Jack Welch

WASHINGTON -- Former General Electric Chief Executive Jack Welch charged Friday that the White House manipulated the sharp drop in the unemployment rate to help President Obama's reelection campaign. Minutes after the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the September unemployment rate had surprisingly plunged to 7.8% from 8.1%, Welch took to Twitter to say that the numbers were cooked to give Obama a boost following what many analysts said was a poor debate performance on Wednesday.

Perhaps only a man of elastic convictions like Mitt Romney can successfully navigate the polarized and paranoid battlefield of contemporary American politics. It is no longer merely a contest of Republicans versus Democrats or red states versus blue states, it is now a confrontation between two versions of reality. Romney's latest incarnation as a relative moderate is reminiscent of the other Mormon candidate in the Republican primaries, Jon Huntsman. But the reason Romney is the nominee and Huntsman is just an occasional third-tier guest on political chat shows is that Romney was willing to bend his beliefs toward the paranoid, conspiracy-mongering right wing of his party and pretend to be one of them.

Anyone who wants to understand the most admired and imitated corporate leader of our time has only to pay attention. During his 21 years as chairman and chief executive of General Electric Co., Jack Welch was focused on running a phenomenally successful global corporation, spearheading expansion into more than 15 major businesses, including gas turbines, financial services and television. When he gave speeches, it was usually to some of GE's 300,000-plus employees.

WASHINGTON -- Former General Electric Chief Executive Jack Welch charged Friday that the White House manipulated the sharp drop in the unemployment rate to help President Obama's reelection campaign. Minutes after the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the September unemployment rate had surprisingly plunged to 7.8% from 8.1%, Welch took to Twitter to say that the numbers were cooked to give Obama a boost following what many analysts said was a poor debate performance on Wednesday.

Jack Welch, former chairman of General Electric Co., joined Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Inc. after a yearlong courtship, giving the 23-year-old leveraged buyout firm more clout. The New York-based firm, which manages $6.6 billion of capital, said Welch, 65, will help it assess new investments and expand overseas as well as court clients. Welch, who retired from the world's biggest company last month, won't be actively involved in companies.

He was hailed as the Tiger Woods of management, a brilliant business magician and, as head of General Electric Co., one of the world's most admired executives. In turn, Jack Welch heaped praise on his wife, Jane, lauding her in his bestselling autobiography as "the perfect partner." Now that they are divorcing, Jane Beasley Welch has become the most formidable opponent the retired chief executive has encountered.

Welch Gives NBC Affiliates a Pep Talk: General Electric's chairman, Jack Welch, told executives of NBC's local affiliates that the television network, which GE owns, would bounce back from several recent controversies. Welch, speaking to station executives in Florida, gave several NBC executives credit for bringing new drive and momentum to the network, which has been struggling for ratings. He also insisted that NBC is not for sale, contrary to recent rumors.

A judge Thursday granted former General Electric Co. Chairman Jack Welch's request to keep details in his divorce case -- from his business dealings to his personal diary entries -- confidential for now. Judge Arthur Hiller granted the temporary order keeping private the depositions of Welch and his wife, Jane. Jane Welch's attorneys want details about Jack Welch's consultant business and gifts he has given his children and grandchildren, said his attorney, Daniel K. Webb.

Former General Electric Co. Chairman Jack Welch and his estranged wife, Jane, have reached a divorce settlement, a lawyer involved in the case said Thursday. The settlement, whose terms were not disclosed, marks the end of a bitter and closely watched breakup that had cast a public spotlight on the lavish benefits awarded Welch as part of his GE retirement package. The pact came days before the divorce trial was due to begin in Connecticut. The Welches had been married for 13 years.

Jack Welch, who retired as General Electric Co. chairman last week, sent an autographed copy of his book--"Jack, Straight from the Gut"--to Mario Monti, the European regulator who blocked the acquisition the executive hoped would crown his career. Fiat Chairman Paolo Fresco delivered the book to Monti Saturday in the lobby of the Villa d'Este hotel on the banks of Lake Como in northern Italy.

Anyone who wants to understand the most admired and imitated corporate leader of our time has only to pay attention. During his 21 years as chairman and chief executive of General Electric Co., Jack Welch was focused on running a phenomenally successful global corporation, spearheading expansion into more than 15 major businesses, including gas turbines, financial services and television. When he gave speeches, it was usually to some of GE's 300,000-plus employees.

General Electric Co. violated the law by failing to fully disclose to investors the many retirement perks lavished on former Chief Executive Jack Welch, the Securities and Exchange Commission said Thursday. The millions of dollars in benefits included unlimited personal use of GE's planes, exclusive use of an $11-million apartment in New York City, a chauffeured limousine, a leased Mercedes, office space, financial services, bodyguard security and security systems for his homes.

Former General Electric Co. Chairman Jack Welch and his estranged wife, Jane, have reached a divorce settlement, a lawyer involved in the case said Thursday. The settlement, whose terms were not disclosed, marks the end of a bitter and closely watched breakup that had cast a public spotlight on the lavish benefits awarded Welch as part of his GE retirement package. The pact came days before the divorce trial was due to begin in Connecticut. The Welches had been married for 13 years.

A judge Thursday granted former General Electric Co. Chairman Jack Welch's request to keep details in his divorce case -- from his business dealings to his personal diary entries -- confidential for now. Judge Arthur Hiller granted the temporary order keeping private the depositions of Welch and his wife, Jane. Jane Welch's attorneys want details about Jack Welch's consultant business and gifts he has given his children and grandchildren, said his attorney, Daniel K. Webb.

Imagine you're a Martian Margaret Mead dispatched to Earth to study social customs like the courting and marriage relationships of humans. You watch these people closely--how they dress to attract others, and the perfumes, dances, flirting and kissing as they fall hopelessly, intoxicatingly, head over heels in love with each other, at least for a while.

General Electric Co. disclosed Monday that federal regulators are investigating its deal funding millions of dollars in retirement perks for former Chief Executive Jack Welch, who separately agreed to cancel most of the controversial benefits package.

J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. hired Jack Welch, former chairman and chief executive of General Electric Co., as an advisor to the firm, telling employees he will help develop an "integrated corporate culture." Welch, 65, will work with Chief Executive William Harrison Jr. and senior management, Harrison said. The firm also will start a leadership institute to be set up by Vice President James Lee.

Imagine you're a Martian Margaret Mead dispatched to Earth to study social customs like the courting and marriage relationships of humans. You watch these people closely--how they dress to attract others, and the perfumes, dances, flirting and kissing as they fall hopelessly, intoxicatingly, head over heels in love with each other, at least for a while.

He was hailed as the Tiger Woods of management, a brilliant business magician and, as head of General Electric Co., one of the world's most admired executives. In turn, Jack Welch heaped praise on his wife, Jane, lauding her in his bestselling autobiography as "the perfect partner." Now that they are divorcing, Jane Beasley Welch has become the most formidable opponent the retired chief executive has encountered.

Jack Welch, who retired as chief executive of General Electric Co. last year, is still living large on the company's dime, enjoying freebies such as country club memberships and tickets to New York Knicks basketball games, according to a court filing by his wife in their divorce case. The exhaustive catalog of expenses GE covers for Welch represents another example of corporate largess and is likely to fuel investor outrage about lush pay packages for top executives.