print, you only had to achieve modest performance gains to be eligible for $12.5 million in bonuses? it just doesn't seem to add up in our current times. >> i want to know who ok'd these salaries to begin with. for example, they didn't write them in themselves. it's not a private company so in 2008 when freddie and fannie were propped up by the u.s. government because it would be worst for the country if they collapsed, i'm sure somebody jotted that down. and this guy -- these guys didn't say it yesterday but they're saying overall, i need to make this much money but they didn't say -- >> what the number is. >> who allowed them to get this money and they didn't say, well, the government gave me this, what do you want me to do? >> sure, they say they have to be competitive. john thune, the esteemed senator from the northern plains wants the president of the united states to step in because it's time. >> my question is where is the president in all this? i mean, why can't the president, these people work for him. he set -- his pay czar set the executive pay at freddie mac and fannie mae, he should come in and suspend these bonuses right