Blankfein: Goldman Is Doing 'God's Work'

First, we have Goldman Sachs preachers in church, now we have a new revealing comment from Goldman CEO Lloyd Blankfein, who should perhaps be referred to as the Pope of Goldman.

The revealing comments appears to be all part of Goldman's attempt to polish its image. UK reporter John Arlidge reports on his recent visit with Goldman:

When Goldman gets behind something, everyone in the giant hive wants a piece of the action. Take this article. Once the bank had agreed to talk, it was hard to get senior executives to shut up. One, Michael Sherwood, 44, co-boss of Europe, flew back to the firm’s London headquarters from the IMF meeting in Istanbul, via Moscow, for a 40-minute interview, before jetting off again straight away to see clients in the Gulf.

They may know how to muscle governments and hustle, but they sure have no clue on how to deal with the media, and are completely tone deaf. The latest not very clever move comes from Blankfein, who told Aldridge that Goldman is doing God's work:

An impish grin spreads across Blankfein’s face. Call him a fat cat who mocks the public. Call him wicked. Call him what you will. He is, he says, just a banker "doing God’s work"

This quote, naturally, headlines Aldridge's story for the UK's Timesonline and is quickly moving toward viral status in the global financial blogsphere. Of course, only in heaven do they really know what God thinks of Blankfein's view, but I can take a guess, and I wouldn't recommend Blankfein bring his comment up, if, after he passes this world, he gets anywhere near the pearly gates.