Talk Won't Stop Purcell or NYSE

Show me the money, Kenneth Langone. Show me the money, John Mack. Show me the money, Parker Gilbert. Show me the money, Robert Scott.

Yeah, one thing these guys all have in common is that they are good talkers in a controlled environment. They don't come on shows like my "Mad Money," where I am going to ask them the real question: "Where is your money to bid for the NYSE? Where is your money to buy shares and take Morgan Stanley (MWD - commentary - Cramer's Take) away from Phil Purcell?

Yeah, these guys are all Big Hat, No Cattle. They are reminiscing about a time when they had the power and the money and the glory, and now it has left them. They're almost like Willy Loman as they make the rounds, sniping to the press, making it clear that they really know what is right and that John Thain and Phil Purcell don't know jack.

I've worked on Wall Street long enough to know that Purcell and Thain didn't get to where they are by making stupid decisions that are easily undone by rivals. Each has the votes and the clout needed for one to stay at the helm of Morgan Stanley and for the other to make this deal with Archipelago (AX - commentary - Cramer's Take) go through.

The only thing that could tip them over is money, in the form of a bidder for Morgan that is run by the ex-Morgan guys, or in the form of a higher price for the exchange than Archipelago is paying. Believe me, the latter won't be easy because despite Langone's protestations, this Archipelago deal has almost doubled the price of a seat. Last I looked, that's the money being shown, and people like it.

Nobody's stopping these guys from rounding up money or partners. But they like to take their fights out in the press, not in the banks.

Too bad.

Talk is cheap. Show me the money.

Random musings: Attention readers, I'm looking for a research assistant based in the New York Metro area to help me out. If you love following stocks as much as I do and want to help me help people make money out there, please send your resumé and cover letter to [e-mail].

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James J. Cramer is a director and co-founder of TheStreet.com. He contributes daily market commentary for TheStreet.com's sites and serves as an adviser to the company's CEO. Outside contributing columnists for TheStreet.com and RealMoney.com, including Cramer, may, from time to time, write about stocks in which they have a position. In such cases, appropriate disclosure is made. To see his personal portfolio and find out what trades Cramer will make before he makes them, sign up for Action Alerts PLUS by clicking here. While he cannot provide personalized investment advice or recommendations, he invites you to send comments on his column to [e-mail]. Listen to Cramer's RealMoney Radio show on your computer; just click here. Watch Cramer on "Mad Money" at 6 p.m. ET weeknights on CNBC. Click here to order Cramer's latest book, "Real Money: Sane Investing in an Insane World," click here to get his second book, "You Got Screwed!" and click here to order Cramer's autobiography, "Confessions of a Street Addict."