Margaret Smith, a leader in Washington society at that time, wrote a letter describing the scene: Ladies fainted, men were seen with bloody noses and such a scene of confusion took place as is impossible to describe - those who got in could not get out by the door again, but had to scramble out of windows.

VOA: special.2009.01.19

the retention bonuses were put in place at the beginning of 2008, before AIG received any bail-out money.

VOA: standard.2009.03.15