The American Ruling Class

The American Ruling Class Vital Stats

[edit]

Release date 2005

Duration 88 min

Producer(s) Stanley F. Buchthal, Caroline Camougis, Nick Fraser...more

Director(s) John Kirby...more

Writer(s) Lewis Lapham...more

Cast Robert Altman, James Baker III, Bill Bradley...more

Genre Documentary,

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The American Ruling Class Quotes

 Mike Vanzetti:
So as chairman and publisher, how do you balance all these competing interests you've got - the family, the trust, the newsroom, the audience, the advertiser?
Himself - Chairman, New York Times Company:
The stock market?
Mike Vanzetti:
Thank you.
Himself - Chairman, New York Times Company:
We worry a little bit about our earnings and our stock prices. Once every quarter, the executive editor, in this case, Bill Keller, gets into the ring and the CEO, Russ Lewis at the moment but soon Janet Robinson, and they duel it out. They just have a fistfight, and whoever wins for the next quarter we worry more about the journalism or we worry about the profits. It's a very simple operation. It's a balancing act. It's easy. Anyone can manage for one. Anyone can manage for the other. You manage for nothing but the quality of the journalism. You can manage for nothing but the quality of the profits. And that's easy. The challenge is to manage for both.
 

 Jack Bellamy:
Well, I've got an offer from Goldman Sachs to work in investment banking in New York City.
Himself - Fmr. editor Harper's Magazine:
That's fantastic. Are you excited about that?
Jack Bellamy:
Sure, I guess.
Himself - Fmr. editor Harper's Magazine:
No guess. Great career. You meet a lot of nice people. Make a lot of money. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Jack. And what about you, Mike?
Mike Vanzetti:
Actually, I thought I might take a year to write and work some odd jobs.
Himself - Fmr. editor Harper's Magazine:
A shocking misuse of your parent's money.
Mike Vanzetti:
So they tell me.
Himself - Fmr. editor Harper's Magazine:
Both you gentlemen have a chance to become members of the American ruling class and I don't see why you don't avail yourself of that opportunity.
Jack Bellamy:
Ruling class?
Himself - Fmr. editor Harper's Magazine:
As was true in the early years of the Republic, the country is governed by a commercial oligarchy and the citizen who cannot afford the luxury of a contrary opinion learns, of necessity, to dance the beggar's waltz.
 


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