Posted by
Sue on Monday, January 12, 2009 12:56:10 PM
Well, here we are into our first week of 2009. How could we not say "goodbye" to 2008 without a skip down the past year and the words that we heard.
"AIG could have huge gains in the second quarter."
Bijan Moazami, anyalyst, Friedman, Billings, Ramsey - May 9, 2008
AIG wound up losing $5 billion in that quarter and $25 billion in the next. It was taken over in September by the U.S. government, which will spend or lend $150 billion to keep it afloat.
Guess we are still waiting for that"HUGE GAIN" to hit.
"Freddie Mac and Fannie are fundamentally sounds...I think they are in good shape going forward."
Barney Frank House Financial Services Committee Chairman July 14, 2008
Two months later, the government forced the mortgage giants into conservatorships.
Way to go Barney!
"In today's regulatory environment, it's virtually impossible to violate rules."
Bernard Madoff money manager October 20, 2007
On December 11, Madoff was arrestd for allegedly running a Ponzi scheme that may have cost investors $50 billion.
So, he said this the previous year, but I had to add it. Guess he knows his way around the "rules."
"I expect there will be some failures....I don't anticipate any serious problems of that sort among the large internationally active banks."
Ben Bernanke Federal Reserve Chairman February 28, 2008
In September Washington Mutual became the largest financial institution in U.S. history to fail. Citigroup needed an even bigger rescue in November.
Apparently Ben was pretty much off the mark on this one!
"The nation will live to regret waht the court has done today."
US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia after the court rules foreign terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay can challenge their detention in US courts.
Week of June 17, 2008
I do believe we may all suffer as Americans and our country with this ruling.
"It's not based on any particular data point. We just wanted to choose a really large number."
US Treasury Department spokeswoman explaining how they settled on $700 billion for the first bailout of the economy.
WTH? Good thing they just picked a number out of thin air.
"Can I explain to you what happened? Frist of all it happened during a period after she was in remission from cancer."
John Edwards on cheating on hiw wife to ABC News.
August 8, 2008
What a total loser. I can't say much else.
"It's not surprising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anit-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."
Senator from Illinois at a San Francisco fundraiser about his troubles winning over small-town, working class voters.
April 11, 2008
Unity my booty!
"Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter."
President George W. Bush, in parting words to Britsh Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy at his final G-8 Summit, punching the air and grinning widely as the two leaders looked on in shock.
July 10, 2008
I remember seeing this on the news and I just had to laugh!
"Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified than I am to be vice president of the United States of America. Quite frankly, it might have been a better pick than me."
Senator Joe "Gaffetastic" Biden, speaking at a town hall meeting in Nashua, New Hampshire.
September 10, 2008
And now this gaffe machine is the vice-president elect. Super!
"I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base."
Senator Hillary Clinton on visiting Bosnia in 1996, contradicting othr accounts that said there was no threat of gunfire. Clinton later said she "misspoke."
Oh Hillary, you lied big time!
"On this Memorial Day, as our nation honors its unbroken line of fallen heroes – and I see many of them in the audience here today – our sense of patriotism is particularly strong."
Senator from Illinois
Memorial Day 2008
So, does he see ghosts?
"The conduct would make Lincoln roll over in his grave."
Patrick Fitzgerald, attorney in Chicago, as Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is accused of trying to auction Obama's senate seat in return for favors.
Week of December 16, 2008
And now Lincoln may be rolling over, but this Governor is pretty much running the state. Before too long, he will probably pardon himself.
I didn't just fall of the wagon. I let the wagon fall on me."
Oprah Winfrey on her weight gain of 40 pounds.
Week of Decembr 16, 2008
Again Oprah, it is the food.
"Change has come to America."
Obama victory speech.
November 4, 2008
Please keep the change.
"Sugar is responsible for a lot of deaths. Arguably more than crack cocaine."
Guy Richie, ex husband of Madonna.
Week of August 4, 2008
Another Hollywood person with nothing to say!
"Wall Street got drunk and now it's got a hangover. And the question is how long will it sober up and not tr to do those fancy financial instruments?"
President George W. Bush pondering America's financial services meltdown.
Week of July 29, 2008
And they are still drunk and drinking heavily!
"We have sort of become a nation of whiners."
Phil Gramm
July 10, 2008
And Phil, I have to agree with you!
"It's a decision of the Supreme Court. So this is almost as if God has spoken."
Nancy Pelosi's reacton to the Supreme Court's decision on eminent domain.
What a potato head!
"When the stock market crashed, Franklin D. Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about the, you know, the princes of greed. He said, "Look, here's what happened."
Senator Joe "Gaffetastic" Biden discussing the economy of the US.
Again the new vice-president showing his lack of wisdom on any topic. Good thing the press was slamming Governor Palin when this half wit was gaffing day after day, minute by minute!
"I'm, you know, actually Andrew Cuomo is someone I've known for many, many years and we've talked, you know, throughout this process, so, you know, we have a really good relationship and I admire the work he's doing now and what he's done, so I'm not really going to kind of criticize any of these other candidates, because I think there are a lot of people with great experience, and, you know, any one of which the governor could easily pick and they'd do a good job."
Caroline Kennedy on the other potential candidates for the senator of New York.
New York Times Interview
December 28, 2008
I got a headache from just reading this, you know!
"As I said, I mean, he loves the Senate, it's been, you know, the most, you know, rewarding life for him, you know, I'm sure he would love it to feel like somebody that he cared about had that same kind of opportunity, and I think he really – and so do I, think the impact he's had on, you know, working people, you know, the minimum wage fights that he's led, health care, I mean that's really – his example is something that, as I said, inspires me, because of the impact that he's been able to have. Whetherit's voting, civil rights, you know, across the board, and I think he's shown that the Senate can have that kind of impact on people's daily lives. Adn that's what's appealing about this opportunity, and I mean, I think, for those reasons he would love to have somebody that ecares about following, you know, that tradition. But I think in terms of me, you know, he doesn't care, you know, he's happy if I'm happy.
Again, the headache is bigger. Again good thing the press was slamming Governor Palin, when these magical words were being spoken, you know!
So, we are off to a new year. New gaffes, new predictions, new scandals and who knows what. Will we see "hope" and "change?" Yes we can or no we won't.
Happy New Year to all!