Payments to McCain campaign manager by Freddie Mac continued because as McCain's campaign manager, it was felt you couldn't say no.

From The Wall Street Journal Online:

The issue already seems to be affecting the presidential race. The latest Washington Post-ABC News finds historically pessimistic views of the economy, and indicates more voters trust Barack Obama to address the problems and handle the Wall Street crisis than Mr. McCain. That has improved Mr. Obama's overall support, the Post says, noting that among likely voters Mr. Obama leads Mr. McCain 52% to 43%, a sharp reversal from the slight lead Mr. McCain enjoyed after the Republican convention and a numerical superiority never achieved by John Kerry or Al Gore in 2004 and 2000.

Mr. McCain must also now explain emerging ties between his campaign manager, Rick Davis, and Freddie Mac, the mortgage giant that with Fannie Mae was recently taken over by the government. Two sources familiar with the arrangement tell Newsweek that since 2006, Mr. Davis's firm has been paid at least $345,000 by Freddie Mac. As the New York Times was reporting that Freddie paid a group run by Mr. Davis $30,000 a month until the end of 2005, Mr. McCain said Sunday night that Mr. Davis in the last several years had no involvement with Freddie. But, the Times today reports, payments of $15,000 a month to Mr. Davis's lobbying firm continued until Freddie was taken over by the government this month. Newsweek's two sources say "Davis himself approached Freddie Mac in 2006 and asked for a new consulting arrangement that would allow his firm to continue to be paid," the magazine reports. "The arrangement was approved by Hollis McLoughlin, Freddie Mac's senior vice president for external relations, because 'he [Davis] was John McCain's campaign manager and it was felt you couldn't say no,' one of the sources says.