As you’re aware, Warren Buffett spent yesterday at the Fortune Women in Power Conference where he laid pipe and talked shop. After regaling the ladies assembled with a story about how he could’ve possibly saved Lehman if he wanted to to (/knew how to check voicemail), the Oracle Of O has moved on to some serious trash talk. What he doesn’t seem to get here is that it’s actually pretty incredible what Lewis was able to accomplish, considering what his blood alcohol levels were during those frightening weeks last year, and rather than be hated on, maybe we should be praising the guy for going above and beyond what anyone expected, namely vomiting on his shoes.
Buffett, the billionaire investor who runs Berkshire Hathaway, said Tuesday at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit in San Diego that Lewis — the embattled Bank of America chief executive officer — was the “ironic hero” of last September’s economic meltdown.
But make no mistake, the emphasis was on ironic. Buffett’s comments portray Lewis as a sort of Mr. Magoo of global finance, bumbling into trouble in stubborn pursuit of banking greatness — and unintentionally saving the world in the process.
Warren Buffett came to bury Ken Lewis, not to praise him. [Fortune]
he looks so reg- I mean drunk in that pic.
oh no she di’int!
he got the 1000 yard stare
Love you Bess, but here’s some free legal advice: suggesting in an otherwise fact-based post (as opposed to an opinion piece or a parody) that Kenny was drinking on the job is libel. Luckily, you and your bosses are undoubtedly judgment-proof.
where does this guy get off, huh?
-mr. magoo
Ken Lewis would make a handsome woman.
@4 burn
He maps our financial world like a “shredded” Amerigo Vespucci.
He has the image of an Italian “love horn” shaved ito his chest hair.
His pheremones have the scent of a fabulous meatball sandwich.
Don’t ask him what he’s “got” without expecting to “get” some of it back.
Both of his wrists are mysteriously buff.
If he argues with you it is because you are wrong or not promoting his book.
Women crave his Italian muff croons.
Even the Pope himself gives him “one of deez” when he sees him.
Riots break out among the canolis when he enters a pastry shop.
He repeatedly turns down opportunities to be the AXE Chocolate poster boy.
Even his tube socks abscond with his leg hair when they can.
“Menacing looks’ seek him out for advice.
He is the only known man who receives free knuckle hair mousse from ananymous, scented packages in the mail.
The “Plaster Casters” were turned away by him because they didn’t have enough plaster.
He is the most macho business reporter in the world.
“I don’t always write best sellers….but when I do…they better be best sellers. Stay menacing my friends…”
@4 If you actually loved me you would’ve known that I’ve been saying KL is a perma-drunk for almost a year now, and he’s yet to complain. Also, we have an in-house lawyer as well as outside counsel who know exactly what I can and cannot say. But thanks for the free legal, sweetums. That was fun.
I do smell sour grapes. Buffet had wood for Thain probably.
@8
FTW!!!
Bess, @4 doesn’t love you like i love you
-guest
@8:
Nice. (FTW.)
@4 isn’t there another corner of the internet you can go be a bothersome little cunt in?
“Also, we have an in-house lawyer…”
We have an in-da-house lawyer.
-Kid ‘n Play
Bess, you lovable hardass. I’m new to the site, so I wasn’t aware of your serial libel. After I get done crying from your brutal smackdown, I’ll be sure not to question your impeccable judgment again. Please put away the wire hanger.
4
@4…you must be an SEC lawyer. Oh..is that libelous?
@4, please go to Above the Law
snatch
@16 the sooner you understand that no one questions bess, whether she’s telling us that ken lewis has a case of Boone’s delivered to HQ every day, or that Lloyd Blankfein’s scrot is dipped in gold every morning, the better.
wait a minute! I thought buffett was mr. magoo, what gives? hey kettle, you’re black.
- the pot
Don’t forget Countrywide. BofA will be a great company for someone sometime as long as it can continue getting cash infusions.
@4 first, fuck off. second, BAC isn’t going to sue DB for libel– they took the little bitch route last year by blocking the site instead (and it wasn’t because of the libel, it was because of all the leaks that were getting out). iPhones are our friends.
waaaaaaaah! The baby bankers and out of work MBAs are hurting my feelings. That’s all you got?
4
I don’t think David Lat and the Above the Law jokers really constitute in house counsel…
I think Hustler v. Falwell, 485 U.S. 46 (1988), would cover this. Discuss.
- E. Warren
@23 Gainfully employed, making more money at a CT-based hf than you ever will toiling away as a legal hack. Piss off. You’re not welcome here.
I have sex with all the women and girls in my home. Suck on my prestige b1tches.
4
@4 First of all drinking is legal. Second you obviously have not been around a trading desk.
Soory for the last typo @4 First of all driking is legal. Second you obiously have not been around a trading desk
@26 Pathetic
-Not 4
I am such a douche-bag. I now know my place.
I hate my life.
4
@4: you’re a moron. any questions of liability aside, even Lewis isn’t stupid enough to go after DB for claiming he was drunk. the resulting shitstorm of negative publicity would only lend the accusation credence. He’s doing the smart thing–ignoring her. Not that we should do so: Bess we adore you.
@27:
You’re not worried about sodomy laws? I thought incest was a still a crime in most states.
Bess, I love it when you get all hot and bothered.
@26 — if you click your heels three times and say “I love my 2 and 20″ your fantasy may actually come true. Loser.
@30 say that to my fuckin face!
-26/sc
@4 – Gay, bi, curious about fluffy canines?
Dennis Kneale
Hmm….
Senile old guy insults slobbering drunk. Sounds like the Paxachawatti Senior Citizen Center on bingo night.
PSCC events coordinator
It’s okay. Bess has the perfect defense:Claimant is incapable of further defamation
This defense comes about because the claimant’s position in the community is so poor that defamation could not do further damage to the plaintiff. In most jurisdictions, actual damage is an essential element for a libel claim. Essentially, the defense is that the person had such a bad reputation before the libel, that no further damage could possibly have been caused by the making of the statement.
@23 does that answer your question, cocksucker?
4
Yes, I do mean @23
I’m #26, I post on a blog anonymously about making lots of money, threaten people and masturbate to Elizabethtown because I secretly love Orlando Bloom. Kill yourself
This is also to say nothing of the defense that DB has a picture of KL boozing in the bar @/near BoA HQ at what 430pm last September.
Game.Set.Match. Bess FTW!
@analyst good memory! suck it, 4.
@4 I notice nobody mentioned how truth is an absolute defense so I’m just putting it out there.
What you are all getting at here is plaintiff’s dilemma: What is more injurious to Ken’s reputation? That he was possibly loaded when he bought Merrill, or that he was certainly sober? This element is fatal to his case.
@46
I still hold that the reason BAC bought Merryl is that Thain had incriminating photos of Lewis from the time he had him over to play beer pong.
26 = Equities, Dallas