As Internet pioneers go, Steve Case, the co-founder of America Online, tends to keep a lower profile than most. “I’m willing to be out front, particularly if there are issues I’m passionate about,” he told “Off The Cuff.” “Issues that I think are important to the nation, I am happy to play a role as an evangelist maybe, an activist, trying to build some bridges—because none of these things can get done without bipartisan support.”

Earlier this year, Case, who’s now the chairman and CEO of Revolution, an investment company he founded, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on immigration reform. “I think immigration is critical to the future of the country. There’s too much focus on immigration as a problem that needs to be solved. I think it’s an opportunity that needs to be seized—if we’re going to remain the most entrepreneurial nation in the world, and remain an innovative nation that really attracts and retains the best and brightest people from all over the world. I’m particularly passionate about the parts related to high-skilled immigration—things like a ‘start-up visa,’ an ‘entrepreneur visa’—because these really are the innovators that drive the creation of new companies, the creation of new industries, drive our economy, create lots of jobs. But, also, dealing with the broader issues of immigration is critically important.”

“I went in with my daughter one time on a Sunday afternoon to buy a Chevrolet. And I was kind of surprised, what I saw. Literally, I'm interested in buying a car and there were seven salespeople, six of them watching the football game,” Dan Akerson’s the chairman and CEO of General Motors told “Off The Cuff”.

“This young man came over to us and-what a breath of fresh air. I mean, he saw an opportunity, and he was going to sell that car and he wasn't going to let us get out of that dealership that day.” Akerson was so impressed, he bought another car from the young dealer and had it shipped to his second home in Florida. Since then, he said, most of GM’s salespeople have attended training to try “to amp the game up”.

Akerson first joined GM in July 2009 as a member of the Board of Directors while the company was in bankruptcy. Akerson said he still goes undercover into dealerships, but less frequently now. “It was easier when I first took the job because not all the dealers knew who I was. And I would, in a sense, mystery shop. But now it's a little bit different. I'll walk in, they'll say, ‘well, jeez, that's the guy with GM,’ and I don't think there'd be six out of seven people watching television.“

The new GM went public in November 2009. Akerson became CEO in 2010, succeeding Ed Whitacre. The Treasury invested a total of $49.5b into GM and is expected to have a substantial loss on that investment.