Pfizer CEO Jeff Kindler supports Hillary Clinton for president. This is an abrupt departure from the path taken by Kindler’s predecessor, Hank McKinnell. McKinnell was a Bush Ranger and right-wing Republican who repeatedly asked Pfizer employees to support Presidents Bush’s reelection campaign.
Kindler has history of supporting Democrats, and his public contribution record shows that Kindler recently supported Hillary Clinton’s bid for the presidency. Kindler has also, according to some recently revealed accounts, been outspoken inside Pfizer about his support for Hillary.
Since Kindler is a lawyer, and the trial bar often supports Democrats, his position may not be all that surprising – if it wasn’t for the fact that he is now CEO of Pfizer and used to work for McKinnell and did McKinnell’s bidding to get Pfizer employees to vote for Bush.
Question is what this means as far as Hillary goes – if the big drug companies start to support her, she sure has come a long way since she tried to implement healthcare reform. Go here to view a web site with contribution details.
One more thing. I can’t help but feeling bad for Pfizer employees. One day they’re supposed to give money to Bush and vote Republican to be promoted, next day they’re supposed to give money to Hillary Clinton. If it wasn’t real life it would be something out of a Monty Python film. No wonder so many senior Pfizer execs have been terminated since Kindler took over.
Peter Rost, M.D. is a former VP of Pfizer and the author of Killer Drug. He is the author of “The Whistleblower, Confessions of a Healthcare Hitman.”