Indra Nooyi: Invited to the White House for State Dinner
The Bushes with
the Indian Prime Minister
and his wife
Indra Nooyi is dining at the White House tonight. It’s true. She is enjoying Pan-roasted Halibut and Basmati Rice with Pistachios and Currants along with Hartford Court Pinot Noir Arrendell 2002.
She was escorted by her husband, Raj K. Nooyi, who was among the top 150 individual donors — $27,000 US — to John Kerry’s presidential campaign.
Indra Nooyi is the President and CFO of Pepsi-Co — she’s the one who gave a speech May 15th in which she referred to the United States as the middle finger of the world.
I’m as cynical as the next guy, but really, I just cannot believe the President did this. Scott Johnson says “That hurts.”
Wow, it sure does.
I’m positively dumbfounded. Insult America and get invited to a State Dinner??!!
The only minor consolation is that they served “Mango, Chocolate-Cardamom and Cashew Ice Creams” for dessert which sounds disgusting.
Still. Wow. That does hurt.
I can only hope that the White House is not aware of the Nooyi controversy. On the other hand business is sometimes thicker than water. Can she be uninvited?
It looks like an application of
Romans 12 to me.
I see this as typical of President Bush’s character. He is not afraid to meet adversity–or adversaries head on. The President is not petty either and likely sees this as an opportunity to act as his own advocate.
I do not believe President Bush thinks he can win over Indra Nooyi, but I do think he wants to look her in the eye—face to face. I can only imagine the glint in his eye.
GW’s got BRASS!
Odd? I scanned the guest list on Drudge last night and was gladded not to see her name. Now the list is gone.
I swear there is sabotage at every level of government even at the White House social affairs offices.
It’s a disgrace.
Bit of a boot too isn’t she. It’s almost enough to turn me off Pepsi.
I look at it this way: people who spew this venom are basically hurt and angry CHILDREN. If Bush treats them with respect, as an equal, it tends to soothe their shaky self esteem and win them over. As Wolfowitz recently did in London.
article
I hope, anyway…
Her superior, elevated morality didn’t stop her little ego fromm accepting that White House invitation did it?
I’m glad Indra was invited. Freshens the story. And keeps her actions front and center. Didn’t she make Bernard Goldberg’s 100 People Screwing Up America?
Did the Indian Prime Minister ask that she attend?
Guess Who Came To Dinner?
If you don’t know Indra Nooji, she is President and CFO of PepsiCo Inc, one of the “capitalist pig” companies that is listed high on the “Buy Liberally” shopping lists of Moonbats. However, Indra is more well known for her “middle finger” analogy of …
Because I am the occasional fan of the really stupid, futile even juvenile gesture, I hope they serve her a Diet Coke.
Greeting her with what would be an apropos gesture might be going to far!
i’m as sensitive to verbal insults against the u.s. as the next guy, but i never saw anything like anti-americanism in her comments.
i don’t know how to demonstrate how much i loath anti-americanism when it’s packed into wry smug sugarpills of so-called “wit”. whenever i see it i’m compelled to dissect it and challenge it.
but i saw nothing but loyal irreverence in nooyi’s comments. remember that the other half of the middle-finger analogy was to symbolize the extent of our excellence and our leadership and centrality in global affairs.
and i don’t mind it when the u.s. is percieved as giving the world beurocracy the bird, they usually deserve it.
I was one of the first to jump on this with emails to Pepsi, Nooyi, the main CEO (btw, he is a former Vietnam Vet), my Republican reps here in Florida, Bill Frist and Denny Hastert along with the 1400 people in my addy book. I sent a major letter with facts, phone numbers and a call to action.
Really is interesting how “W” must have some great heavenly wisdom to do the things he does. Norm did mention a very good Scripture above. It sounds tough and unlikely but hey, God never lies and he certainly knows whats best for us. Ya’ just never know how things work out.
Her presence bugs me too, but sometimes, especially when dealing with international issues (like hosting a foreign leader), the President has to be above domestic politics (which may explain Sen. Feinstein’s invitation). A prominent Indian like the president of PepsiCo should be at this event, whatever her personal views. One of the things that makes Pres. Bush a good president is that he rises above partisanship and reaches out to the other side. This ability to be open to other views and other cultures (e.g., by trying the cuisine of other countries rather than dismissing them as “disgusting”) is one reason I am glad he’s our president.
No doubt she was invited because it was a state dinner for the Indian PM and she is a prominent Indian-American businessperson, as her husband might be if he can afford $27.5 grand to that knucklehead Kerry.
As Someone* Pithily Points Out In the Comments…
…”Her superior, elevated morality didn’t stop her little ego fromm accepting that White House invitation did it?”(*Insolublog) I guess not, since Indra Nooyi had dinner with the Bushes last night. It’s a damn shame there’s no integrity in dissent any…
Maybe it’s a matter of keeping your friend close and your enemies closer.
Kill ’em with kindness. It’s always been the Bush way.
sometimes, especially when dealing with international issues (like hosting a foreign leader), the President has to be above domestic politics
Um, no. When dealing with international issues the President always has to be above domestic politics.
It’s all well and good to mention the $27,000 that her husband donated to the other guy, lest we forget that PepsiCo has donated over $2.1 million to the RNC over the last several years. Is anyone really surprised to see where Bush’s loyalties lie this far into his second term? He didn’t lost my confidence because of his rhetoric or his resolve but because he has provided consistent evidence over the years that money is more important to him and his administration then us. Whether its his relationship with “Kenny Boy” (and his failure to realy go after a man who ruined thousands of pensions); Cheney’s relationships with Haliburton; or even a familial relationship with teh Saudi royal family, this presidency is constantly standing down from its positions in order to keep its people on the dole. He’s not left or right, he’s top — he is for keeping the wealthy wealthy, even if it means hanging out with an unpatriotic CEO.
That ice-cream is actually probably pretty amazing. Sorry to break it to ya, but cardamom is yummy in ice cream. I had a fig-mango-cardamom ice cream at an Afghani place once and it was awesome.
Doesn’t this seem like the lamest thing to even be talking about, besides the yummy ice cream?
Good grief, could most of you be more petty?
One (bad) speech and she’s a traitor? Get over yourselves, you sound just pathetic. The rest of theworld, including the White House have lots more to do than bemoan one tiny graduation speech which may have had some extremely mild undertones that were less than favorable. You people are babies. Maybe the author of this blog should get out more.
She has just been promoted to head Pepsico!!!! In today’s Washington Times