Imagine an American billionaire who is so callous that he could fly into Davos, Switzerland, for the annual World Economic Conference and announce that “America’s lifestyle expectations are far too high and need to be adjusted so we have less things and a smaller, better existence.” Pretty outrageous, don’t you think?
It gets worse. The guy took a pounding, as some of the snarkier commentary noted that he had arrived in Switzerland via private aircraft with two nannies in tow. I would have joined the criticism — how insensitive could that fellow be? Except the quote was credited to me and I know that I never said it.
Most public people have experienced interview mishaps, and typically it’s a matter of a mistake, or misinterpretation. The most generous thing I can say about the article that was published after that interview was that perhaps the reporter didn’t hear half of what I said. I do talk fast, and the conditions were not ideal.
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