It's hard for me to work up any sympathy for a rich young heir. But I think I might be able to feel sorry for Bill Ford.

William Clay Ford Jr. is the great-grandson of Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company, and Harvey Firestone, founder of Firestone Tire. By all rights, he should have been a layabout and ne'er-do-well. But he wasn't. He went to Princeton and MIT, earned his MBA, and went to work in the family business, eventually assuming the CEO position. And now he's taking the fall for his company's hard times. He recently resigned his post as CEO, and has been replaced by Alan Mulally, who has been credited with turning around the Boeing Company.

So why do I feel sorry for Bill Ford? Because I think he's going to be a convenient scapegoat for Ford for a good long while. Dale Wickell, About's Guide to Trucks, is taking a look at Ford's prospects for 2007. Dale's an optimist by nature, but the picture is bleak.

Poor Bill Ford.

Photo © Jason Fogelson