Once The World's Largest Chutzpah Company
Tim Fleck and Brian Wallstin have done a pretty interesting piece for the Houston Press on Enron, with reporting and analysis that is far superior to anything the Chron has run so far.
I couldn't help but laugh at this line, because it's indicative of the self-important smugness of way too many Enron employees that I've run across on occasion:
Executive Jeff Skilling showed the brash style with personalized license plates -- WLEC -- for "world's largest energy company."I guess Mr. Skilling had never heard of a small firm with a fairly significant office just two blocks from Enron (and another one about 14 miles north), ExxonMobil, a firm that actually produces something tangible. But hey, if the Enronites spoke enough -- even false claims like being the world's largest energy firm -- they came to believe their BS. As recently as November, I was hearing comments like Skilling's from Enron employees IN MY GYM (I've not heard such comments lately, interestingly enough).
It also is a disappointing piece for those who want to portray Ken Lay as a friend only of Republicans, as it documents his lavish support of LeftWingNuts Ken Bentsen and Sheila Jackson Lee (and yes, Tom DeLay and Phil Gramm, although ideologically they are deregulators whether or not there's political money pushing 'em that way. That said, Wendy Gramm's role looks a little suspicious). Ken Lay was an opportunist, a master of the game of pull-peddling, and that's why liberals who are hopeful Enron will take down the Bush White House might want to be careful with this one.
Oh, and I realize the Dallas Observer is a sister publication to the Press, and both are owned by New Times media, but I'm a little amused that they repackaged the story by giving the promo more of a Phil Gramm slant although the article is otherwise the same.
(Update: Callie just asked why the Chron never runs articles like this. After laughing heartily, I answered that I just didn't think Leon Hale was up to the task. Yet the Chron seems to love his crap, and crap in general)
[Posted at 22:31 CST on 02/09/02] [Link]
