions that he spoke at a couple of Freddie Mac events. What exactly do you think was so awful or did you not bother to read the link you posted? ---
**Author:** ![Linden\_Arden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Linden\_Arden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linden_Arden)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736/10 "2011-11-14T22:11:05Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > Your link mentions that he spoke at a couple of Freddie Mac events. What exactly do you think was so awful or did you not bother to read the link you posted? Gingrich was an unapologetic proponent of affordable housing via the GSE model that he was paid to promote. Now, in a remarkable about-face, he claims he was only a paid historian for them. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736/11 "2011-11-14T22:52:53Z")
Yes, but he wasn’t a proponent _when he was being paid by them_, which is what he was being asked about. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736/12 "2011-11-14T22:56:59Z")
> [@Linden\_Arden](#): > > Gingrich was an unapologetic proponent of affordable housing via the GSE model that he was paid to promote. > > Now, in a remarkable about-face, he claims he was only a paid historian for them. You are getting your timelines mixed up. Gingrich spoke out in favor of the GSE back in the nineties, when he was in Congress, not when he was consulting for them 10 years later. He spoke quite strongly against their lending practices later. Do you think he couldn’t be acting as an historian when he discussed their actions compared to previous events instead of talking about the battle of Antietam? It is perfectly valid for historians to discuss current events. You don’t think a historian can’t discuss Afghanistan? Frankly historians are often valuable for supplying context. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736/13 "2011-11-15T16:40:52Z")
I think the role of Fannie mae and Freddie mac in the financial crisis have been distorted but I don’t se a problem with Newt Gingrich taking money from them and using his influence to make their case for them within conservative circles and more than I would see a problem with Democratic lobbyists taking money from big oil or nuclear power to make their case on the Democratic side of the aisle. For the record I think we should get rid of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as private entities. There is nothing that Fanie Mae and Freddie Mac do to advance policy that Ginnie Mae does not or cannot do and Ginnie Mae does not pay millions in salary and bonuses to their top executives. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2011, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736/14 "2011-11-16T01:32:12Z")
It is not about a job. We do judge people who act against their principals for money. Lawyers often catch flak for representing people society hates. Gingrich has bitched about Fannie and Freddie like any other slanted righty. Except Newt may actually know the truth. When he was in power, he shut down the government and led the impeachment of Clinton while he was guilty of worse actions himself. He is a whore. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736/15 "2011-11-18T05:11:19Z")
Now the word is Newt got close to 2 million for consulting for Fannie and Freddie. He was no historian, that is BS. He was a lobbyist with big time connections. Why the hell would they give 2 million to him for being a historian? Yet someone is dumb enough to believe that? ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736/16 "2011-11-18T16:44:47Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I would not bet against this, were I to ever see said skull propped up on broomstick at a debate. Maybe Reagan’s skull can debate Nixon’s head in a jar… ---
**Author:** ![Linden\_Arden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Linden\_Arden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linden_Arden)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736/17 "2011-11-18T21:40:59Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Yes, but he wasn’t a proponent _when he was being paid by them_, which is what he was being asked about. He most certainly was. He was on the payroll for Freddie Mac until 2008. During that time he was called on to promote the GSE. source - Freddie Mac executives as quoted by Bloomberg News. ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736/18 "2011-11-18T21:54:58Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Maybe Reagan’s skull can debate Nixon’s head in a jar… I think I’d pay to see that. Nixon: I am not a crook! Reagan: My heart and my best intentions still tell me that’s true, but the facts and evidence tell me it is not. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2011, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736/19 "2011-11-18T23:58:50Z")
I find it a little tough to swallow that when Freddie Mac walked in and said to Newt, “We are now making loans to people who have no credit history and have no record of paying back anything, but that’s what the government wants us to do,” and Newt told them that “this is a bubble. This is insane. This is impossible,” that Freddie Mac then said, “Thanks Newt. Here’s three hundred thousand dollars. Off you go.” ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736/20 "2011-11-19T03:02:06Z")
Yeah, that’s silly. He was paid in advance. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wapo-calls-out-gingrich-for-his-preposterous-lie-about-his-freddie-mac-role/602736.md?page=2)