Pfizer

Under questioning by me, Pfizer CEO Ian Read refused to repudiate the company's support for ObamaCare at the company's annual meeting today in Dallas. The exchange took place after my remarks in favor our shareholder proposal on the company's lobbying priorities.

When I asked Read if the company would drop its support for ObamaCare, he gave me a summary of what the company considers important in health care reform without directly answering. I said, "Sir, will you answer my question? A 'yes' or 'no' will do." Read rambled further and I responded by saying, "But have already cast your lot with one side." Finally, I said "I will take it as a 'no.' Thank you." Here are my remarks in favor of our proposal:

Yesterday, I discussed the resignation of Pfizer CEO Jeffrey Kindler with Stuart Varney on Fox Business Channel. Here is a transcript:

The electorate’s repudiation of Barack Obama and his Congressional allies was not only a rejection of Big Government, but also of business elites who were buffeted from the downturn by political dealing at the expense of ordinary people.

Unless Corporate America heeds the election results, it too will risk the wrath of an informed and energized public. Here are CEOs who must pay attention to what happened yesterday:

Pfizer CEO Jeffrey Kindler- Not only did Kindler (above) lead the charge of Big Pharma CEOs for ObamaCare, he actually got a multi-million dollar bonus from Pfizer for doing so. This is not going to look very good once ObamaCare spikes insurance premiums, prompts hospital closures, and explodes the number of uninsured. Of course, Kindler wasn’t naïve or confused, he had reason to help destroy the health system. Big Pharma made a deal that guarantees it customers and insulation from competition. (I assume Kindler plans to retire before the government forces Pfizer to sell its products for less than it costs to produce them.)

Emailers protesting Colgate-Palmolive’s support for Al Sharpton’s group,  the National Action Network (NAN), are getting a response that reads, in part:

We did not participate in the 2009 NAN Conference in New York City.

That’s interesting, because the conference program identifies Colgate-Palmolive as a “sponsor.” Even more interesting, a Colgate-Palmolive ad in a separate program from the same event states, in part:

Colgate-Palmolive is honored to be named Corporation of the Year by the National Action Network…