Clinton to Obama: Be more hopeful

Detroit asks nicely for more cash; British bankers apologize (sort of) to Parliament; and the winner for the first annual Theodore C. Sorensen Speechwriting Award

Slick joke: There’s nothing like an oil executive who can poke fun at the depiction of his industry in the news media. During a speech at the International Petroleum Week conference in London this week, ConocoPhillips CEO Jim Mulva told the crowd this joke:

“It’s like the executive who was walking down the street when he saw a small child being attacked by a Rottweiler. Without hesitating, he grabbed the dog with his bare hands and wrestled it to the ground. After a life-and-death struggle, he subdued it and rescued the child. As he lay there bleeding, a passing journalist ran over to ask what happened. ‘What a story!’ he said when told the details. ‘ “Local hero saves child.” By the way, what do you do?’ ‘I’m an oil company CEO,’ was the answer.

And the next day the headline read, ‘Corporate fat cat strangles family pet.’ ” Get the full text of the speech here.