Charlie Rose - Jamie Dimon (July 7, 2008)

Jamie Dimon the CEO of Morgan, Stanley speaks to Charlie Rose about the economy, about the bailout of Bear- Stearns, about his definition of Leadership, about his story at Citicorp including his firing, about his business- philosophy. Dimon is quick and fast in this thinking, very articulate. His actual manner of speech reminds a bit of Norman Mailer's, though Mailer was more hesitant. Dimon also is quite good at coining or perhaps citing 'telling phrases'. Twice he uses 'History may not repeat itself but it rhymes' to explain the economic crisis' relation to previous ones.
Essentially Charlie Rose treats Dimon as a legend and a hero, the guy who in saving Bear, Stearns saved the economy. The story of what happened the night that the Bear Stearns people called Dimon and told him that they were about to go under is a fascinating one. Dimon tells it well.
He talks a lot about integrity and about the proper way of treating people.
I found his answers in general to be wisely done. He does not throw platitudes and slogans at you. He is not pompous. He shows a real sense of his own limitations. But he is definite and he is quick, and he does answer.
As in many other interviewers Charlie Rose was perhaps a bit too nice. He could have come at Dimon with some more critical questions.
Perhaps it does not matter.
Reading comments from other viewers of the show I saw that Dimon has his enemies his resenters, his enviers, and perhaps his genuine critics.
I thought he was informative, interesting and someone who understood that there is a lot of unknowness and uncertainty out there, and he is presenting no magic formulas which deny it.
A good guy, it seems to me, and a very good conversation.