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This picture of Vice President Joe Biden earlier today at Detroit's Lafayette Coney Island inhaling a hot dog shows he's actually got room in his mouth for something other than his foot. More »
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It looks like it was a good thing Michigan delivered up the electoral votes to help elect Barack Obama, because he's just made saving the auto industry part two of a three-part plan to address the nation's economic woes. In his first press conference today as President-elect, Obama whipped Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm out on stage, telling the world he hopes to approve the $25 billion in assistance for retooling. In addition, Detroit's new diety claimed he plans to make additional policy options to help U.S. automakers create fuel-efficient cars a "high priority" for the transition team. More »
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Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm today suggesting the state should consider lowering its 70 MPH (which, in practice, means 80 MPH) interstate speed limit in an effort to save energy. Wrapping her statement in the "families are hurting" argument, the governor made the politically delicate suggestion minus any actual proposals to lower the limit to a specific amount. Hey, here's an idea: If you don't want to use more fuel driving 70 MPH, then just slow down. And stay the hell out of the left lane. Welcome to 1974 all over again. [Detroit News] More »
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It looks like things have gone from bad to worse for the Metro Detroit economy — Volkswagen's moving their US headquarters out from Auburn Hills, MI and in to the wilds of Herndon, VA. We hear not even Governor Granholm (full disclosure: she used to be my boss) was able to dissuade them from moving all of their jobs out of the current HQ (although we're now hearing she may have helped to save about one-third of them). What's with the Germans these days — first you've got Daimler severing it's 'merican half, then Porsche thumbed it's nose at the Detroit Auto Show and now VW moving it's HQ out to Virginia. Why all the hate, Germany? [via WSJ] More »
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Fair warning here — if you're not into the industry navel-gazing, you'll probably just want to run along to another post — because this one'll be a doozy. I digitally opened up the Detroit papers this morning, ready to sink into some meaty auto industry news when I ran into something both strange and bizarre. It was none other than the pundit of automotive pontification for The Detroit News, Danny Howes. Now normally I enjoy reading Danny playing the conservative role for the adoring anglo-saxon fan base of the the metro region's conservadoxic paper, if only that it gives me a good chuckle. But today the role-playing D-town automaker lap-dog was going after another Dan — Dan Mulhern — husband to Michigan Governor Granholm, with a level of vim and vigor I haven't seen since I got my puppy his first beef-flavored chew-toy back in high school. Apparently Dan (to distinguish between the two, I'll be calling Mr. Mulhern, "Dan," and I'll be using "Danny" for the guy from the Detroit News), in his most recent weekly leadership e-mail from the Office of the First Gentleman, made the following commentary: More »
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It seems Michigan's Governor Granholm (In the interest of full disclosure, I worked for the "G" for three years prior to writing about my obsession with the cult of cars — so ignore any instances of breathless adoration of Michigan's CEO.) is seriously working the phones and the flesh-pressing in an attempt to woo investment dollars from Tesla Motors CEO Martin Eberhard. As part of the Gov's wooing, she's tasked the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (NAMBLA) (Also, in the interest of full disclosure, i worked for the MEDC after working for the "G" but before writing about my obsession with the cult of cars — so ignore any instances of breathless adoration of Jeff Daniels.) to put together a package to incent the 'lectric car company to open up a $100 million and 300 hundred employee manufacturing facility in Michigan. That's in addition to the current plan to house a 50-60 employee engineering center in Rochester Hills, MI (a plan which will become fait accompli when the MEDC's tax-break board gives the OK on a package... More »
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Toyota broke ground Friday on their newest facility, a 700-acre crash test facility that'll employ 400 outside of Ann Arbor in sleepy little York Township. Toyota received a state-provided incentive package for the new facility, and well...that's about it. The news was greeted by yawns and our right hand mimicking a job of some sort...that is, until we found out that the event swag! It was hand-made goodies from an Ann Arbor chocolatier. Look at 'em — it's a little construction hat, and a shovel and look, it's like the shovel's digging and there's even a map of the 700-acre site. Isn't it adorable? We kinda wished they'd invited us — or at least sent us some chocolates. More »
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The White House yesterday claims to finally have decided to meet with US automakers in a meeting that's been scheduled and re-scheduled and now re-scheduled yet again, this time for after the mid-term elections. The boys n' girls at the center of the beltway finally confirmed to the Detroit News yesterday that "the White House and the Big Three automakers have agreed that it would be best to meet after the election." This comes later in the day after Michigan Guv Granholm urged Bush to: More »
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Michigan's Governor Granholm knows that just because the Commander-in-Chief doesn't have the time to meet with the leaders of the Big Three, it don't mean she can't help to solve one of their problems all by her lonesome. The Guv's gone and found a way to get some more of those darn-hard-to-find E85 pumps into Michigan: More »
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A fort-night ago 'twas decreed no US automakers shall be granted audience with King George, he of divine right and providence province. Lo' what is this? Despite said decree, there be one who still challenges the King. It is Lady Granholm, Governor of the lands of Mee-chee-gahn, protector of the automotive heritage of the lands of states united: More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=185309&view=rss&microfeed=true The one positive we gas guzzlers can think of about gas prices is the fertile ground it provides for politickin' — for midwestern Governor and federal electeds alike. That's why we totally loved the "behind the scenes" story the WaPo's throwing down today on the big Dem gas price presser yesterday. You've probably seen it cause it was on like every news show last night (and above) — and the same point was made on those very same news shows (as made above) — Dems walked to the gas station on Capitol Hill and railed against the big bad Republicans. And you know, that makes sense, cause everyone knows about the Republican cabal against low gas prices. Problem is, how did the Senators get home from the presser? Acha! Ironically they were driven — but in what type of vehicle? Now that's a good question. The WaPo has the answer — and not wanting to give too much of it away, let's just say the irony is dripping like sweet, sweet crude. But real irony would be the lack of a mention about the President's presser excursion earlier in the day — but fear not, our Wonky Washington sister/brother/senator has all the ironic'n oily details. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=170064&view=rss&microfeed=true Has anyone gone out and tried to fill up today? If you're in the Midwest, you're paying anywhere between $2.80 and $2.99. Even Michigan's auto-friendly Governor Granholm has launched an online petition to send to President Bush asking him WTF is going on. On the West Coast, we've heard prices are approaching $3.00 (or $4.00 in Beverly Hills...but that's mostly due to the TomKat family's fleet of Ford's used the other day). Out on the East Coast, prices hit $3.00 a gallon — that is if you can find any gas to fill up with — as reports of gas-less stations are sifting up from local media outlets. All of this gets us thinking maybe there is more we could be doing, especially with Earth Day tomorrow. Well, at least the Main Stream Media is all over this. CNN has the touching story above of a man pawning his watch for gas — to run his 1991 Jaguar. More »
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Can't the General get a break? First, you had The Prez postulatin' US automakers are more Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm's problem than a national one. Next, Commerce Secretary Guttierez in Detroit earlier this week basically tellin' the Detroit Economic Club "hell no" to providing help to US automakers. Now, the Bush administration looks to be getting one of those election-year green thumbs, and considering a push for higher fuel-economy standards for SUV's and sports-utes. Uh Oh. More »
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So our boy Ray-Ray, an unabashed fan of Governor Jennifer Granholm (and a former Granholm administration employee), has taken umbrage at a Detroit News piece that suggests that Wixom's being shuttered because of high taxes. Ray points out the incentives offered Ford to keep the plant open, and then goes on to point out that almost every vehicle on Wixom's docket wasn't selling. Well, except the GT, but of course, that wasn't exactly a source of massive profit for the Blue Oval. It's an interesting read. And as Sweet Peet D. would say, "Product, Product, Product." More »
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Our boy Ray hipped us to this exchange between our illustrious president and the DetroitWonk's former sugarmomma, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who like Ahnuld, is foreign-born and once appeared on The Dating Game. And no, she wasn't that kinda sugarmomma. He usta work for the Gov, so stop thinkin' dirty. Anyway, 'nuffs on the Gov, because the real words here come from the scion of Bush 41's errant empire, via JennyJenJen, via the Freep: "She also said she spoke of the state s auto industry but said the president told her, I can t make your automakers profitable. [Emphasis added.] Dude, seriously, George. We mean really. We know it's an obvious statement to make, but here goes nothin': Fuck you. More »
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