CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (USD $)	Total	Preferred Stock, Series A 8.50% Cumulative Redeemable - Liquidation Preference $25.00 per Share:	Common Stock, Par Value $.01:	Additional Paid-in Capital, in excess of Par:	Accumulated Deficit:	Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss)/Income:
Balance at Dec. 31, 2008		$ 38,000	$ 2,195,000	$ 1,775,933,000	$ (210,815,000)	$ (310,274,000)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2008		3,840,000	219,516,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Issuance of common stock, net of expenses			606,000	402,646,000
Issuance of common stock, net of expenses (in shares)			60,562,000
Shares issued for common stock option exercises, net of shares withheld				116,000
Equity-based compensation expense and other				1,910,000
Net income	268,189,000				268,189,000
Dividends declared on common stock					(250,576,000)
Dividends declared on preferred stock	(8,160,000)				(8,160,000)
Dividends attributable to DERs					(827,000)
Change in unrealized (losses)/gains on MBS, net						412,453,000
Change in unrealized losses on derivative hedging instruments						84,828,000
Balance at Dec. 31, 2009	2,168,262,000	38,000	2,801,000	2,180,605,000	(202,189,000)	187,007,000
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2009		3,840,000	280,078,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Issuance of common stock, net of expenses			4,000	605,000
Issuance of common stock, net of expenses (in shares)			403,000
Equity-based compensation expense and other				3,283,000
Net income	269,762,000				269,762,000
Dividends declared on common stock					(250,079,000)
Dividends declared on preferred stock	(8,160,000)				(8,160,000)
Dividends attributable to DERs					(903,000)
Change in unrealized (losses)/gains on MBS, net						54,352,000
Change in unrealized losses on derivative hedging instruments						13,321,000
Balance at Dec. 31, 2010	2,250,447,000	38,000	2,805,000	2,184,493,000	(191,569,000)	254,680,000
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2010		3,840,000	280,481,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Issuance of common stock, net of expenses			756,000	607,047,000
Issuance of common stock, net of expenses (in shares)			75,631,000
Equity-based compensation expense and other				4,385,000
Net income	316,414,000				316,414,000
Dividends declared on common stock					(358,104,000)
Dividends declared on preferred stock	(8,160,000)				(8,160,000)
Dividends attributable to DERs					(1,642,000)
Change in unrealized (losses)/gains on MBS, net						(338,331,000)
Change in unrealized losses on derivative hedging instruments						24,948,000
Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	$ 2,497,760,000	$ 38,000	$ 3,561,000	$ 2,795,925,000	$ (243,061,000)	$ (58,703,000)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2011		3,840,000	356,112,000