Soledad O'Brien and Miles O'Brien must be preparing for a new line of work in fortune-telling.
On the April 9 "American Morning," the CNN anchors didn't wait for someone to complain about executive pay before making it an issue.
Instead, after Soledad complained that she was "desperately" underpaid she also predicted that the AFL-CIO would gripe about Occidental Petroleum Corp. CEO Ray Irani's $400 million executive compensation package.
"You think with a number like that they will. I've got to imagine," mused Soledad to Andrew Ross Sorkin who was "Minding Your Business."
Sorkin told viewers Irani's package was "what has to be one of the largest numbers in history," but admitted it took several years to earn. "Had he not taken all these options he would have made just a paltry $55 million."
But Miles wasn't minding his own business either, responding sarcastically: "Hard to get by on that."
Sorkin also downplayed the growth of Occidental under Irani, which was more than a 450-percent stock price increase according to the Los Angeles Times.
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Why is CNN complaining about
April 9, 2007 - 18:31 ET by ThisnThatWhy is CNN complaining about Iran? I thought they loved Iran, and only hated America.
Would there be the same gripi
April 9, 2007 - 23:14 ET by saw the lightWould there be the same griping if it was Al Gore reaping the millions for starting up a company that sells carbon offsets?
The fact that the word "petroleum" is in the company's name, I am sure, had no bearing on the story.
"People everywhere confuse what they read in newspapers with news." - A.J. Liebling
She is "desperately"
April 9, 2007 - 23:14 ET by lnthompShe is "desperately" underpaid? Why, then, is she still in that job?
And just how much compensation does the chief of the AFL/CIO get? I dare say, it's somewhere between several times and many time the pay of a typical union member.
Lee T.
U.S. Navy (ret.) / Hillsboro, Oregon
I have enough money to last me the rest of my life. Unless I buy something.