Picture 714.pngCharlie Gasparino reports that hours after Geithner’s big moment on Tuesday, a top secret meeting entitled “The Goldman Sachs Roundtable” was held at 85 Broad. And if you’re thinking this was a clubhouse meeting run by a couple of first years, how wrong you are. According to Chaz, this was not organized by some “low level schlubs,” but Goldman’s Milton Berlinski, and run by co-presidents Gary Cohn and Jon Winkelried. On the agenda? “Solving this problem because the government isn’t going to.”
The task-force apparently included “top 20 hedge fund and private equity executives,” and while we’ve got nothing but love for Ken Griffin, I want to hear the Big Guy* was there or it doesn’t count. While we wait on confirmation, a few more details. Griffin reportedly made some “fascinating comments,” including the bold call to get at the root of the cause, the mortgages themselves; the prevailing sentiment was that while it’s better to wait for a good plan, as opposed to “a quick and dirty bad one,” time is of the essence; there’s no confidence in Geithner; they want more Volcker; and the representative from Bain Capital made off like a bandit, stuffing free fruit and cookies in his purse, when he thought no one was watching.
*Try and tell me he’s not the White Knight we’ve been waiting for. And he’d look great on horse, you know this much is true.
Update:

BN 12:49 *GOLDMAN SAYS CHIEF ECONOMIST ATTENDED, BLANKFEIN DIDN’T ATTEND
BN 12:49 *GOLDMAN SAYS MEETING NOT SECRET, NOT IN RESPONSE TO GEITHNER
BN 12:49 *GOLDMAN SAYS MEETING WAS SCHEDULED THREE WEEKS AGO
BN 12:49 *GOLDMAN SPOKESMAN VAN PRAAG RESPONDS TO CNBC REPORT

Update II: Gasparino takes issue with GS’s assertion that the meeting was “public,” on account of the fact that he wasn’t invited.

Comments (80)

  1. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 1:39 PM

    the enemy within

  2. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 1:39 PM

    C-Gas breaks another wind, er, I mean story. I hope Dennis Kneale kicks his ass on camera some day.

  3. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 1:42 PM

    @2 – I hope the balance of the Television Community kicks Kneale’s ass on camera as soon as possible. Kneale can shampoo my crotch.

  4. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 1:43 PM

    Did Griffin’s plan include the Fed buying $100B of convertible bonds?

  5. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 1:44 PM

    I bet they all flew in on the private jets – screw Congress.

  6. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 1:44 PM

    Only CNBC would label something as a “secret meeting”. Clowns.

  7. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 1:45 PM

    I really hope that Dylan Ratigan was there and they discussed transparency and clawbacks. Because according to him thats the only way to fix this mess

  8. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 1:46 PM

    Is it possible that these guys realize there is no way out of this crisis that doesnt involve some kind of teamwork?
    So instead of Hedge Fund A trying to crush Hedge Fund B because they know they hold an illiquid MBS or CDO, maybe Goldman says “we’ll lend you guys money to go buy up these securities and
    we’ll go buy them for our books too”
    That might cause some private capital to come flooding into distressed assets right?

  9. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 1:46 PM

    whewww… NOW I can relax – it is all taken care of…

  10. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 1:47 PM

    Too big to solve.

  11. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 1:48 PM

    Only CNBC would label something as a “secret meeting”. Clowns.

  12. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 1:49 PM

    How bad is this going to get, really?

  13. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 1:49 PM

    @8 what are you a fuckin idiot?!?!
    @9 why that’s an ingenious plan, lets do it!

  14. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 1:51 PM

    Donny Douche: STFU, Charlie’s talking

  15. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 1:52 PM

    Oops…Goldman just called bullshit on Charlie’s scoop.
    Well that was fun while it lasted.
    Sorry Charlie!

  16. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 1:54 PM

    good to hear baincap is still eating everyones lunch.

  17. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 1:55 PM

    Donny Douche: STFU, Charlie’s talking

  18. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 1:55 PM

    Charlie you jackass, Goldman just said your report is stupid.

  19. Posted by venturedouch | February 12, 2009 at 1:57 PM

    @18 Donny Deustche?

  20. Posted by EricM | February 12, 2009 at 1:57 PM

    @18,
    Clearly you’ve never run a secret meeting, nor seen Fight Club.

  21. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 1:59 PM

    From the looks of one on air person, it is sort of chilly in the CNBC studios!!! :)

  22. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 1:59 PM

    Cabrera same day calls – well bid

  23. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:00 PM

    @8 wrong. seems you folks in the gm job bank have waaay too much time on your hands. get back on the line.

  24. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:00 PM

    Charlie’s fluid just went dry. Effed up Chuck HAHA drop the F bomb would ya

  25. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:01 PM

    By the way, Bess, great picture for the story.

  26. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:05 PM

    Goldman always tells the truth you bastards. And crude oil is going to $200.00/bbl, don’t you recall?

  27. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:06 PM

    CNBC trying to recycle Donny Douche – from advertsising to success stories show now to commentator on our economy???
    Oh well – CNBC must really think their viewers are douchebags by putting Donny Douche and Jim Lamer at prime times.
    That was horrible to see douche on the lunch hour today at least when Jim Lamer comes on I’m on my way home.

  28. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:07 PM

    someone is smuggling raisins on CNBC??

  29. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:09 PM

    Heard the Summers is shutting Volcker out.

  30. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:12 PM

    Bess lets have a secret meeting -
    we’ll talk about the health situation in this country as Doctor and Nurse.

  31. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:13 PM

    That Volcker comment was hilarious. Good one Bess.

  32. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:16 PM

    I love MCC! She needs her own show. The Two Big Ideas!

  33. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:16 PM

    oh no they di’int… you think CG gets all Chris Brown on staffers when he is slapped down like that publicly?

  34. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:18 PM

    I heard R gave CB an STD by cheating no him. Does that deserve it?

  35. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:19 PM

    For christs sake, Chuckie must believe he’s in some double-secret Grisham spy novel. Chuckie get out of your tree-house! You are a chump reporter, people tell you things on the phone and then you repeat them on TV…wow amazing!

  36. Posted by sftrader | February 12, 2009 at 2:21 PM

    Just wait. Next week, Denise “Kneel and Bob” is gonna be co-hosting that CNBC clown show with Howie Mandel for a new version of “Deal or No Deal”.

  37. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:24 PM

    @46. It’s not me. System error. Bess, please delete the Pete-Repeats. Sorry DB crowd.

  38. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:30 PM

    To big didn’t solve

  39. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:32 PM

    I hate those guys.

  40. Posted by sftrader | February 12, 2009 at 2:35 PM

    Who is MIlton Berlinksi you say? Please read:
    Milton Berlinski is responsible for some of the firm’s most important financial institution clients. He was Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs Financial institutions, where he focused on raid defense, mergers and acquisitions and divestitures of commercial banks, finance companies, investment companies and thrift institutions. In addition, he founded Goldman Sachs’ strategic advisory efforts in the asset management industry and was close friends with John Pierpont Morgan.
    Tally Ho!!!!

  41. Posted by sftrader | February 12, 2009 at 2:38 PM

    Who is MIlton Berlinksi you say? Please read:
    Milton Berlinski is responsible for some of the firm’s most important financial institution clients. He was Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs Financial institutions, where he focused on raid defense, mergers and acquisitions and divestitures of commercial banks, finance companies, investment companies and thrift institutions. In addition, he founded Goldman Sachs’ strategic advisory efforts in the asset management industry and was close friends with John Pierpont Morgan.
    Tally Ho!!!!

  42. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:38 PM

    @44
    and we hate you

  43. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:38 PM

    what a douche. i was in a trade at the time, too.

  44. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:46 PM

    @47 YOU’RE A MORON. THERE IS NO WAY HE IS CLOSE FRIENDS WITH J.P.MORGAN.
    MILTON R. BERLINSKI BECAME PARTNER AT GOLDMAN SACHS IN 1996, APPOINTED HEAD OF CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT IN 1999, AND ASSUMED RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FIRM’S STRATEGY IN 2001.
    MILTON RECEIVED HIS BS FROM CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY NORTHRIDGE IN 1978 AND EARNED HIS MBA FROM WHARTON IN 1980.

  45. Posted by Anal_yst | February 12, 2009 at 2:47 PM

    Whoa, hold the phone Chuckie!
    Its one thing when you repeat some crap you overheard @ whatever diner you were eating at, its another thing when you blow everyone’s cover and expose the double secret good ol’ boys club that runs this country, stfu already will ya, before everyone catches on to the rouse!

  46. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:49 PM

    @51 you may be right…but c’mon first time on the internets….jeeze enough with the all caps! or is caps lock stuck on your etch’a'sketch….

  47. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:50 PM

    go all caps!

  48. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:51 PM

    @37 Maybe one day MCC will show us in detail just how big her ideas really are.

  49. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:52 PM

    If any one of you are green enough to believe a Goldman Sachs denial about ANYTHING, it is no wonder we are in a mess.

  50. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:53 PM

    @49 I CANT CONTROL THE VOLUME OF MY VOICE! IT WAS A HORRRIBLE DISEASE I WAS BORN WITH!
    -WF

  51. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:54 PM

    @51 I CANT CONTROL THE VOLUME OF MY VOICE! IT WAS A HORRRIBLE DISEASE I WAS BORN WITH!
    -WF

  52. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 2:58 PM

    @56, ok chuckie cheese, GOLDMAN is running a conspiracy! WOO HA HA! Do you personally know anyone at goldman? NO! emirite?

  53. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 3:06 PM

    No one worth their salt would EVER take Goldman Sachs or one of their employees at their word. That’s all I’m saying, and anyone who has been around the block knows this. Intuitively.

  54. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 3:13 PM

    I’ll bet Winkelried suggested someone buy his overpriced Nantucket home.
    http://dealbreaker.com/2008/10/goldman-sachs-executive-sellin.php

  55. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 3:15 PM

    @60 second that – I wouldn’t trust those pricks with the communion money.

  56. Posted by sftrader | February 12, 2009 at 3:18 PM

    @51.
    Since you and Uncle Milty are so close, why don’t you tell us about the time he traded your mom for that AB portfolio of defaulted Thai auto loans.
    F’in Clownshoes you are…..

  57. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 3:26 PM

    @60 YEAH. AGREED. INTUITION IS THE NAME OF THE GAME. ESP LADY INTUITION. I MAKE ALL DECISIONS BASED ON MY GUT; KNOWLEDGE IS OVERRATED…FACTS SMACTS…

  58. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 3:41 PM

    @65 its european. its a man purse.

  59. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 3:42 PM

    he’s trying to say it was secret now because he didn’t receive an invitation. nice back peddle, douchebag

  60. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 3:42 PM

    Soooooo fluuuuuiiid… I can’t take it.

  61. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 3:49 PM

    @69 hey Ron Paul the Federal Reserve is calling. They want your basis points back and the UN will come with their black helicopters in 20 seconds….

  62. Posted by Novice | February 12, 2009 at 3:53 PM

    In Bain’s defense the boy’s probably been on the beach for a while, and that khakis+handbags habit won’t pay for itself.

  63. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 3:54 PM

    I thought Goldman Sachs was the government

  64. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 4:03 PM

    I thought Golman Sachs was the government

  65. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 4:16 PM

    @74 ok i get the ‘R’ and ‘L’ part, but WTF are flat-toe shoes? and how do you know what they are?
    thanks,
    junior

  66. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 4:30 PM

    GS totally denying it. CNBC is laughable. Our trading floor has completely switched over to FBN and Bloomberg. We are so over that clown show. Besides, I’d rather stare at Liz Claman’s uh ticker anytime over any of the cnbc hags. Gah!

  67. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 4:35 PM

    @76/77- you’ve been posting about how much better fbn/liz claman is for months. give it up. cnbc sucks, fbn is worse. the only difference is that no one watches fbn.

  68. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 4:40 PM

    @ 59, if gs isn’t running a conspiracy, i have to rethink my entire book. . .

  69. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 4:52 PM

    CNBC is laughable. Our entire trading floor has switched over to FBN and Bloomberg. Besides, Claman is easier on the eyes than the CNBC hags. Bartiromo? Gah!

  70. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 5:37 PM

    Berlinski went to Cal State Northridge? Since when does GS recruit at Cal State Northridge? Or is that some west coast Ivy League place that I just never heard of?

  71. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 5:38 PM

    Berlinski went to Cal State Northridge and then got into Wharton? The guy must be really good at writing personal statements.

  72. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 5:46 PM

    Y’all are too hard on Charlie Gasparino, i think he’s Raptor Jesus: http://yawoot.com/post/2276

  73. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 6:30 PM

    WHAT is the deal with Donny Deutsch?? Geez …. I know they killed his show, but trotting him out with a pair of Gekko suspenders does *not* give him credibility.
    What a douche!
    However, it did provide some comic relief to see him going after GasBag today. It was funny watching the “Brady Bunch” wall with everyone looking up and down and sideways to what was going on.

  74. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 6:35 PM

    Best moment — Douche (Deutsch) started going apeshit on GasBag … “ARE YOU GOD, CHARLIE?? LET ME ASK MY QUESTION, and drivel, drivel, drivel”
    For the LOVE of GOD, please take Deutsche off of CNBC and shoot him in the woods.
    Twice. Just in case!

  75. Posted by guest | February 12, 2009 at 6:40 PM

    @85 Yes! and also he called gasbag Chuckie….something according to his bio, only his mother is allowed to call him:
    http://www.cnbc.com/id/27827767

  76. Posted by mrpink | February 12, 2009 at 9:57 PM

    Too much JO, didn’t cry.

  77. Posted by guest | February 13, 2009 at 4:10 AM

    I call bullshit on this report.

  78. Posted by guest | February 13, 2009 at 8:21 PM

    whose the dude in the picture

  79. Posted by weeklyworldnews | February 19, 2009 at 1:38 PM

    haha well..
    The verdict?! Robert Rubin sues himself.. harsh…
    http://weeklyworldnews.com/headlines/6385/man-sues-himself-for-8-million/

  80. Posted by guest | April 8, 2009 at 6:22 AM

    There had so many past events in our lives that we have to sort out.Due so many events that arise in this time we find ourselves in a difficult financial situations that sometimes it’s hard to find solutions. Ever been in a cash crunch? We’ve all been in a cash crunch from time to time; well, except maybe for really rich people. During your times of financial emergency, you often need a short-term credit solution to your problems. If you want to avoid signing away your arm, leg and first born to VISA, you could try a payday loan, which is a short term loan that you pay back quickly for a reasonable fee, usually on your next payday. Check out this site: http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/2009/04/02/payday-loans-rescue

Leave a comment

You can log in with your account or comment as a guest below.