Big Three’s Big Stunt

From PR gaffe to publicity stunt:

But this time, instead of flying in on corporate jets, or even (perish the thought) flying first or business class on a commercial airline, the image-tarnished titans drove. And drove hybrids, yet.

Now MORE people are talking about this, when I’m sure they wanted fewer. I think people recognize this for what it is: a PR stunt. The first goal of crisis management is mitigation; make it go away, if you can. But this latest attempt to prove that the auto executives really are in need, and really are in touch with regular Americans, only furthers the perception that they just don’t get it.

They could have very easily, and very quietly, flown commercial…and, yes, flown “under the radar.” Now people are asking, “I wonder how much a 10-hour car drive is costing each of these automakers, when you factor in the exec’s ‘hourly rate’,” and, “How much will it be costing us?”