Snub Of The Century: Pandit Left Waiting For A Call That Never Came
Vikram's brave faceVikram Pandit seems like a happy guy, despite having several billion very good reasons to be quite unhappy. But he is not made of stone, President Obama. He feels, deeply. And you have cut him to the core, sir.
It seems that the CEO of our favorite wholly-owned subsidiary of the U.S. government was in Washington, D.C., waiting by the phone in his hotel room, hoping against hope that he'd get a last-minute invite to dine under the Big Top on the White House lawn with his countryman, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. But that call never came, leaving Pandito all dressed up with nowhere to go.
And to think that the Great Pandito was in the nation's capital a couple of days ago to speak to a friendly group of "ethnic media" types with a message of "personal and corporate commitment to local communities."
Pandit said he understood that "it's not easy for proud people to say that they can't pay their mortgage." Non-profits and other organizations long-rooted in local communities, together with ethnic media, can provide an effective conduit for critical information about Citi's programs and policies. When asked by one attendee what the first step should be for a homeowner in dire straights, Pandit responded, "Pick up the phone and call us."
You hear that, Barack? Pick up the phone and call him.
Vikram Pandit Tells DC Ethnic Media: Citigroup is Committed [New America Media]