Big Three CEOs

Two recent stories caught my eye yesterday:  One was the recent story on the CEOs of the Big Three automakers testifying before Congress. The New York Post, among others, pointed out their PR cluelessness in flying private jets to Washington to ask for taxpayers' bailout funds. You have to wonder if their public relations people failed by not anticipating the line of questioning from an irate Congressman that unveiled the corporate airplane tidbit.

Palin Blunder

The other was a lighthearted media interview given by Alaska Govenor Palin granting a turkey pardon on Thanksgiving.  The Rachel Maddow Show and others pointed out to Palin's PR cluelessness because while she was being interviewed by a TV reporter, behind her was a worker graphically killing the other turkeys for Thanksgiving.  While watching the Palin news clip, I said to my friend, "Where is her PR person?"

The PR professional's honesty, and sometimes brutal honesty, is needed by the client....  Also, where are the PR people here?  They should have protected their clients!"

Below is the article on the auto bailout from the NY Post:

November 20, 2008 --

Cost of jetting to high-level meeting in Washington from Detroit:

$20,000.

Reaction to clueless auto-industry honchos who then begged for taxpayer

bailout: priceless.

"Couldn't you all have downgraded to first class or jet-pooled or something to get here?" sniped Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY), at the chief executive officers of Ford, Chrysler and General Motors during yesterday's hearing of the House Financial Services Committee.

"It would have at least sent a message that you do get it."

Ackerman called it "a delicious irony in seeing private luxury jets flying into Washington, and people coming off of them with tin cups in their hand, saying that they're going to be trimming down and streamlining their businesses.

"It's almost like seeing a guy show up at the soup kitchen in high hat and tuxedo. It kind of makes you a little bit suspicious," he said.

The execs - Alan Mulally of Ford, Robert Nardelli of Chrysler and Richard Wagoner of GM - were looking for support for a $25 billion loan package. But later yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid reversed plans to hold a test vote on the measure.

The White House and congressional Republicans are calling on Democrats to sign on to a GOP plan to divert a $25 billion loan program created by Congress in September - designed to help the companies develop more fuel-efficient vehicles - to meet the auto giants' immediate financial needs.

At the hearing, Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) pressed the private-jet issue, asking the three CEOs to "raise their hand if they flew here commercial."

"Let the record show, no hands went up," Sherman barked.

"Second, I'm going to ask you to raise your hand if you are planning to sell your jet in place now and fly back commercial.

"Let the record show, no hands went up."

In their testimony, the Big Three auto hot shots said they are streamlining business operations in general.

Spokesmen for the auto companies said that private jet-travel is standard and is for primarily for safety.

But critics weren't mollified.

"If it is simply the company's money at stake, then only the shareholders can be upset or feel as it might be excessive," Thomas Schatz, president of the watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste, told CNN.

But with taxpayers' money involved, "it's outrageous," he said.

The companies did not disclose how much the flights cost.

But experts say it costs upward of $20,000 to send a corporate jet on the short hop between Detroit and Washington, compared with about $500 for a commercial airline ticket.

paul.tharp@nypost.com