Is it a good idea or a bad that the same investment banks that will underwrite the debt necessary to finance the deal will also provide some bridge financing? Well, it's obviously a risk. If the bridge can't be paid off soon, it would be embarrassing for all. The stock could fall. Regulators and shareholders could balk. But JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and Citigroup, all of which will provide the bridge financing, are willing to take the risk. I'm sure the terms are favorable. These sort of arrangements were once common, and they are facilitating some big deals now, like the Equity Office deal. Basically, it lets a firm (or two) structure a deal without the need for more partners. To pay down the bridge, big firms can invite their investors to basically co-invest. Some think it might reduce the impulse for club deals and take some regulatory pressure off.

For more:
- here's a New York Times article