Affluence or Influence

I like this insight from John Cole:

Email documents from Countrywide show he got half-point off on his loan from the prevailing rate, but I am not sure whether that is due to Dodd’s affluence or his influence. Probably a bit of both.

I'm surprised Republicans are trying to push this "who got preferential treatment" thing, but I guess it's an attempt to muddy the waters, like the tried before the 2006 elections, a la "they're all corrupt" stories in the face of Abramoff, Mark Foley, Larry Craig, etc.