Oliver Clark (debate questioner) did know about Fannie and Freddie... (MSNBC FirstRead) [View All]

[Muttocracy]

(Sorry if this was posted earlier - searched and didn't find)

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/10/09/1523335.aspx

Questioner: 'I actually did' know Fannie
Posted: Thursday, October 09, 2008 3:34 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC's Michael Levine
I tried to get in touch via Facebook with Oliver Clark, the man who McCain said probably didn't know what Fannie Mae was before the financial crisis (at Tuesday's debate). Apparently others have done the same. He just posted the following on his Facebook page:


Ok I usually do not participate in blogs, but I have been receiving a lot of questions so here’s what happened:

1. How did I get to participate in the debate?
Well, as many of you know I went to undergrad at Tennessee State University. (Go Tigers) I have a Nashville area code for my cell phone.

...(snip for space but he has some funny stuff in there)...

5. How did I feel about Sen. McCain’s response?
Sen. McCain. Well, Sen. McCain answered the questions with attacks on Barack and did not address how this package was actually going to help out the average American. Not to mention attacks on myself, but that question is to follow. He did say he warned the public of the forthcoming crisis, which I guess was a good thing????

6. How did I feel about Sen. Obama’s response?
I felt Sen. Obama addressed the issue more directly then Sen. McCain did. Obama actually stated that the bailout package was going to help Americans buy homes and stay in their homes.

7. How did I feel about Sen. McCain stating “You probably never heard of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac before this.”
Well Senator, I actually did. I like to think of myself as a fairly intelligent person. I have a bachelor degree in Political Science from Tennessee State, so I try to keep myself up to date with current affairs. I have a Master degree in Legal Studies from Southern Illinois University, a few years in law school, and I am currently pursuing a Master in Public Administration from the University of Memphis. In defense of the Senator from Arizona I would say he is an older guy, and may have made an underestimation of my age. Honest mistake. However, it could be because I am a young African-American male. Whatever the case may be it was somewhat condescending regardless of my age to make an assumption regarding whether I was knowledgeable about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.