Frank, Known As Irascible and Liberal, Reaches Our to Republicans on Housing Rescue -- Associated Press
[excerpts] Frank, Known As Irascible and Liberal, Reaches Our to Republicans on Housing Rescue, by Julie Hirschfeld Davis, Associated Press, May 7, 2008
Barney Frank does not have time for chitchat.
The quick-witted, sharp-tongued Massachusetts Democrat who just crafted a massive rescue response to the housing crisis is not your typical, backslapping politician.
But the 68-year-old chairman of the House Financial Services Committee can count votes and cut deals, and as both parties search for a politically palatable way to keep people in their homes, those talents are paying off.
Frank's plan to have the government take on as much as $300 billion in new loans for strapped borrowers is drawing bipartisan support as the House moves toward a vote on it Wednesday.
That's thanks in part to the Harvard-educated Frank's deep understanding of the markets, say lawmakers, aides and lobbyists who have worked closely with him.
It's also a testament to the liberal Democrat's unlikely alliance with two top players who owe their jobs to President Bush: Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.
Most of all, though, it is proof of Frank's success at reaching out to Republicans, offering key concessions without sacrificing the core of his plan, and selling the end result to a deeply divided Congress…
Since becoming Financial Service's chairman last year, Frank has surprised many with his appetite for bipartisan compromise.
'He kind of has a gruff exterior and he doesn't suffer fools gladly, but at the same time he's incredibly well-respected,' said former Republican Rep. Michael G. Oxley of Ohio, who chaired the committee. 'He's at heart a problem-solver and a lot less partisan than many people think."