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Larry King Is Dead, Long Live The King

Probably the world knows by now that broadcasting legend Larry King has died at 87. He was not necessarily a journalist, per se, even if news was often broken on his show. He was a massive media presence, and a good one. Unlike so many others, he did not get in the way of his guests and interviewees letting themselves be themselves, for better or worse.

CNN is doing some larger biography, and it is worth watching for a little bit. But King brought together Rabin, Hussein and Arafat on a TV show. You don’t see that every day. Then there was all the OJ Simpson charges and trial coverage. There are a lot of people still in the public view today that came out of that. Some rightfully, some not as much so.

As a parting thought, some love for Ted Turner. He took King off of late night talk radio, that I sometimes listened to on a timed clock radio while falling asleep, before his CNN TV gig, to grow the fledgling CNN. Ted Turner innovated so much it is almost silly. Elon Musk will never, even in his dreams, accomplish as much as the great Ted Turner.

Do you have any memories?

Bill Ford v. Larry King: Village Idiocy about the Auto Industry

John Cole is right, this Larry King interview of Bill Ford deserves more attention.

Here’s what Cole pointed to: Ford insisting that (contrary to what the plantation caucus believes) the UAW is not the problem.

KING: What about the UAW in all of this?

FORD: Well, the UAW obviously has been our partner through all of this. Have they made mistakes and have we made mistakes? Of course. The UAW has come a long way. I think their leader, Ron Gettelfinger, is an excellent leader and he really understands our business. In this last contract, he gave up a lot. He’s also indicated they’re willing to come to the table to do more. And so for anybody to blame the UAW as the sole reason for this is frankly wrong.

Hey, David Sanger? Your assertion that the problem is distrust between the UAW and the manufacturers? You think maybe Mr. Ford knows something you don’t?

Just as interesting to me are the number of times that Ford had to instruct Larry King on things that–had he been paying attention at all–he would have known.

There are the 3 times that King suggested Ford was in the same boat as GM and Chrysler.

KING: How much danger, frankly, are you in? Can you give us the picture without being too technical?

FORD: Actually, Ford, we were profitable in the first quarter. Our plan is working. Our market share is picking up. I believe we’re headed exactly where the country wants us to go.

[snip]

KING: What was the key turning point for you that sent this downward?

FORD: As I said, we made money in the first quarter, and we were well on our way.

[snip]

KING: Is that a good point, Bill, that your products were behind the times and now you want a bailout through your fault?

FORD: Actually, Larry, we’re not asking for a bailout. Our competitors are.

Here’s Larry King completely missing the fact that most developed nations are backing their auto industries–and so it’s no big surprise that any American car companies might need credit.

KING: Why do you need the line of credit?

FORD: We’re saying we don’t need it now, but we’re saying, if the global economy does not pick up, you know, Read more