Just for the record — I am a big fan of CNBC’s Erin Burnett. A really big fan. She’s smart, she’s sassy, she knows what the hell she’s talking about. She’s also a former M&A banker with Goldman Sachs.
Every morning, I make sure I catch (either live or on tape) her 5 minute segment on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that is hosted by Joe Scarborough. She and Joe have a conversation back and forth, and it’s a nice concise look at what will probably be shaking in the market during the day. I don’t have time to listen to CNBC for long periods of time, but this segment always serves as a nice short condensed look at what’s on the horizon. I also usually agree with Erin’s take on the market as a whole — so that doesn’t hurt either.
This morning, as Erin was wrapping up her take on what the market would probably be doing this morning (the live segment airs about 7:15 ET), she brought up the subject of the Delta/United merger rumors.
Pause.
Joe’s response, uttered in a slow dramatic fashion. “Oh god.”
Pause.
Erin then added, “I personally don’t like to fly United.”
Then after a more serious comment about why a merger might be considered (we all know the reasons including higher fuel prices ), and Joe allowed as to how he’s had “issues with Delta,” (Joe was constantly bitching about Delta Air Lines over the summer as he continues to fly regularly between his home base in Jacksonville and New York), Joe said, “Okay, so I’ve had issues with Delta in the past, and you’ve had issues with United, and now….these two may merge.”
To which, after an appropriate pause, Erin responded, “Yeah, I know. It just becomes one ……giant……..Goliath.”
Joe, smiling, “One giant cluster…..what?”
Erin, looking down at her paperwork, smiling, and trying to figure out what to say next, “Ah, yes, a cluster, a cluster of something.”
Joe: “Ah, yes….a cluster…….of love.”
Laughs all around the “Morning Joe” table and a big smile from Erin, as she said, “Yes, a big cluster……of love.”
That’s it folks. From now on, this potential deal has a new moniker as far as I’m concerned.
A cluster…..of love.
Ticker: (DAL:NYSE), (UAUA:Nasdaq)
Technorati Tags: airline industry news, airline mergers, airlines, CNBC, Delta Air Lines, Erin Burnett, Joe Scarborough, United Airlines
Guess that’s why you consistantly badmouth UA…by the way, did you read your friend
Bill Swelbar’s blog on 11/4 regarding Glen Tilton’s comments. Maybe Glen isn’t all wrong?
First of all, I don’t “consistently” bad mouth United. (My spelling not yours.) I take it you find the excessive payouts that management at the airline took out of the bankruptcy process a good thing? I guess this means you also don’t disagree with the fact that the airline also managed to walk away from its pension obligations — citing the fact it did not have the assets to pay them? Funny that now, they are talking about spinning off millions in additional revenues from the very same assets they had when they came out of bankruptcy.
So no, I don’t think it is wrong to criticize management at the airline for those things. I happen to prefer airline management teams that focus on running a good airline. Or trying to. Not on playing the Wall Street ‘Strip and Sell’ asset “deaggregation” game as Glenn calls it.
So I suggest you get your facts a bit more in line and stop the blanket statement routine if you want a serious discussion.
As for the exchange this morning, I thought it was funny. I guess if she had said “American” instead, you would have been okay with it?
Get a life. Lighten up. It was funny.
As for Bill’s post of 11/4, no, I have not read it.