Forbes' Flint: "GM Has Some Great Executives"

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

Forbes' columnist Jerry Flint is at it again. This time 'round he's saying what he said l ast time 'round: the feds need to give Detroit a holiday from fuel economy and safety regs. While I approve of recycling in general, recycling the General's spin strikes me as a particularly inadvisable endeavor. By the same token, defending GM's management seems, well, indefensible. At first, at last, Flint seems to come to terms with GM suits' epic incompetence: "The record is not good. Since 1992, GM's U.S. market share has fallen steadily–from 34% that year to 19% in May. Many of GM's leading executives are from the finance side of the business, but the financial failures are numerous… What is more amazing is that GM management has survived relatively little criticism, as far as I can tell, from its board of directors or the press." The press being… Jerry Flint? Roger [and me] that. "I know many terrific GM executives, starting with Vice Chairman Robert Lutz, who are doing an outstanding job. The problem is that GM is running out of money and time. The decisions it makes over the next few quarters could be crucial to its survival. I worry whether GM has enough of the right leaders to steer the company through this crisis." File this one under too little, too late, too disconnected from reality to be believed.

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

More by Robert Farago

Comments
Join the conversation
4 of 35 comments
  • Geozinger Geozinger on Jun 25, 2008

    @supremebrougham I'll meet you at the Miller parking deck on Renaissance Center West in 3 hours... GO!

  • Ex gm guy Ex gm guy on Jun 25, 2008

    Are you sure this guy isn't Larry Flynt, and the magazine Hustler?

  • John B John B on Jun 25, 2008

    Captain Tungsten: Much thanks for that article. I've saved it.

  • Geeber Geeber on Jun 25, 2008

    Thank you, Mr. Leikanger. The original assertion, as I recall, was that housing values were actually rising in the center city areas, which is not true. Given market conditions and gasoline prices, I can certainly see where houses on the fringe areas would suffer more, and stand corrected for ever denying it. We've been looking for a house for the past couple of months...nothing is moving at this point around here, regardless of location. I would not want to be in the real estate business right now.

Next