Massachusetts: Ma-4

CAMBRIDGE -- When asked what he thinks of Republican presidential nominee John McCain and other Republicans blaming Barney Frank for the country's current economic problems, Congressman Michael Capuano could only laugh.

"I absolutely think it's hilarious that it's apparently his personal fault that the entire world economy is in the toilet," Capuano, a Somerville Democrat, told PolitickerMA.com. "I wish that Barney was that powerful and that influential because the world would be better off if he were."

WELLESLEY - Congressman Barney Frank and his opponents laid out very different plans for how to reduce the nation's growing budget deficit at a debate here Sunday.

Frank, a Newton Democrat, suggested five principles for reigning in spending. First, he said he "would begin by pulling out of that miserable, mistaken war in Iraq." The war, he said, has cost the country $600 billion. Frank also said he would reduce military spending.

WELLESLEY - Congressman Barney Frank and Republican challenger Earl Sholley traded a somewhat testy exchange here Sunday over gay marriage.

Frank, Sholley and Susan Allen, another challenger of Frank's, traded blows in an hour-long debate at Wellesley College. In one of the final questions posed by the moderator, the candidates were asked for their position on gay marriage and if judges should have the authority to determine whether gay marriage should be legal.

DENVER -- U.S. Rep. Barney Frank gave U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton high marks Wednesday morning for her speech and said that the party is unified, despite media accounts.

[img_assist|nid=891|title=U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Newton)|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=200|height=166]Frank (D-Newton), the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, told PolitickerMA.com that Clinton’s (D-N.Y.) was “great” before going into the Massachusetts delegation breakfast, which he sponsored Wednesday morning.