Leslie Dach

Discount giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced a multibillion-dollar initiative to promote female workers and women-owned businesses as part of an effort to improve its corporate image. The move came as the nation's largest retailer continues to deal with accusations that it doesn't have an equal workplace. The Bentonville, Ark., company may face individual claims of sex discrimination after the U.S. Supreme Court threw out a class-action suit by female workers in June. On Wednesday, Wal-Mart said it had developed five goals, designed to "help empower women across its supply chain," that it aimed to achieve by the end of 2016.

Discount giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced a multibillion-dollar initiative to promote female workers and women-owned businesses as part of an effort to improve its corporate image. The move came as the nation's largest retailer continues to deal with accusations that it doesn't have an equal workplace. The Bentonville, Ark., company may face individual claims of sex discrimination after the U.S. Supreme Court threw out a class-action suit by female workers in June. On Wednesday, Wal-Mart said it had developed five goals, designed to "help empower women across its supply chain," that it aimed to achieve by the end of 2016.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is paying a former advisor to President Clinton at least $3 million over the next two years to direct a rapid-response team to handle mounting criticism of the world's largest retailer. In a regulatory filing Tuesday, the company disclosed the payment in stock -- plus additional stock options -- to Leslie Dach, a former Democratic Party political operative with wide-ranging communications duties during the Clinton administration.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is paying a former advisor to President Clinton at least $3 million over the next two years to direct a rapid-response team to handle mounting criticism of the world's largest retailer. In a regulatory filing Tuesday, the company disclosed the payment in stock -- plus additional stock options -- to Leslie Dach, a former Democratic Party political operative with wide-ranging communications duties during the Clinton administration.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., parrying criticism from labor groups and lawmakers, hired former Democratic advisor Leslie Dach to oversee the company's lobbying and public relations. Dach, 52, will fill a new position and report to Chief Executive H. Lee Scott starting in late August, the Bentonville, Ark.-based company said. Dach is vice chairman of Edelman Public Relations, responsible for the firm's Washington office and head of its Wal-Mart team.

Democratic presidential nominee Michael S. Dukakis, expanding his effort to court black voters, has signed up the Rev. Jesse Jackson for radio ads and named a prominent Jackson aide to his staff of advisers, campaign officials said Friday. Jackson is scheduled to record the radio spots today, Dukakis campaign aide Donna Brazile said.

Dayton Duncan, deputy press secretary to Walter F. Mondale during his 1984 presidential campaign, has been named national press secretary for the Dukakis presidential campaign. Duncan, 38, will join the Democratic front-runner's staff in mid-June, Dukakis' campaign office said Thursday. Duncan served from 1979 to 1983 as press secretary and chief of staff to the late New Hampshire Gov. Hugh Gallen. He lives in Roxbury, N.H. Duncan replaces Patricia O'Brien, who resigned last November.

Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis shook up his Democratic presidential campaign staff Friday, accepting the resignation of press secretary Patricia O'Brien and promoting field director Jack Corrigan to director of campaign operations. The departure of O'Brien, 50, had been rumored for several days. Boston newspapers reported that she had alienated many members of Dukakis' inner circle and had fallen short of expectations in dealing with the press.

Wal-Mart wants to extract more green out of greening. The retail giant's supercenter in Lancaster recently installed fuel cells that provide half of the electricity to the 222,876-square-foot store. It has punched holes in the roof for skylights that provide 70% of the store's lighting needs during the day. To help keep the scorching sun at bay and cool the building naturally, it has painted the roof white. The store has been recognized for being eco-friendly, but Wal-Mart Stores Inc. officials say they're actually happier with how the upgrades have improved the bottom line.

Democrat Michael S. Dukakis struck back at George Bush's negative attacks today by comparing his Republican rival's campaign to the Watergate cover-up of the Nixon White House. "Truth was the first casualty in the Nixon White House and it was the first casualty in the Bush campaign," Dukakis said in a speech to Southern New England Telephone Co. employees. "I believe the American people value the truth in politics and I'm going to do everything I can to make sure the truth wins," he said.

The chairman of George Bush's campaign said today that the Republican nominee was willing to have two debates with Michael S. Dukakis and a third between their running mates, but a meeting between leaders of the two campaigns ended with no agreement on a set of face-to-face confrontations. Top officials of the two presidential campaigns met for nearly two hours. James A. Baker III, chairman of the Bush campaign, said Bush was willing to hold two debates with the first coming as early as Sept.

Democratic presidential candidate Michael S. Dukakis, his campaign reeling from the embarrassing resignations of two top advisers, said Thursday he would become more involved in the day-to-day management of his campaign while a search goes forward for a new manager.