Coleman: U.S. Could Earn 10 To 20 Times Bailout Cost

Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman seems to be a tad more optimistic than many of his colleagues about the ultimate cost of the Wall Street bailout.

“The government could make 10 or 20 times what it pays on this, possibly,” Coleman said during a campaign stop at Christy’s Cafe in North Mankato Saturday morning, according to the Mankato Free Press.

Many analysts believe the government could ultimately make money from some of the toxic assets it collects -- but that could be years down the road and no one (that we know) has produced such a rosy estimate.

If Coleman was, in fact, referring to the $700 million upfront cost as his statement suggests, the U.S. government would make $7 to $14 trillion off the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.

His campaign didn't comment.