Prediction: Bain Capital will become a dirty term

With the bombshell allegations regarding herman cain and rick perry's bizarre clownish speech in new hampshire, the field of republican candidates looks more like a SNL parody than a stable of serious political leaders who are looking to tackle the many challenges facing us.

Hence, I think it looks increasingly likely that Mitt Romney will be the GOP nominee, despite the fact that most of the base hates him. This will be a marraige of convenience, not one of lust and soul consuming passion.

When this happens, expect the Obama campaign to absolutely trash Romney's work at Bain Capital. Every TV ad will smash the firm as being "soulless," "greedy," and "cruel." They will be accused of laying off thousands of hardworking middle Americans and shipping jobs overseas. In short, by election day 2012, the term "Bain Capital" will be in the same level of infamy as Goldman Sachs and lehman brothers.

 

Let them. I agree that the obama administration will try to bag tthe romney camp anyway possible, but i just dont think it will stick. First, allegations of doing incredibly well dont necessarily resonate with the american ppl unless flagrant cheating to achieve that success is evident. Moreover, banks (ie Golmans of the world) are much easier scapegoats than private equity firms. The reality is that most americans have no idea what a PE firm is, much less does (granted most americans have no idea what investment banks actaully do), so i dont know if it will stick all that well with the general population.

Capitalist
 

Interesting thought. On the flip side it gives Romney the credentials to say "I know business, I can sort out the economy". I'm not from the US but I'd imagine the main disappointment voters have with Obama is his economic record (correct me if I'm way off!) and the 2012 election will be economic and employment driven, and Romney clearly has the better background and experience.

Then again, Team Obama will use the line "you cannot treat the US economy and peoples jobs like a company you buy, gut and sell for profit" or something similar.

 

Really doubt the plebs will know or care what PE is. In fact, I really doubt that the majority of the OWS protesters have even heard of Lehman.

Ironically, it wouldn't be too difficult to imagine a scenario where: 1) Lehman was bailed out -> 2) The markets don't crash -> 3) The rest of the banks don't need bailouts or the bailouts are a smaller story -> 4) No OWS, but people's lives are just as shitty still because they decided to go into 100k debt for a MA in Latin American Studies

 
charmander:
Really doubt the plebs will know or care what PE is. In fact, I really doubt that the majority of the OWS protesters have even heard of Lehman.

Even before I knew what PE was, I had heard of the Carlyle Group from the Michael Moore documentary Fahrenheit 911.

Money Never Sleeps? More like Money Never SUCKS amirite?!?!?!?
 
Brady4MVP:
by election day 2012, the term "bain capital" will be in the same level of infamy as goldman sachs and lehman brothers.
...and the most ambitious kids will be applying to work there.
Get busy living
 

whatever the reputation of pe firms as job cutters, the actual employment track record at companies purchased by pe firms differs considerably from the slash-and-burn stereotype in the press. in fact, there are numerous reports and studies out there that reveal that employment at leverage-buyout and turnaround firms actually increased employment after a few years (albeit at a slower rate than other firms in the same industry). there is just as much ammo to refute all those claims. i think that romney will ultimately get bigger punches from other angles (ie, not his business record unless something truly sketchy is brought to the fore) although with the whole OWS, this matter does have some salience to it.

Capitalist
 
dabanobo:
I don't see how Obama can spin the fact that Romney's a successful businessman to the Dem's advantage. To try to do so would be a strategic error imo.
Are you an idiot? You don't see how someone could make a former Wall Street big shot look bad? Really? Occupy [insert any geographic location here] would disagree with you. The fact that he was a Wall Street 'Fat Cat' will be a huge issue.
If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 
happypantsmcgee:
dabanobo:
I don't see how Obama can spin the fact that Romney's a successful businessman to the Dem's advantage. To try to do so would be a strategic error imo.
Are you an idiot? You don't see how someone could make a former Wall Street big shot look bad? Really? Occupy [insert any geographic location here] would disagree with you. The fact that he was a Wall Street 'Fat Cat' will be a huge issue.

Do you really think any occupy insert location protester would vote for Romney.... ever? Those in the middle and on the right will not fall for a successful businessman = bad bull Obama would throw out there.

 
dabanobo:
I don't see how Obama can spin the fact that Romney's a successful businessman to the Dem's advantage. To try to do so would be a strategic error imo.

It's sad that we have a president who never worked a real job before politics and yet will base his campaign on bashing a successful businessman. But that's the only choice Obama has, given his epic fail on the economy.

 
Brady4MVP:
It's sad that we have a president who never worked a real job
That's his schtik, here's the spin: his life's work up to this point is fixing the mistakes of powerful people who rip off the public and call it a "real job". It's hard to vote for a businessman when he's running against a holy man. THAT'S the logic.

It's not true, but it plays to exactly what America wants to hear right now.

Get busy living
 
UFOinsider:
Brady4MVP:
It's sad that we have a president who never worked a real job
That's his schtik, here's the spin: his life's work up to this point is fixing the mistakes of powerful people who rip off the public and call it a "real job". It's hard to vote for a businessman when he's running against a holy man. THAT'S the logic.

It's not true, but it plays to exactly what America wants to hear right now.

I that you Jimmy?

Reality hits you hard, bro...
 
Best Response
MMBinNC:
UFOinsider:
Brady4MVP:
It's sad that we have a president who never worked a real job
That's his schtik, here's the spin: his life's work up to this point is fixing the mistakes of powerful people who rip off the public and call it a "real job". It's hard to vote for a businessman when he's running against a holy man. THAT'S the logic.

It's not true, but it plays to exactly what America wants to hear right now.

I that you Jimmy?

HAH! NO! I'm pointing out the 'story' that the dems have sold the public on. If Romney can find a way to defuse that, he'll do fine. If not, he'll get crushed.....most other talking points are irrelevant at this point.

For the record, I'm trying to think through the realistic permutations of the debate, and this is the sticking point. I'm supposed to drink the koolaid from this that and the other wellspring of 'wisdom', but realistically, this is how it's going to shake down. The GOP strategist that can find a way around that argument will be the Karl Rove of the 2012 election.

For the guys who really give a shit, I suggest creating a new post to open the discussion on exactly that topic and maybe get the better ideas in front of a political analyst. I wonder how history would have differed if someone, somewhere, had gotten to a McCain aide and said, "Listen, I know you have a thing for doinking the occaisional younger, hotter broad. I'm here to help you, not judge you. You'd better run Condoleeza Rice, because this Palin character is going to cost you the election.

Get busy living
 

I wouldn't put forth Lehman- the firm that most people know- but have they heard of any of the MM/boutiques/non-megafunds? Prob not unless they have a commercial branch.

Some OWS people are really smart, but they have such poor methods at dealing with the failings of the crony capitalism (solution = socialism) that there is no way I would support them.

Reality hits you hard, bro...
 

I have a hard time imagining Ron Paul or Romney getting the nod, even though they're both the most qualified candidates for the Republican nod. They also seem to be two of the most 'honest' politicians in the sense that they have tended to stick more to their beliefs and their ambitions are relatively less egotistical than that of say, the career politician/flip-flopper Perry. The Evangelical/NeoCon side of the GOP refuses to get behind a Mormon and they hate what Romney did with healthcare in MA, while the cronyism that Paul has refused to tolerate his entire career seems to keep his campaign muted among the media, particularly the conservative media (Fox News and the WSJ specifically). Unfortunately, I think both are also the two candidates that are most electable by non-Republicans--Paul in particular, who has done incredibly well in most polls. Perry and Cain are just embarrassments at this point.

 
Jerome Marrow:
I have a hard time imagining Ron Paul or Romney getting the nod, even though they're both the most qualified candidates for the Republican nod. They also seem to be two of the most 'honest' politicians in the sense that they have tended to stick more to their beliefs and their ambitions are relatively less egotistical than that of say, the career politician/flip-flopper Perry. The Evangelical/NeoCon side of the GOP refuses to get behind a Mormon and they hate what Romney did with healthcare in MA, while the cronyism that Paul has refused to tolerate his entire career seems to keep his campaign muted among the media, particularly the conservative media (Fox News and the WSJ specifically). Unfortunately, I think both are also the two candidates that are most electable by non-Republicans--Paul in particular, who has done incredibly well in most polls. Perry and Cain are just embarrassments at this point.

WTF Romney is an "honest" politician? You have obviously not been paying attention to this campaign season, as Romney is probably the biggest flip flopper out there. No doubt Romney is only in it for his ego and nothing else. This is coming from a guy who would vote for Romney.

 
Jerome Marrow:
I have a hard time imagining Ron Paul or Romney getting the nod, even though they're both the most qualified candidates for the Republican nod. They also seem to be two of the most 'honest' politicians in the sense that they have tended to stick more to their beliefs and their ambitions are relatively less egotistical than that of say, the career politician/flip-flopper Perry.

You really put Romney and Paul in that same sentence?

 

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