NPR: Hear: WaMu Banker Bares Soul

Hear: WaMu Banker Bares Soul

The biggest federal bank failure in U.S. history.

Robert Giroux/Getty Images

Today on Planet Money:

William Longbrake served as chief financial officer for Washington Mutual from 1982 through 2002. Longbrake retired a few weeks before the bank suffered the largest bank bankruptcy in US history last month.

In an interview that's equal parts terrifying, reassuring and revealing, the financial executive gives Alex Blumberg and Adam Davidson his view of the financial crisis and the need for intervention.

Download the podcast; or subscribe. Follow our Twitter feed.

Laura Conaway

5:50 PM ET | 10- 2-2008 | permalink

comments | | e-mail

Comments

View all comments »

Add a Comment

Please note that all comments must adhere to the NPR.org discussion rules and terms of use. See also the Community FAQ.

E-mail this Page

Recipient's e-mail address:	» Up to twelve addresses, separated by commas.
Your e-mail address:
Your name:
Personal message (optional, 600 characters max):
Your NPR member station:
Are you a member of your local NPR station?	Yes No
Would you like to receive information from your local NPR member station? (see NPR's privacy policy)	Yes No
Please send me updates from NPR.	Yes No

(Information collected by NPR will be used solely for internal NPR or NPR member station purposes and only if you selected 'yes' above. See NPR's privacy policy for more information.)

E-mail |
Print

Planet Money Stories

more stories »

About Planet Money

Planet Money is a multimedia team covering the global economy. You can follow us on this blog and on Twitter. You can also e-mail us directly and/or join our Facebook group. For more information, see our Frequently Asked Questions and rules for discussion.