To: Thehammer who wrote (4702 ) 2/11/2001 3:09:53 PM From: KLP Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 59480 And here's the article about what MSDW said: Feb 11, 2001 - 11:58 AM Morgan Stanley Chief Says It Was Mistake to Have Clinton Speak at Conference The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) - The president of Morgan Stanley has told clients it was a mistake to invite former President Bill Clinton to speak at a company conference last week, The New York Times reported report Sunday. "I fully understand why you are upset that former President Clinton spoke at one of our conferences," chairman Philip J. Purcell wrote in an e-mail message. "We clearly made a mistake." Morgan Stanley acknowledged last week that it received several phone calls from customers irate that Clinton was speaking at the company's annual High Net Worth conference, held this year in Boca Raton, Fla. Clinton was paid between $100,000 to $150,000 for his first speech since leaving office. It was closed to the press and the public. Purcell told clients that the decision to invite Clinton did not receive the proper review within the firm, the Times reported. "We should have been far more sensitive to the strong feelings of our clients over Mr. Clinton's personal behavior as president," Purcell wrote. "We should have thought twice before the speaking invitation was extended." "Our failure to do so was particularly unfortunate in light of Mr. Clinton's actions in leaving the White House," he added. He did not detail what actions he was referring to, the Times said. Clinton has come under fire for pardoning billionaire fugitive Marc Rich and for accepting thousands of dollars worth of gifts. Clinton has stuck by his decision to pardon Rich, but he has returned several of the gifts. A spokesman for Morgan Stanley, Ray O'Rourke, could not be reached for comment Sunday. But he told the Times that the e-mail was sent in response to letters from clients expressing their concern. Clinton spokeswoman Julia Payne did not immediately return a telephone message left at her Virginia home. AP-ES-02-11-01 1200EST ap.tbo.com