How Did Fannie and Freddie Get to be the Symbols of the Housing Bubble?

In an article on addressing global warming would a serious newspaper throw in a comment to the effect that "many Americans consider it a hoax," without pointing out that it is not? It did the equivalent in an article on the Security and Exchange Commission's charges against the top executives at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for inaccurately representing their exposure to subprime debt.

The Post article at one point commented that:

"Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which came to symbolize the...