Lee Scott

We've got to figure out a way to cause communities to also want them, the political, organized bodies.

Don't say it's because of benefits, because our benefits are good.

I think in some ways we have allowed other people to set the agenda. Other people to define who we are.

We want to set a tone going into our fiscal year that starts Feb. 1, that Wal-Mart Stores is going to be aggressive in taking care of customers, taking care of our associates, communications and merchandising.

If we take care of the customers and associates and grow the business, Wall Street will be pleased.

I expect that our associates will walk with a little more bounce in their step and understand that this company is behind them and has respect for them.

And the greeter is what sets the tone for this company and I've been on TV a little bit this morning.

I just think that it's maybe fashionable today to try to take individual actions and individual failures and take the broadest possible brush and try to paint a company.

In some ways, people forget about average working people, and how they live their lives.

And what I am trying to say to them that through our ads and through our discussions is if you don't want us in your community, that's your choice, but don't say it's because of wages.

Retailing, it's always true that there is some items that I wish we had a lot more of like the iPod and there is some items I wish we had a lot less of.

One of the things that strikes me is so many of the critics are people whose lifestyle doesn't change when the price of fuel changes, or if they keep a Wal-Mart store out of their area.