After the tanker Exxon Valdez plowed into a reef in Alaska's Prince William Sound, causing the worst oil spill in U.S. history, Exxon Chairman Lawrence Rawl made himself scarce. He waited almost a week before he publicly commented on the disaster, and it was more than two weeks before he ventured to Valdez. Last week, at Exxon's shareholder meeting, Rawl was forced to confront -- personally and directly -- a very angry public.
Before he could enter the Aspen Hotel in Parsippany, N.J., where the meeting was held, Rawl had to run a gauntlet of hundreds of angry demonstrators, some chanting,...