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34 Responses to “More Questions on Apartmentgate”

1. 1 1 Chris
   July 2, 2008 at 5:46 pm

   If Norm is getting a sweetheart deal, than it certainly should be exposed and handled accordingly. What I find interesting is the complete lack of outrage over Senators Christopher Dodd and Kent Conrad and their sweetheart “V.I.P.” deals from Countrywide mortgage company. Dodd is even the chairman of the banking committee with Conrad being the chairman of the budget committee and a member of the finance committee. Now, it has been reported that Senator Obama received a discounted home loan from Northern Trust on his Chicago home. What I’d like to know is, where’s CREW?

2. 2 2 Zack Stephenson
   July 2, 2008 at 6:05 pm

   Chris -

   I am glad you asked. CREW filed an ethics complaint against Dodd and Conrad on the 13th of June. http://www.citizensforethics.org/node/31986

3. 3 3 Typical Frightened Right Wing Guy
   July 2, 2008 at 6:14 pm

   Chris, I agree 100%,

   Everybody knows BarackObama received a discounted loan from Northern Trust with a interest rate that was BELOW AVERAGE.

   That’s right, I know we’re getting the vapors now. It was BELOW AVERAGE!!!

   It’s the same kind of treatment some people get when their credit ratings are strong.

   Again, Barack Obama’s loan had an interest rate that was BELOW AVERAGE!!!!!

   Everyone knows, of course, if you get a loan at a below average rate, you must be doing something sinister, especially if you are a moonbat like Barack Obama.

   Below Average Interest = OUTRAGE!!!! Lordy Lordy do I have the vapors over this, just as you do Chris.

   Thank you, Chris, for taking down these moonbats so very well.

   Great Job!

4. 4 4 Chris
   July 2, 2008 at 6:14 pm

   That’s good to know. It will be interesting if they will file an ethics complaint against Obama. Word is, his sweetheart mortgage saved him some $300 a month.

5. 5 5 Typical Frightened Right Wing Guy
   July 2, 2008 at 6:16 pm

   Chris, I agree 100%,

   LOLOLOLOLS!!!!

   Great Job!

6. 6 6 TwoPuttTommy
   July 2, 2008 at 6:17 pm

   Chris, as Zack pointed out, there’s plenty of outrage, and CREW is on top of it.

7. 7 7 Chris
   July 2, 2008 at 6:21 pm

   Frightened,

   I almost never read what you write, let alone respond. But it’s unfortunate that you don’t realize there’s a problem when a bank gives a U.S. Senator a lower than normal mortgage rate. As I said, Obama’s mortgage saved him some $300 a month. I bet you’d feel differently if you lived in Chicago and had to pay a higher rate on your mortgage than your senator. And I know you’d feel different if it was Norm Coleman or Tim Pawlenty that had a below-market rate on their mortgages. Banks don’t give away money for nothing. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand why a bank would discount a mortgage for a U.S. Senator.

8. 8 8 Zack Stephenson
   July 2, 2008 at 6:21 pm

   Actually, Obama’s discount is well within the range accessible to the average consumer. The problem with Dodd and Conrad is that they got special discounts only available to the powerful. No one alleges anything like that in the case of Obama.

   More here… http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/07/most-irresponsible-piece-of-journalism.html

9. 9 9 TwoPuttTommy
   July 2, 2008 at 6:26 pm

   Chris, if you got proof of that, you’re sittin’ on a big story. But you don’t, so you aren’t.

   This thread here, about an electric bill, is a big story.

   So is this story: Is Norm’s Pal Jeff a Tax Cheat?

10. 10 10 Chris
    July 2, 2008 at 6:28 pm

    Zack,

    The FICO score explanation just doesn’t cut it for me. The Obamas’ home cost over $1.65 million. And their mortgage was over $1.3 miliion. How many people with poor credit can afford a $1.3 million mortgage? I’m not saying that Obama peddled influence, but if you don’t think the fact that he was a sitting U.S. Senator had something to do with the discount, I think you’re dreaming.

11. 11 11 Typical Frightened Right Wing Guy
    July 2, 2008 at 6:30 pm

    Chris, I agree 100%,

    Everyone knows Barack Obama had a poor credit rating, because he is a Liberal.

    Great Job!

12. 12 12 Chris
    July 2, 2008 at 6:33 pm

    If you’re interested in reading the reporting on this, you can read the Washington Post and reach your own conclusions: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/01/AR2008070103008.html?hpid=topnews

13. 13 13 Chris
    July 2, 2008 at 6:37 pm

    Frightened,

    You’re so ignorant it’s not even funny. I never said he had poor credit. I don’t think the explanation that Obama had a better FICO score is credible. You have to be very financially sound to get a $1.3 million mortgage. Moreover, the article explained that they compared Obama’s loan and rates with other “super super jumbo loans” like Obama’s. In other words, they compared apples to apples. I’m sorry you’re such a kool aid drinker that you’re not willing to become informed on virtually any issue. That, to use a pun, is frightening.

14. 14 14 Anonymous
    July 2, 2008 at 6:38 pm

    Chris I agree 100%

    “In Obama’s case, he received a lower rate than the average offered at the time in Chicago for similarly structured jumbo loans. He secured his final mortgage commitment on June 8, 2005, and during that week, rates on similar loans for which information is available averaged 5.93 percent, according to HSH Associates, which surveys lenders. Another survey firm, Bankrate.com, placed the average at 6 percent.

    “It’s certainly safe to say that this borrower did better than average,” said Keith Gumbinger, an HSH vice president, noting that consumer rates vary widely. “It’s a good deal”.

    HOLY COW HE RECEIVED A LOAN AT A RATE THAT WAS BETTER THAN AVERAGE!!!!! It was a “GOOD DEAL”.

    OMGOMGOMG

    That’s right, it was NOT AN AVERAGE LOAN!!!

    Lordy Lordy do I have the vapors now. Thanks for posting that damning link, Chris.

    Great Job!

15. 15 15 Typical Frightened Right Wing Guy
    July 2, 2008 at 6:39 pm

    Chris, I agree 100%,

    I don’t buy that Barack Obama had a better FICA score either. He is a Liberal, after all.

    Great Job!

16. 16 16 Zack Stephenson
    July 2, 2008 at 6:41 pm

    Chris -

    The average rate wasn’t the average rate for $1.65 million mortgages, it was the average rate for ALL mortgages. You are right, not many people who have mortgages over a million dollars are going to have poor credit. But that really doesn’t mean anything. The Obama’s probably have good credit. As the article I linked to before noted, up to a .5% discount is standard operating proceedure for people with great credit. Obama got a .3% discount.

    But here is the biggest piece of evidence that there is nothing to the story. The Washington Post ran the story on A3. Don’t you think that if Obama got an unethical discount on his mortgage it would have been front page news.

17. 17 17 TwoPuttTommy
    July 2, 2008 at 6:43 pm

    “Under financial disclosure rules, members of Congress are not obliged to disclose debts owed to financial institutions for personal residences. Names of lenders and rates paid on mortgages sometimes can be determined by scrutinizing property transaction records. In March, in response to media questions, Obama posted on his campaign Web site records related to his house purchase. “

    CREW filed the complaint on Democrats Dodd and Conrad; if they thought Obama “earned” a complaint they would have. And Obama has been very upfront about his mortgage, as Chris’ link so demonstrates, so: ‘nuff said ‘bout that.

    Now, back to ol’ Smokescreen: they’re claiming Norm only gets the 10, “no - wait! 9.5!!!” by 10, “no, wait! 9.5!!!” bedroom; so how do they explain the split on the electricity?

    Well, with bootlickers like Chris areound, they won’t have to. Bootlickers don’t need no stinkin’ explanations….

18. 18 18 Chris
    July 2, 2008 at 6:48 pm

    Zack,

    I disagree with you. The article compared “super super jumbo” mortgages and found the discount. It wouldn’t be fair to compare all mortgages because price, credit worthiness, etc. would come into play.

    I think the story raises a few eyebrows. Even the banking law professor from Georgetown said that it looks like Members of Congress are getting sweetheart deals that aren’t available to the public. The question is whether the people knew they were getting discounted rates.

19. 19 19 IoannesMagnumus
    July 2, 2008 at 7:21 pm

    Tom Steward? Didn’t he used to be that crappy reporter on WCCO-TV? And I know that Leslie Kupchella (the wife of crappy reporter Rick Kupchella) is tight with Nahm. Do you see a trend here?

20. 20 20 Typical Frightened Right Wing Guy
    July 2, 2008 at 9:52 pm

    Chris, I agree 100%,

    There are some people who seem to think this Obama story is splitting hairs, or is trying to make an issue out of something that people are not concerned with. There may even be a few who don’t even see anything wrong with Obama’s mortgage. Obviously, they are not Republicans. Party determines the facts, AND the outrage.

    There are some people who think that we Republicans blindly hate first and then find reasons for our hate. People who believe that crap are just moonbats who hate America and want to surrender to terrorists. They are wrong. We don’t hate. We win….by any means necessary. Bush won. Get over it.

    If we don’t win then America will be ruined by the people who disagree with us. That is intolerable.

    So, don’t give up, Chris! …and here’s a suprise for you….

    Not only do I agree with you 100%, so do Rush Limbaugh, Laura Flanders, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, Anne Coulter, Michelle Malkin, Robert Novak, Mary Matilin, Tony Snow, Jeff Gannon, Liz Trotta, Kevin James, Michael Savage, Steve Doocy, Charlie Gibson, Glenn Beck, Tucker Carlson, William Bennett, Matt Drudge, Charles Krauthhammer, David Limbaugh, Melanie Morgan, John Stossel, Chris Wallace, Britt Hume and George Will, among others.

    We all agree 100%!

    That small list of hardly marketed or heard (because of the liberal media) Conservative voices is why Barack Obama’s mortgage rate raises few eyebrows. There are too few unibrows always scanning moonbats for reasons to have the vapors. Our voices are hardly ever heard in the press.

    Luckily though for us Republicans it is easy to find the flaws of moonbats. It’s just too bad the Liberals have so many pundits in the media who always say the same exact things that disagree with us. That makes it difficult for us Republicans to get our talking points and criticisms heard by average Americans.

    Well don’t give up, Chris, keep repeating the same talking points as often as possible. Say them over and over to people who have already heard them frequently, and always repeat them as if the person you’re saying the talking point too has never heard that one before. Everyone knows that approach always works.

    Great Job!

21. 21 21 Zach (the other one)
    July 2, 2008 at 11:18 pm

    Lets argue about Obama, and forget what a lying, conniving cheat little Normie is…. Did you guys see the letter in the Star Trib tommorrow?
    I’ll paste it…

    So Jeff Larson provides Sen. Norman Coleman with a deluxe townhouse to live in, right on Capitol Hill. When questioned, Coleman and Larson allege “It’s only a cramped bed, crammed into the corner of a basement, used for only three hours a night.”

    I’ve got friends who live in Takoma Park, just miles from Capitol Hill, who rent out a basement bedroom with no kitchen for more than $1,000 a month. It’s dingy and moldy, and I wouldn’t leave a dog there overnight, but the going rental rates are ferocious.

    This one does not pass the smell test.

    DAVE PORTER, MINNEAPOLIS

    This issue has zero to do with Barack Obama’s mortgage. I don’t blame any neocons for wanting to change the subject. Normie is in a world of hurt and that scumbag deserves it. To think, we were worried about Al overpaying his taxes to the wrong states, while Norm is living for what, 25% of his deserved rent, not even? I can’t believe any self respecting human being would stick up for this trash. It almost makes me feel bad for Normie’s fellow Bush apologists. But not really. You guys are cowards. Just like your heros.

22. 22 22 lojasmo
    July 2, 2008 at 11:41 pm

    Chris-

    Obama had a below AVERAGE interest rate. Do you know what AVERAGE means? Let’s have a primer. Average is the MIDDLE. That means that many mortgage rates will be BELOW, and many will be ABOVE.

    Obama had just signed a 2.5 million dollar book deal, and furthermore, he and his wife were making approximately $500K annually. They also carried no credit card debt, and had a couple hundred thousand in savings.

    Now tell me: Can you see any reasons their mortgages might have been below average?

    Can ya?

    Now, back to the topic at hand. Norm is clearly lying when he implies that the rent he pays is appropriate for the apartment he is staying in. That he has peddled favors to his ‘landlord’ and his landlord’s wife is beyond the pale.

23. 23 23 twoputttommy
    July 3, 2008 at 12:02 am

    And the rate is less than half a point below average. Anybody with Obama’s financial situation could negotiate that.

24. 24 24 Yoni
    July 3, 2008 at 12:25 am

    There are some people who think that we Republicans blindly hate first and then find reasons for our hate. People who believe that crap are just moonbats who hate America and want to surrender to terrorists. They are wrong. We don’t hate. We win….by any means necessary. Bush won. Get over it.

    that could be the biggest load of bullshit I have ever heard on a blog, and that says a lot, I have been reading MDE for a little over 7 months now. Well except the win by any means necessary part. aka the Republican smear machine of Rove, and our homegrown Ron Carey, and Michael Brodkrap who must really be neglecting his family with his 50 posts a day on bullshit and his “consulting” job for whatever Republican douche he is working for. His wife must be the bread winner of the family…..

25. 25 25 Chris
    July 3, 2008 at 1:28 pm

    lojasmo,

    Apparently you don’t understand mortgages. The one the Obamas received is called a “super super jumbo” mortgage. It’s an unusual mortgage because of its size. There are relatively few “super super jumbo” mortgages in the U.S., let alone in a limited geographic area like Chicago. It’s not necessarily true that anyone in Obama’s financial situation could negotiate a significantly lower rate because you have to be in Obama’s financial situation to qualify for a “super, super jumbo.” The Obamas’ home costs over $1.6 million. It’s not like it’s a typical $300,000 home in the Minneapolis suburbs. You have to compare apples to apples, not apples to oranges.

26. 26 26 Typical Frightened Right Wing Guy
    July 3, 2008 at 1:52 pm

    Chris, I agree 100%,

    What sort of mortgages did John McCain get on his many houses, is that information even available? I wish it was, because I’m certain that information would help us take down moonbats.

    I’m sure whatever he did to purchase his seven large properties, he got no sweetheart deals. He probably paid an average interest rate, or maybe a higher one.

    He may have even gotten a “super, super jumbo”, and had to pay an interest rate that was exactly average. For some reason it is difficult to find out this information.

    But, since he is Republican, obviously everything is legitimate, responsible, and interest rates that are of average interest or above average. This is just common knowledge.

    I think McCain should bring up Obama’s fishy mortgage that raises eyebrows during their next debate, so he can prove to all of us how correctly and responsibly Republicans handle their finances, and show he had never gotten any sweetheart deals on any of his many properties……especially that condo in San Diego.

    Great Job, Chris!

27. 27 27 Steve
    July 4, 2008 at 10:08 am

    The one the Obamas received is called a “super super jumbo” mortgage. It’s an unusual mortgage because of its size.

    It’s not, dude. Try googling “super super jumbo mortgage” and note that all the hits that come up are based on that Post story. It’s a super jumbo mortgage, and the Post got someone who doesn’t know anything about mortgage lending to write the story.

    (FWIW, I don’t think it’s that surprising that Northern Trust cut him a break, given that he deposited his book contract money in a trust account with them — giving people with large accounts points on a mortgage is normal private banking practice to gain customers, and if you suddenly got a multi-million-dollar book deal, you could call U.S. Trust or Northern Trust and do the same thing.)

28. 28 28 Virtually Speaking
    July 5, 2008 at 7:29 am

    Well, I’ve learned my lesson. When I become a member of Congress [and plan to run for President], I’ll be sure to demand that my mortgage rate be above market value, and I’ll research it thoroughly before I sign the papers to make sure no one sneaks in any discount.

    John McCain probably did not have to do this to avoid scrutiny if he had his beer heiress trophy wife buy all their homes with cash.

    I wonder if Norm has any regrets about digging around in Franken’s trash for the IRS dirt. The payback looks like it’s uncomfortable. But has it impacted on any polling yet?

29. 29 29 Chris
    July 5, 2008 at 2:32 pm

    Steve,

    The Obamas’ house cost over $1.6 million. Does it not make sense to you that you would have to be very wealthy to qualify for a 1.3 million dollar loan on a 1.6 million dollar home? It’s amazing with all of the mortgage scandals involving other U.S. Senators that you wouldn’t even entertain the fact that the Obamas got a deal on their mortgage that was better than what other people got.

30. 30 30 Chris
    July 5, 2008 at 2:33 pm

    Virtually Speaking,

    You can say what you want about McCain’s “beer heiress trophy wife” but at least she’s been really proud of her country her WHOLE adult life.

31. 31 31 Typical Frightened Right Wing Guy
    July 5, 2008 at 3:13 pm

    Chris, I agree 100%,

    Thank you for repeating the talking points these moonbats have never heard before. You repeat them very well. Repeating them often is the key to making the talking points work their magic, as you know.

    Do not stray from the taklking points.

    These moonbats hate America, are not proud of their country, and want to surrender to terrorists. Telling them that, of course, makes them go away.

    Your “winning election strategy” is as intelligent as you are, Chris.

    There are some who say that you might be saying things that lack independent thought and critical analysis. They are merely moonbats wh are jealous, because we Republicans have been 100% correct on every issue for many years now.

    The moonbats also can’t stand the fact that we Republicans have correctly predicted the outcome of the policies we pushed through for the 4 years that we Republicans controlled the House, the Senate, and the White house.

    We pushed through every bill we wanted, and every American should be grateful.

    Everybody knows trickle down economics have worked very very well.

    Yes, we Republicans have been proud of our country our whole lives, as long as that only includes the people we agree with 100%, you know Chris, the people that matter.

    Moonbats are something we Republicans are not proud of, but they don’t matter anyway.

    You are an AWESOME commenter, and represent the MOB very very well.

    Great Job, Chris.

32. 32 32 Chris
    July 5, 2008 at 8:31 pm

    Frightened,

    At the risk of engaging you, I’d like to see you get a $1.3 million dollar loan if you don’t have the means to pay it back and a high FICO score. Of course, you probably don’t know what a FICO score is - but it has nothing to do with Weight Watchers or college admissions.

33. 33 33 Typical Frightened Right Wing Guy
    July 5, 2008 at 8:44 pm

    Chris, I agree 100%,

    Obviously, we Republicans are much much smarter than anyone who disagrees with us, but that goes without saying.

    Such things as “FICO” scores are a mystery to anyone who is a moonbat, because they are both stupid and lazy.

    Everyone knows the only thing any moonbat knows about financing is how to apply for a payday advance.

    Great Job, Chris, the smartest commenter on MN Publius.

34. 34 34 TwoPuttTommy
    July 6, 2008 at 12:31 pm

    Chris, according to theThe Washington Post, the going rate was 5.93 and Obama got a 5.625, or a little over a quarter point.

    Thank you for proving once again that you do a damned fine job of regurgitating republiCon talking points that are absolutely meaningless.

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