The Bush family seemed to overlook a detail, but William White's design was far from simple. To put on a show, it needed to be done thoroughly. The two White Plaza projects in the United States were set to launch, which would at least resolve employment issues for thousands.
"Wow, his political awareness is exceptionally sensitive," someone remarked.
"Dad, is this a sign of reconciliation? Is he done messing with the Justice Department?" another asked.
"Is there a need for that? The so-called monopoly is just an excuse, isn't it? No matter who was plotting against him, this time the losses would probably be very severe."
After the stock market crash, many banking institutions began to collapse.
These guys were really having a rough time, having just survived the Latin American debt crisis only to encounter another crisis in the American stock market.
Texas Commercial Bank was fairly unfortunate, but you could also say it was lucky. It could no longer operate, and bankruptcy was merely a matter of time. However, William White seemed very concerned about businesses in his hometown and planned a complete acquisition.
"Mr. White, thirteen billion dollars, this bank is yours," someone reported.
"Alright, let's buy it. We don't have much visibility in the American financial sector; acquiring them should at least improve that," Filson was speechless. If you interconnected all your financial institutions, how could you possibly lack visibility?
...
Throughout November, William White seemed like a man possessed, scattering money everywhere. All these acquisitions involved American companies.
"Damn it, it's blatantly looting while pretending to be a patriot." The head of Citibank was frustrated. Failing to secure Texas Commercial Bank drove him crazy.
"Sir, it's unwise to compete with him now. Didn't the chemical company back off too? Their offer was no small change either," someone suggested.
The old man fell silent. He actually wanted to say if he really went to compete, do you think this guy wouldn't dare to directly acquire Boeing?
Citibank had substantial capital, but the capital it could readily mobilize might not be as plentiful as William White's.
At this juncture, if Citibank charged in to stir up trouble, William White would undoubtedly take them down hard. He might even be unfairly labeled for being reckless.
William White was not a good person; he never was. Despite his talent and wealth, the fact that he was unwilling to invest in the U.S. and took American jobs was undeniable.
This time, as people lost confidence and international capital fled hysterically, William White made a high-profile return.
Well, these things weren't a big deal, but with the endorsements from NBC, things changed. A cunning speculator quickly transformed into a socially responsible entrepreneur.
...
"When did you become so community-minded? Has someone swapped you out for a different person?" Bush Jr. couldn't contain his irritation and decided to call this guy just to annoy him.
"Cut the nonsense; I've always been a very upright person. Didn't I face some unfair treatment a while back? Is that not worth mentioning?" William White dismissively responded, sounding very shameless.
"You're truly shameless."
"Thanks, that's quite a compliment." Bush Jr. admitted defeat; this guy's shamelessness had reached new heights.
This sudden change in style left many old-timers dumbfounded. Even though they were extremely displeased, they had to acknowledge that William White's maneuvering was quite clever.
First, he pleased the shareholders, and his stocks even began to rebound. Secondly, the spectators saw William White's sincerity. White Plaza wasn't just a finished project; the follow-up investments could be much larger. Clearly, this would boost the employment rate -- what more could anyone want?
As for the politicians, they were all very happy as well. At least the big shots in Washington were satisfied and even invited him to this year's New Year's banquet.
He could play his game, but the top ten tycoons couldn't; the folks behind the Federal Reserve couldn't either. Put simply, William White's wealth was earned in the sunlight; there was an essential difference between him and them.
...
Though he didn't get nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor, William White was still considered a skilled performer. Even though they didn't have a fan economy concept at the time, his novels were selling like hotcakes again.
And that so-called infomercial movie was still hanging on after half a year. However, the areas where it was screening were predominantly small towns, while big cities like New York and Los Angeles had basically dropped it.
After the stock market crash, William White's popularity surged again. The shrewder theater owners started re-screening his films. This move left Hollywood moguls wide-eyed.
The movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith had grossed over six hundred million dollars worldwide, and given the current trajectory, it looked poised for even more growth.
Raising his public image while still making money -- upon hearing this news, William White had no words of disdain.
...
The masterful actor was reaping the scraps of the American market while collecting a heap of gratitude. At least the employees of Texas Commercial Bank were very grateful. If they lost their jobs now, it would be a catastrophe.
In fact, William White had quite a few employees in the U.S. Before this, people had only seen him opening factories abroad without realizing that his R&D institutions were all in America.
Once William White's institutions were itemized, everyone chose to remain silent.
Of course, NBC wouldn't let them off the hook; a group of foolish politicians was about to face the consequences of their incompetence.
Weren't you all thrilled when you were shooting off your mouths? Now, suddenly, you don't understand the situation? Can't you be a little more reasonable?
They now understood that William White hadn't said anything earlier because the timing wasn't right; once the opportunity arose, he would absolutely call them out and embarrass them. The petty-minded and vengeful words perfectly described this wealthy guy.
*****
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