Bye Bye Jacques ?

The NEW YORK TIMES the worlds newspaper of record reported that Ford denied that their top executive on Way Out.

They went on to report that Jacques A. Nasser, the chief executive of the Ford Motor Company, will probably be out of a job by the end of the year, according to a person close to the company.

Ford officials dismissed that suggestion, however. "We wouldn't speculate on bogus speculation," said Jason Vines, Ford's communications director, adding that during Nasser's tenure there had been frequent suggestions of when and how he will depart, suggestions that have yet to be borne out.

Other officials close to the company's operations did not discount the possibility of Mr. Nasser's departure, though none would confirm it. The suggestion was first posted last night on Forbes.com, the Web site for Forbes magazine. Whether or not it is true, there is no doubt that Nasser, 53, has been under intense pressure as Ford's struggles have intensified.