Will Yahoo Ask Obama For A Bailout?

First, Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang turned up his nose at a buyout offer from Microsoft that was stunningly generous.

Then he turned to Google for a cockamamie advertising deal.

Then Google, not a company known for turning away from a legal challenge, got cold feet in the face of federal antitrust concerns (conspiracy theorists who claim Google made the offer knowing they'd have a later excuse to withdraw, just to further distract and decimate rival Yahoo, please go back to political blogging).

Then he turned back to Microsoft, with the epiphany that the Yahoo brand would be real valuable to the Softies and, gee, he'd love to sell out to them. (Yang described the Yahoo brand as a "consumer brand that allows people to get what they want on the Internet." He did not use the P (portal) word, but that's what he meant. See my 10/29/2008 post "Portal, Schmortal" or my 11/22/2006 post "Peanut Butter Portals." )

Then Steve Balmer said, gee, thanks but no thanks.

So here we are. Yang has told the world, and his demoralized employees, that Yahoo is hopelessly lost wandering in the internet desert if left on its own. Will Yang next try to convince the feds that Yahoo is too big to fail and seek a federal bailout? Wait, I got it! Jerry, quick, buy struggling Tesla and then join GM, Ford and Chrysler at the federal money trough.