A Message From PepsiCo’s President & CFO, Indra Nooyi(America Basher Responds To Pressure)

Pepsico ^ | 5-18-05 | Indra Nooyi

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Besides, the coffee hasn't cooled in the saucer long enough yet for me to make a decision.

[bkepley]

I don't know..she's a poor speaker (obviously) and was trying to get some laughs by condescending an audience of college graduates. This is getting a little ridiculous.

[Awestruck]

It's the only fun she gets...

[dead]

In the hotel’s bar, the woman overheard a group of five American businessmen loudly making fun of the hotel’s lavatory facilities. As the drinks flowed, the crass and vulgar comments grew louder, and actually took on an angry, jingoistic tone.

While these Americans couldn’t speak a word of Chinese, their Chinese hosts spoke English very well … and understood every word the men were saying. And we wonder why the world views many Americans as boorish and culturally insensitive. This incident should make it abundantly clear. These men were not giving China a hand. They were giving China the finger.

This finger was red, white and blue and had “the United States” stamped all over it. Graduates, it pains me greatly that this view of America persists.

She should tell the one about the screechy woman from India who came to the United States and achieved great success, only to turn around and obnoxiously criticize the nation that welcomed her and made her and her family wealthy beyond her imagination.

Oh wait, it’s only rude if an American has something negative to say about another nation.

My middle finger is extended in your direction Indra. You figure out if I mean it as a compliment.

[KansasConservative1]

Red the transcript. She meant the way that her critics figured it. If she really wanted to demonstrate the US, the thumb would have been better. Without the thumb the only thing people can do is carry a bucket and pick their nose. She picked the middle finger as a slam on us. No more no less. No Pepsi for me.

[KansasConservative1]

Read the transcript... OOOOPS

[Diplomacy.308]

Actually real men drink fine wines.

Actually, Real Men® drink DARK beer.

(For soft drinks it would be Mountain Dew, at least 64 ounces. Unfortunately Mt. Dew is a Pepsi product, so what's a Real Man® to do?.)

[Question_Assumptions]

Yes, but YUM restaurants still generally use Pepsi products.

[Dallas59]

Where's Joan Crawford when you need her?

[Romish_Papist]

Coke is, and always has been better than Pepsi. No loss on my end.

[Carry_Okie]

The Original Speech:

However, if used inappropriately –just like the U.S. itself -- the middle finger can convey a negative message and get us in trouble. You know what I’m talking about. In fact, I suspect you’re hoping that I’ll demonstrate what I mean. And trust me, I’m not looking for volunteers to model.

The "clarification"

Unfortunately, my remarks at Columbia University were misconstrued and depicted in a different context as unpatriotic.

IOW, she's a lying POS.

[stands2reason]

So what?

[Question_Assumptions]

So what? If I got to Taco Bell or KFC and order a soft drink with my meal, I'm going to get a Pepsi product and thus will indirectly support Pepsi. The Reese-owned KFC (and other) franchises in NYC seem to use Coke rather than Pepsi. Normally, I prefer Pepsi enough to pay attention to these things. Normally I prefer Pepsi...

[Unam Sanctam]

I refer to North America and particularly the U.S. as the middle finger because it is the longest and anchors every function the hand performs. The middle finger also is key to all the fingers working together effectively.

Yeah, right, and I'm the king of Siam...

[Lazamataz]

I read her transcripts. She really wasn't all that insulting or anti-American.

I give her a pass on this one.

[Lazamataz]

Read her actual transcript. It's not that bad.

[newgeezer]

If Coca-Cola would make a diet cola that tastes like Coke Classic, I'd switch in a heartbeat.

Until then, I drink Diet Pepsi.

[steelyourfaith]

LOL. My compliments for a right-on post.

[Lazamataz]

However, if used inappropriately –just like the U.S. itself -- the middle finger can convey a negative message and get us in trouble. You know what I’m talking about. In fact, I suspect you’re hoping that I’ll demonstrate what I mean. And trust me, I’m not looking for volunteers to model.

Well, are her comments that horrible? To my ear, it's just a gentle warning not to be inappropriate. And she did actually say the positive comments about the middle finger's role in the hand.

[Lazamataz]

Her comments don't strike me as all that outrageous.

In a world of Newsweek traitorism and CBS lies, Islamic cruelty and Liberal audaciousness, can we really afford the mental energy to be upset for little reason?