Dave Ross: Who is really in Wall Street’s pocket?
May 25, 2016, 5:49 AM
A big issue in the presidential campaign has been which candidate is in Wall Street’s pocket.
So far polls show Hillary Clinton has been losing that argument, in part because she just can’t bring herself to release those highly-paid speeches she gave to companies like Goldman Sachs, leaving imaginations free to wander about the level of sucking up those speeches must contain.
Related: Vote for the presidential candidate that causes you the least embarrassment
It’s given Donald Trump a free ride on the issue – which is strange especially considering the recent stories about Trump buried in the business pages of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Stories like the time he missed a loan payment.
It was a big one too – $334 million on his tower in Chicago. A payment which came due during the housing crisis. And he couldn’t pay it. But instead of running to a payday lender in a panic, like we would have done, he claimed that the housing crisis was the equivalent of a natural disaster –- like an earthquake that no one could have predicted –- and sued the bank for demanding payment.
Now why didn’t we try that? Because he’s smart and we’re stupid, that’s why.
Anyway, the judge threw out Trump’s arguments, but the lawsuit forced the bank to negotiate, and it finally agreed -– listen to this -– to pay off part of its own loan. Just as any bank would do for ordinary people like you and me.
Not to take sides here, but when you read stories like that, taking a few million out of the pockets of Wall Street executives by sucking up to them in a speech, almost seems like a public service.
-
Tune in to KIRO Newsradio weekdays at 5am for Dave Ross on Seattle's Morning News.
