Rick Wagoner: Looking a Little Palm Beach, Mr. Chairman

Is it just me, or does GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner look sort of...reddish in this altogether strange YouTube video? Truthfully, of all the current Big Three heads, I think I admire Wagoner the most, but better makeup is always a nice idea. Shoulders on the suit make his head look small, but I like that he's late-summer-fying with the tan gabardine. Not crazy about the shirt (CEOs should never wear button-downs).

The date on the video is 9/22, so Wagoner's optimism preceded GM's swoon into precariously low valuations during the Dow's roller-coaster ride over the past few weeks. Today's close? $6.37/share, a big bump (more than 30%) after the slaughter last Friday, but still miles below the high of around $43. It used to bug me when all the domestic carmakers did was talk about the "challenges" facing their industry (seemed as if they were indulging in the simple prophecy of low expectations, to borrow a phrase), but now I'm thinking they're on to something.