The Denver Post reports today about last year's compensation for a local company, First Data. In a city that has seen Qwest implode under misconduct by over-compensated executives, and United failing to make takeoff speed because of overcompensated everyone else, the context is bad. But First Data is prospering, everyone I know who works there likes the place and is happy with compensation and the work environment. So why the focus on the Chairman, rather than the company as a whole? There's no company context given, no sense that his package, which certainly doesn't seem opulent compared to what Nacchio walked off with, is out of proportion to the company's success.

Some CEOs rob their shareholders with accounting tricks and false promises. Others actually build successful companies. Those guys should get good publicity, rather than Daschle-like "questions" and "concerns."