PAGE LETTER THAT APPEARED IN THE
"NEW YORK TIMES" CALLING ON
CORPORATIONS TO TAKE A STAND.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING
BACK TO THE SUNDAY SHOW.
>> GOOD MORNING, JONATHAN.
HAPPY EASTER.
>> HAPPY EASTER.
WE JUST SAW THE CLIP FROM
GOVERNOR KEMP SAYING THAT WE
WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED.
ARE YOU AND THE 71 OTHER BLACK
EXECUTIVES AND ALL OF THESE
EXECUTIVES WHO STARTED TO SPEAK
OUT PUBLICLY, ARE YOU
INTIMIDATING THE GOVERNOR AND
THE STATE OF GEORGIA?
>> NO, WE’RE NOT.
THE PURPOSE OF OUR OUTREACH TO
OTHER EXECUTIVES IS TO
DEMONSTRATE THAT CORPORATE
AMERICA HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO
ADVANCE AND SUPPORT AND STRIP
THE AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.
THIS IS THE HIGHEST AND MOST
HALLOWED RESPONSIBILITY OF
CITIZENSHIP.
CORPORATIONS HAVE A ROLE IN
ENSURING THAT ALL AMERICANS
VOTE.
SO WE ARE CALLING ON CEOS TO DO
THEIR JOB AS MORAL LEADERS, AS LEADERS WITH COURAGE TO STEP
LEADERS WITH COURAGE TO STEP
FORWARD AND CALL THIS WHAT IT
IS.
AS THE CEO OF DELTA SAID QUITE
ELOQUENTLY, THIS ENTIRE EFFORT
IS BASED ON A LIE.
A LIE THAT THE ELECTION THAT WE
JUST EXPERIENCED WAS SOMEHOW NOT
LEGITIMATE.
IN FACT, IT WAS AN ELECTION WE
SHOULD BE CELEBRATING BECAUSE
MORE AMERICANS VOTED.
WHEN MORE AMERICANS VOTE, OUR
DEMOCRACY IS MORE STRONG.
SO THE ROLE OF THE CORPORATIONS
IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE VOTES
AND TO ENSURE THAT THE POWER OF
CORPORATIONS IS FELT ON THIS
IMPORTANT DEMOCRATIC ISSUE
>>WELL, DARREN, SENATOR LINDSEY
GRAHAM OF SOUTH CAROLINA HAD
SOMETHING TO SAY TO YOU CEOS.
HAVE A LISTEN.
>> NUMBER ONE, THE CEOS ARE FULL
OF CRAP.
THEY’RE RUNNING SCARED.
GEORGIA IS TRYING TO MAKE SURE
THAT EVERYBODY CAN VOTE LEGALLY.
IF HR 1 PASSES, CORPORATE
AMERICA IS SCREWED BEYOND
BELIEF.
THERE WILL BE NO LIMIT TO WHAT
DEMOCRATS CAN DO TO YOUR TAX
RATES AND YOUR REGULATION
STRUCTURE.
SO IF YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT THE
FUTURE OF YOUR BUSINESS AND YOUR
SHAREHOLDERS, YOU’LL SPEAK UP
AGAINST HR 1, THE BIGGEST POWER
GRAB IN THE HISTORY OF THE
UNITED STATES.
>> SO, DARREN, AGAIN, THE
CONGRESSMAN SAID IF HR 1 PASSES,
CORPORATE AMERICA WILL BE
SCREWED BEYOND BELIEF.
SAID HR 1 IS THE BIGGEST POWER
GRABBED IN THE HISTORY OF THE
UNITED STATES.
BEING FOR THE PEOPLE ACT WHICH
WOULD MAKE VOTER REGISTRATION
AND ACCESS EASIER IN THIS
COUNTRY ACROSS THE NATION.
YOUR REACTION TO THAT CHARACTERIZATION?
>> IT’S REGRETTABLE.
CORPORATIONS CARE MORE THAN JUST
ABOUT TAXES.
WHAT I WILL SAY IS THE LEADERS
LIKE MICHAEL DELL AT DELL
COMPUTERS, LIKE CHUCK ROBINS AT
SISCO, AND SO MANY OTHERS WHO
HAVE STEPPED FORWARD KNOW THEY I
HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY A ARE AS
LEADERS IN THIS COUNTRY. AS LEADERS OF CORPORATION, WHICH
AS LEADERS OF CORPORATION, WHICH
HAVE INFLUENCE TO SPEAK OUT.
THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IS A
NONISSUE.
WHAT PATRIOTIC AMERICA WOULD
SEEK TO SUCH PRESS THE VOTE OF
OTHER CITIZENS?
THIS IS NOT AN ACT OF
PATRIOTISM.
THIS IS AN ACT OF COWARDESS.
THE ELECTION MAY NOT HAVE GONE
THE WAY SOME WANTED.
IT APPEARS THAT IT’S NECESSARY
TO CHANGE THE RULES.
YOU CAN’T CHANGE THE RULES IN A
DEMOCRACY.
THE PROCESS WORKS.
THE PROCESS WORKED.
SOME MAY NOT HAVE LIKED THE
OUTCOME, BUT THE PROCESS HAD
INTEGRITY AND THAT ISSUE WAS
AJUTE CANDIDATED -- AJUDICATED
TO THE SUPREME COURT.
THE ISSUE OF FRAUD OR ANY
MALFEASANCE WAS HANDLED IN THE
COURTS AND HANDLED BY THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE PRIOR
ADMINISTRATION.
>> AND WITH THAT, WE’LL LEAVE IT
THERE.
DARREN WALKER, PRESIDENT OF THE