POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and
appoints each of Sandor E. Samuels, Susan Bow, Gerard Healy, Derek Stark,
Michael Udovic, Vanessa Renna, Tanya Schneider and Joanne Wendler
signing singly, the undersigned s true and lawful attorney
in fact to

1 execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned s capacity
as a director or executive officer of Countrywide Financial Corporation  - the
Corporation - Forms 3, 4 and 5 in accordance with Section 16a of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder

2 do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned
which may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such Form
3, 4, or 5 and timely filing of such form with the United States Securities
and Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority and

3 take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the
foregoing which in the opinion of such attorney in fact, may be of benefit
to, in the best interest of, or legally required by, the undersigned, it being
understood that the documents executed by such attorney in fact on behalf
of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in such form
and shall contain such terms and conditions as such attorney in fact
may approve in such attorney in fact s discretion.

The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney in fact full power
and authority to do and perform all and every act and thing whatsoever
requisite, necessary or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the
rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as
the undersigned might or could do if personally present, with full power of
substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such
attorney in fact or his substitute or substitutes shall lawfully do or cause
to be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney and the rights and powers
herein granted.

The undersigned acknowledges that the forgoing attorneys in fact, in
serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not
assuming, nor is the Corporation assuming, any of the undersigned s
responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force until the undersigned is no
longer required to file SEC Forms 3, 4, and 5 with respect to the undersigned s
holdings of and transactions in securities issued by the Corporation, unless
earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the
foregoing attorneys in fact.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of
Attorney to be executed as of this 7th day of January 2004.

JEFFREY K. SPEAKES
signature