By on December 5, 2008

Couric You came from Home Depot to run Chrysler. You had to be a quick study, but from what you’ve learned, what was the U.S. auto industry’s biggest mistake?

Nardelli: Well I think, look, we’ve all made mistakes. I’ve been in business for 38 years, and whether I was at GE or Home Depot or Chrysler, I think the important thing now is to look at this crisis. How do we make sure that we are repositioning ourselves that we break from some of those old paradigms to make sure that we are making new products that we are delivering service to customers, the kinds of cars and trucks they want to drive, have the conficence to drive and will tell their friends about it, Katie.

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16 Comments on “Bailout Watch 255: Nadelli: “Then Again, Too Few To Mention”...”


  • avatar
    peoplewatching04

    As much as he sidesteps the issues, at least he’s more direct than Red-Ink Rick.

  • avatar
    rpol35

    The “Auto Industry’s biggest mistake” was hiring a staffpuke like Nardelli in the first place. If I hear him use corpocracy speak like “paradigm” one more time I think I’ll impale his larynx with one of those big-a$$ Chrysler emblems off the back of a Sebring. What a dick!

  • avatar
    john.fritz

    OK, I’ll say it for everyone who’s thinking it:

    What?

  • avatar
    Geo. Levecque

    Lets face it, this guy almost ruined Home Depot, when Cerberus was looking for a “Dook” to run Chrysler, they chose him! crazy eh? Shows that Cerberus does not care about the Auto business as well!

  • avatar
    Usta Bee

    I’ve never seen a man blink so much when he’s nervous.

  • avatar
    Hank

    Actually, he was direct in CEO-speak (read enough Dilbert and it’s practically bullet-pointed in the quote).

    He said: “…the kinds of cars and trucks they want to drive, have the confidence to drive and will tell their friends about.”

    He’s saying the Big 3 did not build
    – “Have you seen this Caliber thing?”
    – We built crap by cutting corners and slapping ’em together and blew our cred quicker than Spitzer.
    – Our cars became a pariah even our employees didn’t want to admit driving.

  • avatar

    I’ve been watching the hearings on CSPAN, and I can’t help but walk away feeling like the congressmen know more about the car business than these three CEOs do! Mulally seemed like he has a bit of a brain (limited though), the other two are completely clueless! Like someone above said, lots of big words but no substance. Amazing.

    John

  • avatar
    John Horner

    His message: We have the faltering American economy by the bleep. You have to help us.

  • avatar
    jolo

    There goes those rapid eye blinks again. Pants on fire…

  • avatar
    craiggbear

    You may remember when W was asked the same question a few years ago (what mistakes were made…?) he said he couldn’t think of any either. Hmmmm!

  • avatar

    Usta Bee : I’ve never seen a man blink so much when he’s nervous.

    You obviously haven’t seen Rick Wagoner in front of Congress.

  • avatar
    Robert Schwartz

    “Mistakes, I’ve made a few,
    But then again, too few to mention …”

    The Chairman of the Board

    Robert: I am happy you got it. The rest of you click through and appreciate Ole’ Blue Eyes artistry.

  • avatar
    cleek

    title typo —

    You can’t spell Chrysler’s Nardelli with out the “r”.

    R- as in:

    Residue, retrograde, reprehensible, etc…

  • avatar
    jnik

    Was he coached by Sarah Palin?

  • avatar
    Runfromcheney

    A part of me feels for Chrysler and Nardelli. I mean, this is not their fault. Daimler chewed them up and spit them out, and Nardelli was just thrown into this mess not knowing what he was getting into. I don’t think we can lay ANY blame on Nardelli for the current situation, because Chrysler was already FUBAR when he got there. Nardelli tried his best to polish a turd, but he still ended up holding a turd.

  • avatar
    tech98

    When the Home Despot takes time out from eating puppies to address the media, you need to have your corporate-speak Bullsh*t Bingo card ready:

    http://www.bullshitbingo.net/cards/bullshit/

    Corporate America is truly broken when the see a sociopath self-aggrandizing bully organizational politician like this as a ‘leader’.

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