Ed Whitacre, from San Antonio, became the acting CEO of GM earlier this week. Reuters asked Ross Perot about how well he thinks his fellow Texan will fare, given Perot’s own difficulties working with GM in the 1980s:
“I disagreed with what they were doing,” Perot told Reuters in a telephone interview on Wednesday. “Then suddenly, they just didn’t want anybody around to point out what we needed to do. They decided to get rid of the nuisance.”
Perot described the GM culture back then as “insulated” and “aloof”:
The first time Perot hosted GM executives at EDS in Texas after the acquisition, they were shocked, he said.
“We went to lunch and we got in line and they almost fainted,” Perot said. “They couldn’t believe I ate in the cafeteria and that I had to go to the back of the line.”
They were also surprised how good the food was, and that’s the point, Perot said. When company executives are treated the same way as the frontline workers, quality rises, he said.
Stop! Please, everyone who is e-mailing me about the memo leaked out of the Morning News, stop asking about it. Someone at the paper was kind enough to pass it along to me, too. Yes, I find it odd that most top-level editors are now reporting to salespeople. But I’m an editor. What would you expect me to say? And, too, my boss is Wick Allison, who knows a thing or two about selling a thing or two.
I didn’t post anything about it till now because, frankly, I didn’t have the vinegar in me to do it. I’ve kicked the DMN so many times for making what look to me like boneheaded decisions that I’ve pulled a quadriceps. I need ice and rest. And hopefully that ice will be bobbing in bourbon, because that’s the only way I think any of us in the media are going to make it through these trying times.
(NB: I reserve the right tomorrow, after I’ve had more sleep, to change my attitude and kick the ever-living crap out of the paper. Thank you.)
The following just came from the fine folks who operate the Idle Rich:
Brett Landes of the Landes Group has purchased 500 tickets to the Mavs vs. Hawks game this Saturday, December 5th. As he did Thanksgiving week for the Mavs vs. 76ers game, he will be giving them away compliments of the Landes Group at the Idle Rich Pub. Mr. Landes will be at the pub Thursday evening at 5:30pm with 500 lower bowl, platinum seating tickets. There is a limit of two tickets per person, so for bigger groups all people wanting a ticket need to be present. There is no catch, Brett simply wants to spread some holiday cheer to his neighbors in Uptown. Thank you Brett and Go Mavs!
I don’t doubt that Landes wishes to spread cheer. But I also think there’s something afoot here about ensuring the Mavs appear on the boob tube. In any case, get you some.
From the New York Times Magazine story about the race between our Gov. Rick and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, he’s talking about his admiration for Sam Houston:
“Houston became a Christian late in life because of his wife,” he said. “He was running for the presidency in 1860, and she talked him out of it. She thought he would lose his mortal soul if he ran for the presidency. He was highly respected in the North — an anti-slave Southerner. There are those that think he would’ve won the presidency of the United States and we probably would not have had a civil war. Interesting.” The governor was grinning broadly. “Then we wouldn’t have had Abe Lincoln,” I pointed out.
Perry contemplated this for barely a second before replying, “Maybe Sam Houston would’ve been better.”
He sat back and munched on his popcorn, clearly pleased to have said something that might provoke incredulity somewhere.
I’m going to recuse myself in any debate of the merits of Lincoln vs. Houston due to my deep personal ties to our 16th president’s hometown. But I will say that the election of someone else as president in 1860 might well have delayed a civil war. I doubt it would have prevented one. And I don’t think a delay would have done our country much good in the long run, particularly for the millions of human beings living in bondage.
I realize I’m responding to Perry’s off-the-cuff remark in an overly serious manner. I just think our history matters.
You no doubt have been listening to our Classic Cafe at One Arts Plaza broadcasts. Yes? No? The first week of every month, WRR broadcasts live from One Arts. A D Magazine staffer stops by in the 11 o’clock hour to help out. Today, the duty — nay, joy — falls to me. The midday host, Tempie Lindsey, is new at her job. So today I’ll be peppering her with questions designed to get to know her better. First question on my list: do you like your gig? Second question: that wasn’t the question. Do you like your job?