CEO's Losing Their Luster?

" Return brands -- lost his golden touch virgin America may be the next airline to go belly up in the US the company lost 227. Million dollars in its first twelve months of operation now. The two US hedge funds or don't 75% of your line. Could be reaching for the record they bail the company goes down because as an American company and needs those American investors -- alone. On to a branch of predicts his American based company will be profitable by 2000 and I hope he's right but that's still to be determined. Branson is the latest and do no wrong CEO would stumble badly of late so tonight scoreboard has come up with a lineup of CEOs of loss of their luster let's bring back our -- Monica Crowley. Adam Shapiro and Adam Lashinsky Adam -- let -- start with you and Richard Branson. -- I love the guy and I hope he's successful and I -- I've never flown on virgin America but I hear it's wonderful what do you think Brandon Branson touch. -- actually I love the guy to I have flown a virgin America the Vegas and San Francisco was fun it was neon it was clean it was friendly. I think we're -- a president and getting the segments that we're being too hard on this guy. The first year running an airline in this climb right lots of money I'm not surprised the by the way. He didn't put all his money into it -- the guys pretty clever he has stumbled before by the way David he's not perfect. Virgin cola I believe was a real thinker Virginia -- never -- but but Monica that fact is is that we in America that you do need I think I believe 51% of the investors have to be US investors -- having American Airlines so. If those US investors poll guys suck it doesn't matter how much you can turn it around."

" That's exactly right look Richard Branson is is that a man with a healthy ego and it's not known to be your corner. So he's trying to make the case he's -- I would say he's he's an aggressive competitor does have a healthy nobody's I think he's got a full measure how well let's let all these CEOs are how healthy you -- that's why they are where they are well listen Richard Branson now it's trying to make this case to these hedge funds listen. We're we're gonna turn this around where victim of the general economy give us at least one more year to -- profit."

" I would agree with her and especially since what -- we might be in a recession but people are not going to die and stop traveling there's going to be traveling that occurs and he's in a position be much more competitive. And some of the legacy carriers and could make ago."

" I hope you're right -- Warren Buffett I also hope and I've got full disclosure I've got four shares of the chief. Stock you know the ones itself and that I bought for 4000 establishes jagged area -- it better now selling for what about 2500 so I've already lost about 40% of by. Investment what do you think about -- is is he lost some of it. Like lost some of it being -- money if that if the question is has he lost his his juice. My -- would tell me no but. Look no one's perfect and he was very good for very long time let's give the benefit of the doubt he'll -- next year through good is almost too soft the word Friday was -- that I -- that's right yeah he was so high -- Monica that the number two guy is for in terms of look at their track record. Was so far behind him on the list so this guy is a real --"

" Notice the sage of Omaha for very good reason that I think again we're talking about all people who have been victims of the general economy here. I think about Warren Buffett is that he is straight on full lab totally honest when he blows it when he makes Wednesday. And India shareholders' letter that he issued this week getting the lesson I've Lou what I invested in ConocoPhillips at the height of the the oil prices and thought. He is known to be honest about mistakes and I think a lot of people find that refreshing he's going to come back."

" Refreshing read Adam Shapiro got to tell you when I look at my portfolio and see if 40% loss in that one stock I get scared but that's pretty good compared with the rest of us have lost you know in our portfolios thing about forty -- is let's is about average Q percent. You know it's by the gurus here but slowly you aren't. No it's not -- but even trust the candidate going to transform but there's something else I'm not going to sell my stock that's for sure I'm gonna wake as I do tries to Steve bomber. Microsoft that publishes its your territory your west coast guy what do you think of Steve bomber."

" Well Ballmer is one of these people lose then and the unenviable situation of having followed a living legend died in Bill Gates and so. He still hasn't proven himself yet Microsoft extremely powerful company but it's powerful because of the monopoly that his predecessor bill. And so that's that's his challenge is that it is it a monopoly alone I mean it is is it conceivable that that monopoly might be broken now."

" It's conceivable I'm not sure we're going to see that in the in the short future here but Microsoft is such a huge -- global branding get it tested do a little bit you with a monopoly. That there -- facing Fed softening here because of the the overall economy Microsoft. I can't think of single person who could live without some Microsoft -- act."

" But again the question is -- what wishes he would say and answer period is essentially that Robert could never match the golden touch of his predecessor army nobody nobody can match -- that's that's that's the measuring stick right there that's the yard you know he's like because look at -- and mr. -- so long as bombing going really well that's a great analogy it's hard to top Jeff what Jack -- Michael Dell. What do you think Adam Lashinsky of --"

" Well. If -- history books were written right now we would remember Michael Dell as a one trick pony guy who built this really efficient. Direct manufacturing model for computers. Turns out they never succeed abroad and they never succeeded -- retail. That's where we are in 2009 -- Michael Dell is young man however so we'll see. He is a young guy but -- the failure to get any smart phone competition when you see him so lot of smart."

" Phones out there Ronald all right mobile technology EIP field to see daddy felt that the company could sustain itself to fund on desktop and laptop. He's got a great Cinderella story started the business in a group rides for cried out last. Now he's coming back and he's got a turnaround strategy as he says well we'll have to see I -- the market for personal computers also going soft philosophy."

" the garage Steve Jobs had the basement do you think that's enough I hope so because wanna I love my bill -- so he folks -- got a new -- I've got a Dell laptop I don't -- and tonight's topic I drop it by the and it's still works so you can use my tag line if I was an advertisement but it got nine million dollars in yeah all right we have -- honorable mention -- producers are going to be shocked because I've only told about one. Well what is Robert Rubin I want to go to Monica first because he was never. The CEO of CB was the chairman of the city group by former directors city group right so and of course she was also Treasury Secretary. His luster seems to -- it."

" Absolutely every member he was considered the golden boy during the Clinton years presiding over great prosperity and so on and his proteges are Tim Geithner. And a lot of the other folks now trying to through rectify this current economic situation. But having to resign. His directorship at Citigroup now that Citigroup has been completely run into the ground. This -- no longer has any kind of reputation to uphold Adam."

" Shapiro -- movie made up a cross -- format of Jarrell a hundred how much was this man paid. I use on their risk assessment committee and a hundred something million dollars in the last six or seven years huge amount and Citigroup you know at the end of the day where is Citigroup there on the verge it. They're insolvent -- Jack got to bring up some from the past which is -- the glass Steagall a lot of people say the part of the problem that we're in right now would start it was started when. That wall was was brought down between commercial and financial -- he's the guy who literally brought it down he was Treasury Secretary. When -- when that wall was brought down and at the same time. He already has application did this city group for jobs city was the biggest lobbyists in favor of Jerry down that wall was there conflict of interest there. -- probably I would say that Citibank a glass -- may explain Citibank's failure but it doesn't explain. In other failures by Goldman and Morgan Stanley and Lehman and Bear Stearns I don't have I've talked about talking about the bid luster of Rubin and how we lost that luster. Yet so I would say to be charitable to the that is to be analogous to. A Hall of Fame player who played for 2030 years absolutely deserves to be in the hall for his playing days. Failed miserably as a Coach or manager and that'll be in the hope it all at a very quick. Upper down for Donald Trump the golden boy Donald Trump going to rise again -- trump always rises again I'm not worried about him. Ask -- hero that hairy kid and he rising petrol is shifting what do you say. Sadly he will rise are powered I think he's great entertain."