Posted on 08/30/2006 10:54:02 AM PDT by Reagan Disciple
(XIN) Wal-Mart hires Clinton aide to improve image 2006-08-30 13:14 (New York)
LOS ANGELES, Aug 30, 2006 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, is hiring an advisor to former president Bill Clinton to cope with mounting criticism, a newspaper report said on Wednesday.
Under the deal, Leslie Dach officially joins the company's payroll this month as executive vice president of corporate affairs and government relations, reporting directly to Chief Executive H. Lee Scott.
Dach will get at least 3 million U.S. dollars over the next two years to direct a rapid-response team to criticism, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Dach is a former Democratic Party political operative with wide- ranging communications duties during the Clinton administration.
Wal-Mart's move highlights the importance that Wal-Mart has placed on improving its image.
Wal-Mart has been under criticism from union-backed groups and political parties for its low wages, poor benefit system and environmental polices.
In Tuesday's filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Wal-Mart disclosed that Dach would be awarded a stock grant of 67, 522 shares that would vest over the next two years. At Tuesday's closing share price of 44.49 dollars, the grant would be worth just more than 3 million dollars.
In taking the job, Dach touted the company's improvements on environmental and healthcare issues.
"The changes are real and substantial steps for the business," Dach said. "I look forward to working with Wal-Mart and its senior management to continue on its path of change."
But critics of Wal-Mart call the changes cosmetic, pointing to wages they say are barely above the minimum wage and healthcare plans that offer catastrophic, rather than comprehensive, coverage.
The anti-Wal-Mart group WakeUpWalMart.com, funded by the United Food and Commercial Workers union, was quick to criticize Dach's pay package - noting that because the company has not disclosed Dach's base salary, his total compensation is even higher.
"It's outrageous and disgusting that Wal-Mart finds millions of dollars to pay its executives like Dach but seemingly doesn't have the money to provide affordable healthcare and good wages to its workers," a spokesman for WakeUpWalMart.com, Chris Kofinis, said Tuesday.
Is this why Wal-Mart us going to be so gay-friendly??
Thanks
I read recently that of the Wal-Mart customers who voted in the last election 76% of them voted for Bush. They are trying to broaden their customer base. I don't have a problem with that, it's good business sense.
Lib's money spends the same as conservative's.
Clinto Eastwood-o?
That's what I initially thought when I read it. Why hire someone associated with a disgraced ex-president?
Then I realized that thanks to his handlers and the media, he'll never be considered disgraced.
PIAPS is a shake down artist like Jesse.
"Basing your business model on Chinese slave labor's one thing, but this is too much."
What a bunch of B.S. and ignorance of basic economics.
What if monkeys could fly? A lot of bad logic and ignorance of basic economics in all your "what ifing".
Well the one big time democRAT they had, Andrew Young, worked out so well for them. I guess they want more of the same.
I think so ,too.:)
"He'll never be considered disgarced "
Perhaps by people who have no moral compass . . .
Progressive Insurance contributes big bucks to homosexual groups (can't remember if it's the founder or the company). Same for Ford. God condemns that lifestyle, and any dollar I spend there would support something God condemns. The liberals/unions simply want WalMart et al to be disadvantaged economically. I'm all for supporting Ford (I have two of their vehicles) and WalMart, but they have to understand they're still doing the bulk of their business in small town America.
Mom and pop stores, many with Christian messages on their signs, many closed on Sundays (for a particular reason!), continue to get my money. I won't spend the money for an IPod or a plasma TV, I'd as soon send it to Warren or sow another seed.
Point being is if Christian/Conservatives ran and hid cowering in the corner when the mainstream mess got the everyday worker in a uproar over quote MEGA-churches unquote, then what chance would a Walmart, a Ford, or a Progressive have, unable to hide behind a Bible?
Extortion, threats, and blackmail are still extortion, threats, and blackmail no matter if the special interests implies they are working for homosexuals, civil rights, women's rights blah-blah-blah!!
So Ford, Sony, GE etc smile and write these checks, for if the mainstream press refuses to carry any stories about an ex-president brutally raping helpless females, running cocaine from Columbia, and massive numbers of unsolved murders of associates
THEN THEY SURE IN THE #&!! WILL HAVE A FREE PASS TO GO AFTER A FORD OR A WALMART!
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