Obama speaks to the Conference Board

Today President Obama addressed the Conference Board, an organization of the CEO's of the largest and most prominent companies in the U.S. On the elliptical trainer at the gym I caught a few minutes of his opening remarks and that was the most important part. He recognized the importance of their companies in employing millions of people, in maintaining the economic strength of this country, and in generously supporting civic and charitable organizations in their communities broadly. He was reaching out and saying the right things to a group that has been badly bruised by many politicians in both parties. It was the right thing to do, and a breath of fresh air to hear, but it was also an effort to pull this group into a coalition to support his proposed reforms in health care, energy, and other areas. Off to the machines, I didn't hear the body of the presentation, but understand from news reports that the majority of the follow-on questions related to the administration's health care proposals, as that is an area of vital interest to this group that is always working toward the dual and interlinked goals of having a motivated work force and acceptable profits.

Even with only a quick viewing, there is one thing that I know for sure in the winter of 2009. That conference room was not in the beautiful Greenbriar Resort in White Sulphur Springs, once one of the Conference Board's favorite retreats.